Off the air for a while, I've actually had some opportunities come my way which I've been focussing on.
Anyway, following up from a previous post on HR hurdles, I had a morning coffee with my long time mentor and former manager. This person is now involved with executive education at one of Australia's post graduate institutions.
Much of discussions revolved around "baby boomers", and our inherent sense of entitlement borne somewhat of our tenure, age and in some instances results. We pondered during our hour together what is frustrating Gen X/Y/Z and exacerbating their opinions of older workers.
Given the very poor follow up education undertaken by boomers, it is possibly not surprising to suggest that the younger workers out there might see us as out-dated, technologically inept, and generally unaware of how the market/s operate in an i-Device world.
While unemployed, I've not sat idle. I am constantly reading, educating myself (or more correctly re-educating myself), and find in the past 5 or so years* - the world really has turned upside down in regard to how we buy, interact, sell, buy, recruit/hire, fire, relate, interrelate etc.
Possibly doing it hard for the past few years has put me in a better position to see what the entitled, ensconced boomer is not seeing - who knows? Do we necessarily deserve to be where we are, or should we maybe be listening to the very smart, agile and learned youngons coming through? Could this improve our opportunities to remain engaged, employed and relevant as we near our retirement - or will be looked upon as the dinosaurs we might possibly already be....
My mentor mentioned "encore careers" - more on that shortly.
Have a great day.
Dom
* - (incidently today is the 5th anniversary of the launch of the iPhone by Apple)
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Increasing the retirement age
I read with dismay over the weekend in the NY Times on line edition, regarding a 62 yo who has not been able to find full time work. Much of her situation I've heard, I've experienced, I'm sharing with others, and reading about it more often than I'd care to wish.
There is much talk about extending the retirement age here in Australia. We are already phasing in a change from 65 to 67, and now there is further discussion about 71 being a retirement age This is something that I certainly will experience at the now tender age of 52.
I personally have no qualms about working to 67 or 71. I very much enjoy work, and enjoy the interaction I have - and yes, I like to make money too!
The quandary that governments and we all must face though, not everyone is in a position to keep going until 71. I'm trying to imagine a labourer still swinging a pick axe at that age - not likely, and it will apply to many trades, professions. What do we do from when we are forced to retire to when we are legally and financially able to retire???
The NY Times article describes this aged worker being trapped in a prison. What's your experience?
Have a good day.
Dom
There is much talk about extending the retirement age here in Australia. We are already phasing in a change from 65 to 67, and now there is further discussion about 71 being a retirement age This is something that I certainly will experience at the now tender age of 52.
I personally have no qualms about working to 67 or 71. I very much enjoy work, and enjoy the interaction I have - and yes, I like to make money too!
The quandary that governments and we all must face though, not everyone is in a position to keep going until 71. I'm trying to imagine a labourer still swinging a pick axe at that age - not likely, and it will apply to many trades, professions. What do we do from when we are forced to retire to when we are legally and financially able to retire???
The NY Times article describes this aged worker being trapped in a prison. What's your experience?
Have a good day.
Dom
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
The HR Hurdle
I've been off the air of late, busy trying to find a job, and still coming up short. I'm finding myself presently thinking that getting through to an interview is an achievement, and having done one just last week (but missing out), I noticed an interesting trend. I'm getting through for interviews where my qualifications / resume are being reviewed by a real person, rather than a software package, and then I stumbled across this article last Friday via Linkedin - it gave me some interesting perspectives and food for thought which I thought I'd share with you.
The WSJ article argues that HR departments have been pared back like many others in organisations, and the use of software to screen potential applicants is now common place - but figure, the GFC has made employers VERY picky. The selection criteria is now SO specific that they can advertise, yet sit there and say to the market - we have no qualified workers to employ!
Wow - and in this current situation where as a mature age worker, I'm being told I'm too experienced, will be bored, too senior etc, the market is also screaming there are no qualified workers, or (here in Australia for example), we are now going to ship in foreign workers to make up short falls in our booming mining industry in WA and QLD.
Pity sake - read the article, it makes some excellent pointers - lower the bar a little and cut some people a break! WHY would anyone want to move from their current employ to move somewhere else to do exactly the same job?? Well that's what hiring managers want according to this article, and I must agree given some recent experience, that is what is being asked for interviews.
What ever happened to growth in a job? Training? Education?
I've got more to say on this tomorrow and on, I'm interviewing a leading educator next week from the Australian Graduate School of Management to address this very issue.
Have a great day.
Dom
The WSJ article argues that HR departments have been pared back like many others in organisations, and the use of software to screen potential applicants is now common place - but figure, the GFC has made employers VERY picky. The selection criteria is now SO specific that they can advertise, yet sit there and say to the market - we have no qualified workers to employ!
Wow - and in this current situation where as a mature age worker, I'm being told I'm too experienced, will be bored, too senior etc, the market is also screaming there are no qualified workers, or (here in Australia for example), we are now going to ship in foreign workers to make up short falls in our booming mining industry in WA and QLD.
Pity sake - read the article, it makes some excellent pointers - lower the bar a little and cut some people a break! WHY would anyone want to move from their current employ to move somewhere else to do exactly the same job?? Well that's what hiring managers want according to this article, and I must agree given some recent experience, that is what is being asked for interviews.
What ever happened to growth in a job? Training? Education?
I've got more to say on this tomorrow and on, I'm interviewing a leading educator next week from the Australian Graduate School of Management to address this very issue.
Have a great day.
Dom
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