Mouldability
Who hasn't seen ageism in the workplace?
Of all the isms, this is one in hiring and promoting yet to catch fire. But as the skilled worker pool seemingly significantly slims perhaps its time in the spotlight is nigh.
It can, I read, be hidden behind a mask of handy deniability.
Having dug deeper from my MSM encounter with this malaise, of all the traits that place obstacles, one appears most often.
Mouldability allows the unquestioned dismissal of the elder candidate. Specifically, their lack thereof.
Older workers, you see, are set in their ways, resistant to change, and laggards in any 'new order of things'.
All filed under 'bad' and so brings recruitment rejection.
I get the cultural connotation. I have employed silver sellers only to find an irreparable disconnect between different generations. But. I also have seen such experience offer crucial differences underpinning future success. Let's not forget too that age is no barrier to stubbornness, entitlement or spreading resentment.
In fact, the day I post this blog, London's The Times triumphed a frontpage column for the oldies; If you need a brainwave, old and steady trumps youth. Take that, kids. Its source study also found those aged 55-87 make three times less mistakes than those 18-27 on 'a task requiring focused attention'. Including 'the type of task people might face when completing work projects'.
When this issue crops up, I cite the classic, "a new broom sweeps clean". Asking is 'new' really as-in, 'not old'?
For the fuller saying is often left unsaid;
"a new broom sweeps clean, but an old broom knows the corners".
My point is nearly always balance. In fact, the horrors awaiting any imbalance. One of many such effects that can scupper ambitions can come from further warnings on undiverse opinion like, "if two people always agree, one of them is redundant". And that's just one pitfall.
I'm not saying pitch yourself as, or seek out solely, new nor old broom.
In such spirit, think 'mouldability'.
A quick search defines this, with American English spelling prominent; the property of being moldable.
Indeed, a top result I got showed spiel from a plastics firm; 'a material's ability to be shaped or formed into a specific design or structure when subjected to heat or pressure'. Which when we sub out their word 'material' for one of our own is quite instructive.
As a jobseeking solution salesperson, would a potential boss say you ooze any 'ability to be shaped or formed into a specific process mindset when subjected to heat or pressure'?
It feels quite the characteristic to display.
Where have you helped avoiding reinventing a wheel? Merge old things to render the new? With a solid record of 'change'?
Regardless of age, I could also argue a major weight be given to evidence of an iterative mindset. In context of process this may well be the most important strategic pointer. Isolating a starting platform. Refinement driving improvement. How your own flywheel has broken free of doom loops.
On the other side of the desk, when interviewing yourself, conscious active pursuit of such is paramount. Wherever you sit, mould your quest.