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I have seen quite a few posts on LinkedIn with people saying: “don’t judge me on my age, judge me on what I can do.”
Firstly, I get it. There are good and not-so-good workers out there. But I want to stand up for those with a few more miles on the clock?. Why? Because the word ‘experience’ has become something of a dirty word like it doesn’t count or matter.
Your ability to make decisions will largely be dictated by the experiences you’ve had.
Experience means you had time to learn more, make mistakes and know how to deal with different and difficult situations. Experience means that you can see things from a broader perspective. You’ve observed others deal with things in a better way than you might have done. Experience also means you’ve had the chance to learn from the positive, talented and influential people around you.
Trust me, when I was 24 I thought I knew it all. I was cocksure and not afraid of anything. I remember once having a conversation with my manager about wanting a pay rise and saying: “judge me on what I do, not on my age”. Now when I look back, I see that I really didn’t know very much. Yes, I think I had some raw talent and was a good ideas person but did I really know what I was doing? I am sure that in another 20 years I will think the same of my current self.
Of course, some young people are better than others. Some have more ability, some have better people skills and some have greater tenacity. And these same people will look back in 20 years and think about how much they have grown in that time. They’ll recognise how much more they know now, especially compared to when they first started their career.
While I do agree that for some people, ‘experience’ can be used as an excuse and can be a barrier to change if they don’t have an open mind about other ways and new ways of doing things. Not all older people are out of touch with what’s happening in today’s world. Therefore, it’s vital that you keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing business environment.
For me, experience does matter, it matters a great deal.
We're always on the look out for the best talent with or without experience here at FINALLY. If you're interested in joining us, send us your CV and covering letter.
