Never Underestimate the “Gray Haired” Engineer

March 10, 2008 at 6:22 pm aepcentral 3 comments

By Carol A. Metzner President, The Metzner Group, LLC, www.themetznergroup.com and Managing Partner, www.CivilEngineeringCentral.com

It has always amazed me that consulting firms “appear” hesitant to hire engineers with 40+ years of experience when these can be the best employees to join the team. They have survived market downturns; they understand commitment to a project, they know how to navigate a difficult client and they play nicely in the sandbox with others.
Here are some thoughts to review next time an experienced candidate’s resume graces your desk:

1. Studies prove that older employees show a loyalty to employers that exceeds that of
their younger counterparts
2. Older staff are excellent mentors; they have usually seen it all (at least once!).
3. Experienced staff tend to be more patient when dealing in adversarial situations;
4. Multiple reports show that total sick days per year of older staff is lower than that of
other age groups.
5. Older employees bring a palm pilot full of contacts of other potential employees!

Don’t be quick to scan for the graduation date on a resume. You could be missing your next “Employee of the Month!”

Entry filed under: Civil Engineering Shortage, Recruiting. Tags: age discrimination, experienced engineers, hiring.