Employment for Seniors and Veterans

So many employers contend that they do not have an issue with hiring seniors and in this time of economic struggle no one is being more damaged than seniors and veterans.  To listen to these employers speak, you would think that both sections of society got it really good with all of the different programs available for them.  They would be wrong.

It is assumed that the only requirement to take advantage of all those opportunities is age but that would be a misnomer and an outright lie.  Seniors and veterans are limited not only but age but also by experience.  You see, it’s easy to say your support the troops or even support seniors but to actually put that support into actions take a wide range of people who do not take as serious, your personal pledge to do better by these groups.

You have your hiring managers whose job is to provide the best possible candidate to their employer and by some mental connection or osmosis connection that they have with that employer, they are very much aware that the best candidate for that job must not be either.  Never mind the years and years of experience that this person might have but because they may be missing a piece of paper from some college or university, they will never be provided the chance to show what years of experience can do.  Never mind the years and years of living and interactions with people but because they may be too old to re-train or set in their ways, they will never be provided the chance to show how that type of experience can add to any business’ bottom line.

Now that so many seniors and veterans have entered and overwhelmed the job market, the excuse of being under or over-qualified for a job cannot be used respectfully so these hiring managers, recruiters and human resources people have switched to a new tactic.  They now respond that after reviewing your resume, they have decided to go in a different direction to fill that position.  Simply meaning, you are more than qualified to get this job and we know you will be an asset but your experience frightens us or you are far too old.

So when you hear of an employer promising to do all that they can to help either of these groups, do me a favor and check their recent history.  You may find that talking the talk is one thing while walking the walk is another.