Giggin’ C-Level
You’re 55+, An Experienced Executive With a Little Gray (or a lot), and GenZ and Millennials Won’t Hire You
What do you do?
You gig. C-level
Top Drivers for Pursuing Fractional or C-level Gig Work:
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- The digitization of work and AI
- Desire or need to work remotely
- The desire for greater autonomy
- More income (maybe)
But the one we don’t often mention… wait for it.
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- Ageism.
Age·ism ~ /ˈājˌiz(ə)m/ (noun)
prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person’s age.
“ageism in recruitment is an increasing problem”
Seasoned
Those (of us) in HR and recruitment have all had the manager who gives a nudge-nudge, wink-wink about not hiring someone too “seasoned”
Seasoned – As if we somehow become age to extra-crispy with eleven herbs and spices.
But if you think about it, seasoned also denotes better.
Yes, semantics, but when I’ve advised top candidates over the years to rip their age giveaways off their resumes and profiles, like degree dates and irrelevant work experiences, they advanced. And often got the job.
A study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that over 60% of workers aged 45 and older have either experienced or seen age discrimination in the workplace, particularly in recruitment. Age-based stereotypes, such as assumptions that older candidates lack adaptability or technical skills, persist in hiring practices, despite older workers often bringing valuable experience and stability.
My New CISO Friend
I met with an incredible CISO recently who has so much to offer. His list of accomplishments and experiences over 35 years include the likes of AWS and Cisco, and providing advisement to boards of directors and even national defense agencies.
He was frustrated.
Why?
Because he’s struggling to find a job.
I asked him, “What if you worked fractionally? And still made the same money or maybe more?”
His eyes got big- like a lightbulb was being screwed in when the switch is already set to on. But then he started to dim. And I knew why.
It was because he couldn’t fathom himself hustling for a gig. Selling himself as a fractional consultant struck a chord of fear.
But sending a resume to a recruiter, networking with a friend, or applying to a job online? Oh, sure. No sweat. Because that’s different, innit?
Yeah, well, to him it felt different. Because I could see it in his eyes.
Why Corp America Would Rather Not
Let’s get it on the table. Corporate America doesn’t like high SG&A, high health claim experience, or risk. And who can blame them? It shouldn’t be the sole reason for existing, but minding the till is what keeps business in business.
But other myths enter in. Like the myth of worker horsepower – thinking older workers are slower, move slower, think slower, etc, which becomes a driver for hiring managers to preclude older workers.
I know it’s a myth because for 3 years I officed with a guy approaching 70 years young who worked circles around recent college grads.
What’s Gotta Give?
From now until 2030, Baby Boomers will be exiting the workforce at a pace of 10,000 per day. That’s 70,000 per week and over 280,000 per month!
The employment models and the gig model both gotta change.
The W-2 paradigm is broken and on its way out for the older worker. Don’t believe it? How often have we seen older workers forced into “early retirement” (basically a severance package) because the economics of keeping them no longer works?
And fractional work? How many (of you) would love to consult fractionally and add value to young entrepreneurs who desperately need coaching from those who’ve been and gone where they want to go? Be respected (no chain pulling)? And get paid well or well enough for it?
3 Important Questions – What’s needed to:
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- Help our nation meet the workforce demand, help young entrepreneurs?
- Get employers to own ageism rather than pretend it’s not happening?
- Bridging the connection/sales/getting-started/back office gap for those wanting a fractional C-level work-life by helping them make and keep valuable connections?
A fractional c-level guide. – must have prior recruitment experience and C-suite experience to be a successful guide, trusted advisor, and connector.
A lot more to say about this.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Sow, Grow, Harvest.
Dave
