Let’s stop denying the reality.

Yes, as HR leaders we’re all constantly preaching against discrimination.  Heck, some of us have put a lot of money, tech, tools and process in place to try harder to eliminate discrimination – blatant or unconscious.

But.   When is the last time, you as a HR leader supported the hire of someone at the “other end” of their career, to join your own HR team?

I suspect instead you have veered away from that, using cliches that include:

• “want to secure career runway to get better value for the hiring cost”

• “want to have options in the future for succession plans”

• “too experienced so unlikely they’ll stay interested”

• “won’t be perceived as dynamic”

• etc, etc”   

The irony really kicks in when HR leaders at a certain point in their career, find themselves looking for new work options.   They’re applying for roles that pay fairly, and offer the kind of work challenges they’re interested in and have experience in tackling.   But they grow increasingly frustrated, because try as they might, they either never get to progress and/or inevitably are “pipped at the post”.   Why?  Because too often the HR hiring leader has decided that the experienced HR job seeker is “too old” and trots out more of the same justification fluff.

With ongoing talent shortages in key markets and specialist areas, with a burning need for companies to maximise their competitiveness through their people, with so many day to day challenges that could be solved simply through the benefit of life and work experience….why do we continue to ignore our most mature HR professionals??

There’s been no shortage of studies on the benefits of hiring older workers.   And yet, HR hiring leaders continue to ignore these when it comes to hiring for their own.

Will this ever change?