Mr. Marketing: It’s an old problem

For months I’ve been hearing about shortages of quality employees.

This past week I saw six articles regarding ageism. Apparently, human resource directors under the age of 40 oftentimes won’t hire, or even seriously speak with, anyone over the age of 50.

Besides being illegal to discriminate based on age, it’s also foolish to ignore knowledge, experience and talent that only comes with years on the job.

Many people are being shut out of their respective industries because they’re older. My friend Joe’s an excellent example. A 35-year marketing communications professional, Joe’s forgotten more about marketing than most people will know in a lifetime. He’s seeking a high-level marketing communications position. Joe’s a solid strategist, copywriter and people-person who’s delivered profitable returns to every organization he’s worked with.

Despite comprehensive knowledge about developing marketing plans, web sites, sales promotions, public relations and digital media, Joe keeps getting passed by in favor of marketing “experts” who seem knowledgeable about digital media, but little else.

Admittedly, online marketing’s important. Knowing how social media, SEO, Facebook advertising and the rest operates is critical to any organization’s outreach efforts. But digital media alone can’t make for profitable corporate communications. After all, even Google uses direct mail.

In fact, building alliances, creating collateral and using drip campaigns almost always improves your profitability. Properly using premiums, print or point-of-sale could convert those extra leads.

Such wisdom comes with the very experience Joe’s condemned for having.

My gut says the recent trend of damning politicians with a wealth of experience may now be behind us. Theoretically, the job market would follow suit. Because with an increasingly tight job market, companies only hiring professionals with a singular focus are hurting themselves.

Hiring youngsters based on their lower price tag but no solid knowledge of their industries’ tools is guaranteed to hurt the employer. Older employees are consistently proven to be more knowledgeable, more loyal and a better investment.

From this seat, a marketing director who’s never written marketing plans won’t recognize when it’s properly implemented. This logic should apply to every imaginable discipline.

Like the old saying goes; “You get what you pay for.”

So on behalf of all the Joes in the marketplace, I encourage HR directors everywhere to recognize the opportunities you’re missing by ignoring older workers. You’ll never regret it.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Visit www.askmrmarketing for help with your marketing.