Heresy you say? As the publisher of the career site for the older workforce how can I make such a statement? Promoting the idea that “the older workforce is the most underutilized talent pool in the nation” does not correlate with this statement. Have I gone bonkers in this advanced age? Perhaps, but it is true.
Let me continue this distorted thought process. Employers should not hire younger or new grad workers. Ok, now that we’ve eliminated nearly two thirds of the country’s workforce just who should employers hire?
As my memory serves me (sometimes it doesn’t) two or three years ago BusinessWeek published an issue that focused on individuals working past the typical retirement age. Note, this was before the current economic/employment crisis, not the times we are in today with retirement a fading option for many. But I digress. The article presented a very positive view of those who choose to work beyond the typical (whatever that is) retirement age. A sub story in the publication presented a 92 year old woman that still worked a full day every day (isn’t this a good work ethic). Her boss was at loss for words when asked what he would do when this valuable employee retired.