Recruiting Strategy - Hiring Baby Boomers

PART THREE | Hiring Baby Boomers

Over 75 million people were born between 1946 and 1964, which is broadly referred to as the Baby Boomer generation. Of the three generations we have profiled in this three-part series, this is the one with the most working/professional experience. So recruiting, hiring, and retaining this generation presents its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

First, let's dispel some baby boomer myths:

ONE
Baby Boomers don’t understand technology – they actually embrace it in many cases and have had their children, and even grandchildren, bring them up to speed quickly. Indeed conducted a survey in December 2014 and found that 73.4% of Millennials clicked on jobs through mobile while Baby Boomers clicked on jobs through mobile at 48.4%. That is still almost half of the market!

TWO
Baby Boomers are looking to coast into retirement and not work hard – with increased costs for healthcare, many Boomers are looking to work 5-7 years or more than originally anticipated to help close the gap in paying for healthcare.

THREE
Baby Boomers cannot learn new skills – more and more we are hearing about “second careers” after semi-retiring from professions such as teaching, skilled labor, public sector, and government jobs.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when recruiting Baby Boomers:

They are happy taking direction from others. Remember when the Baby Boomers grew up: strict upbringings, expectations on behavior, and even career paths are pre-determined and follow a set of unspoken rules. These candidates can fit in very well in individual contributor roles without aspiring to run the department in six months or expect a 50% pay raise for staying past their two-year anniversary.

Money is not the main motivating factor. While still an important factor, it is not as important as early in a career when a mortgage payment is a mainstay, student loans are being paid off, likely multiple car payments, and expenses coming along with children. Those fixed costs are eliminated and the focus becomes standard of living and providing for important upcoming expenditures like healthcare.

They can still manage and mentor younger workers.Some companies intentionally pair up Baby Boomer generation employees with Millennials and Gen X/Y employees to impart some wisdom. The Millennial generation especially is interested in this as they strongly desire to achieve what many Baby Boomers have already achieved. If they can ask directly someone in that generation, they will take it to heart and apply it to their own career.

They may still work longer in one position than a Millennial. Some data suggests that Millennials will only stay in a job for three years or less in most cases. So if an obstacle to hiring a Baby Boomer is lack of upside or tenure, there is a pretty good chance that they would stay with your company longer than a Millennial that you might hire at the same time.

They will work when expected to work, especially during traditional working hours. Many Millennials demand a flexible working environment, remote/work-from-home roles, casual attire, and much more. Baby Boomers will be prepared, ready, and able to work more of a 9-to-5 schedule with a 20-minute lunch and expectation of business or business casual attire. They will still desire vacation time, holidays off, and work/life balance, but to a lesser degree. It is more of a privilege to be earned and not an entitlement.

The Baby Boomers will come to work as former business owners, balanced expectations, and a wealth of knowledge from seeing the world change exponentially in the 50-65 years they have been alive. That can bring a great sense of perspective, good attitude, and experiences that can help shape the next generation in your current workplace. Maybe it is time to starting hiring more of them!

The art of a job offer - how to get the "enthusiastic yes"

How do you extend a job offer to a candidate?  This is not a rhetorical question - I really would like to know how companies think in the moments leading up to a job offer.  I know from direct recent experience that some companies think about it an awful lot, while others spend so little time on it that they usually find a way to mess something up.

I always tell my clients that the goal should be to receive the "enthusiastic yes" from a candidate when extending an offer.  Frankly, why else would you be extending the offer in the first place?  Desperation?  Lack of planning?  Poor execution?  Most times when I mention the idea of the "enthusiastic yes", clients think I am pushing for more money.  That is not even close to the heart of the matter.

Here are a few things that can help lead to the "enthusiastic yes" that I have learned over the years:

1)  Extend the offer in person.  Seem a little over the top?  Maybe even pushy like you're hoping to put pressure on and close the deal in person?  Absolutely not.  It screams a message loud and clear that you want to sit eyeball to eyeball with the candidate to express how excited you are for them to join the organization.  In these cases you don't even need to have an offer prepared in writing to send the right message.

2)  Talk about the tenure of others in your organization.  This can only happen, of course, if you have good, loyal employees that have been with the company for many years.  But if you don't already have that, you likely have problems that extend beyond your practices regarding job offers.  This should be hugely appealing to the right candidate because most people are looking to make long term career changes.

3)  It is the little things.  I'll never forget an offer I saw back in the day that had such an extensive list of perks that it included free boxes of Kleenex in the break room to take to your desk.  It may not seem exciting to most to have a few free tissues at work, but it sent the clear message that they cared about their employees and had some practices in place to show that love and appreciation.  Someone at some point in time must have requested that, and the idea stuck.

4)  Allow access to other employees during acceptance of offer.  This one may seem a little tricky, but when executed well this can be a powerful recruiting tool.  While the hiring manager or someone in Human Resources possess all the ability in the world to extend an offer well, knowing that your future colleagues will have an eye out for you even before you start can mean a lot.  It can create an instant bond that will lead to future productivity once the candidate starts.

I could probably list out another dozen or so ideas, but these ideas above are hopefully easy to execute and implement today.  I also hope to hear from you to find out what practices you use well that could be beneficial for others to know to secure that coveted "enthusiastic yes"!

There is no "gimme" in a job search

For most weekend amateurs, any putt within five feet is "inside the leather" or a "gimme".  Unless there is money on the line in a friendly foursome and the pressure is on.  So when Phil Mickelson lined up his putt of 5' 1" on the 72nd hole of Pebble Beach, the golfing world assumed he would make it to force a playoff.  It was a "no-brainer" kind of gimme for someone as good as Phil.  He even said afterward that he felt there was "no chance" he would miss it.  Well, he did.  He lipped it out, virtually handing the victory (and subsequent $1.26 million check) to someone else.

The really maddening part of the saga is that he drained much more difficult putts on the 70th and 71st hole to even get the chance to force the playoff on the 72nd hole, merely one stroke back of the leader.  A few things went wrong, which can also go wrong in the final stretch of an interview.

1)  He didn't think he could miss.  While on the one hand you could argue that is confidence, I believe he likely looked ahead a little.  Starting to prepare for the playoff and what it could mean, he didn't give enough attention to the actual putt.  Companies sometimes do this with candidates.  They have gone through a long and strenuous interview process, believe it is a done deal, and then don't focus on making sure the process is complete.  I had this happen recently where a candidate narrowed their choice down to two companies, admitted to us that our client was his first choice, we assumed the offer would be accepted, and the other company swooped in and made all kinds of accommodations with their offer.  They really went after the candidate, while we simply waited for the signed acceptance letter to come in.  Could we have changed the eventual outcome?  Hard to know for sure, but we certainly could have done some things differently.  No chance for a playoff if you don't make the first putt to get there.

2)  He didn't want it badly enough.  Again, I think we could all agree this is unlikely, but really think about it for a second.  Here's a guy who has won 42 times on tour, makes over $40 million a year, and is likely nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career.  Sure another trophy would be great, but do you really think he is waking up this morning agonizing over this being a game-changer in his legacy?  Doubtful.  I am sure he is disappointed, but he is more likely preparing for his next tournament and especially the next major.  Candidates and companies alike in final stages sometimes don't invest too much emotionally because they've "been there before" and don't really care if a particular offer is accepted or not.  I think this is incredibly short-sighted.  If you have invested the time and energy to interview someone, and then decided to extend an offer, you should really want it to be accepted.  Always put your best foot forward and go for the win.

3)  He was nervous and uncertain.  I don't think Phil gets too terribly nervous any more, but he is human after all.  For some unknown reason maybe he did really want this one and yanked the putt a little because of his nerves.  Employers and candidates alike get nervous when it gets to be the goal line as it means some tough decisions, maybe even life-altering decisions, are about to be made.  If you don't treat that with the right level of respect, little things could go wrong.  Stick with your process, especially if it is a good one, and go through all of the appropriate steps to really close out an offer with a candidate.

I know I've made a lot of assumptions here regarding what was going through Phil's mind yesterday afternoon.  I do know for sure that he wishes he had made that putt to force the playoff.  Any good competitor would want that opportunity.  So when considering what to do in final stages of an interview, be reminded of what is necessary to really close out a deal.  Maybe Phil's misfortune could be a tipping or learning point for you.  I know it was a good one for me!

Do you need a perpetuation plan?

I am not much of a gambling man, but if I had to place a bet on Peyton Manning's future, I would be pretty confident that he will be retiring after winning his second Super Bowl ring.  The wave captured in this picture says to me it is a goodbye or final curtain call for his great NFL career.

Now in regular business life, one seldom gets a chance to casually wave goodbye, take a few days off to contemplate a decision, and then finally come out with an announcement of resignation or retirement.  So as a company with many employees and moving parts, what can you do to prepare for a workforce that may have a contingent of employees that could walk out your door one day and never come back?

The first thing you should do is review the demographics of your team.  Do you have anyone that is a key employee that could be approaching retirement in the next 5-7 years?  Do you have a great training program that attracts young employees, only to see them leave after a short tenure?  Do you have any pending management changes that could impact shifting of employees to a new team and possibly create some turnover?  By simply answering these questions honestly and assessing the situation, you might be able to at least predict when some of the changes occur and try to stay ahead of them.

The second thing you need to do is have honest conversations with anyone who might fit into a category of a departing employee for any reason.  If someone is approaching retirement, begin asking early what the plan may be.  It will benefit all parties involved.  Or if you sense someone might be looking for another job, see if you can determine what their motivation is to leave.  Maybe you can put together a plan to keep them.  Or if you do believe you might lose a valued employee, you will be able to plan for replacement.  Sometimes it has nothing to do with job satisfaction.  Someone may need to move back home for personal reasons.  Someone may have a health issue that prevents them from doing their job duties.  Maybe someone wants to pursue an additional degree and take a few years off from work.  I've seen many reasons why people leave over the years, and the more you can do to see them coming, the better prepared you will be with a perpetuation plan.

Lastly, you should ALWAYS plan on some turnover, regardless of the reason.  My best clients ALWAYS want to know about good talent when it becomes available.  To build a winning team, you always need to be looking for that next good employee.  When the Broncos lost their last Super Bowl, John Elway went out to find some good defensive players to complement what they already had.  Most casual fans thought they had a pretty solid defense already, but John was looking for that next piece that could possibly fit.  I bet he spoke to dozens of players, agents, GMs, and more to find that key piece or two that propelled them to this last Super Bowl victory.

The bottom line is that your competition is likely thinking about their perpetuation plan.  If you wait until it is too late and someone leaves, you are already behind the eight ball and it could delay growth, create too much of a sense of urgency that leads to a bad hire, or even indecision where you do nothing and it creates more pressure, stress, and workload for the rest of your team.  As John Elway did before, I guarantee you already this morning, a few hours removed from celebrating a Super Bowl victory, he is reviewing notes on available QBs for next year and creating a perpetuation plan for if, and more likely, when Peyton Manning announces his retirement.

Is a shadow looming over your job search?

Can any of you relate to Bill Murray in Groundhog Day when his alarm kept waking him up over and over to the SAME day in history - a recurring Groundhog Day?  Do you want to smash your alarm to pieces each morning and just stay in bed?  Maybe it is time to do something about that feeling.

Instead of six more weeks of waking up to a job you don't like, perhaps you can do something about it here in the new year.  One of the most difficult steps in a job search is often the first one.  You don't know where to start.  You are afraid your current employer may find out.  You are worried you don't even know what you want to do next.  Rather than living under that shadow, here are a few suggestions to come out into the light and stay there in regards to your job search:

SET A GOAL

Sounds simple, doesn't it?  You should really assess what you hope to accomplish with your job search.  Don't just put your resume on a job board and hope the "right employer" calls you with some miracle position that will double your pay.  Employers often ask candidates, "Why us?"  Why do you want to go to work for them?  What is it that you are seeking?  If you haven't set goals for yourself, these questions are difficult to answer.  Maybe it is more money.  A bigger title.  Education reimbursement.  Better benefits.  It can be simple, but once it is a stated goal, this can become something to achieve as you begin speaking with possible new employers.

DO SOME HOMEWORK

Oftentimes I have candidates reach out to me seeking a new job, only to tell me they really haven't worked much on their resume.  Maybe they'll get to it, maybe they won't.  If you have not gone to the trouble to polish up your resume and add pertinent details, I would argue you're not really ready to make a change.  You're just hoping for some luck to come your way.  My advice would be to discontinue your job search and just start playing the lottery.  Your odds will be better.

REFLECT ON YOUR PAST

Think about your recent job history.  What did you like about certain jobs or employers?  What didn't you like?  Incorporate these thoughts and reflections into your job search.  If a prospective employer asks why you didn't like one of your jobs, be honest without being negative.  Maybe there are parts of this new job that will seem much like a past job that you didn't like at all.  Might be time to scratch that one off the list if that is the case.  Believe it or not, this reflection may also lead you to the conclusion that where you're at isn't all that bad.  You may have much of what you want right in front of you.  It could just be a few bad days or a recent change that spooked you, but staying put is the best move for your career.

TALK WITH A TRUSTED ADVISOR

This might be a spouse, a parent, a friend, a colleague, or a search consultant like myself.  Ask honest questions of these people that are in your close circles of trust and then listen to what they have to say.  You may not like parts of it, but this honest evaluation could really lead you to the path you've been seeking, but haven't been able to see for yourself.  These people likely have your best interests in mind and will stay objective with you throughout the process.