Yes, you read the headline correctly. Years of experience do not get people hired. Why? Because experience does not equal success or future value. For example, I can claim 30+ years experience as a runner. Does that make me a candidate for the next Olympics? Could I be a track coach? Am I even a good runner? No. Just because I have been doing something for a long time does not mean I am good at it.
Which is more impressive:
30+ years experience running on asphalt, concrete, turf and trails in varying weather conditions ranging from sun to rain to snow.
Or
Marathon runner, completing 22 marathons with an average time of less than 3 hours each. Leader of running team raising money for cancer patients. Led 19 individuals through a total of 83 races, increasing speed of average runner by 18% and raising more than $10,000 for charity.
Extensive experience presented without achievements and progressive successes may imply you just did the same thing over and over again without growth or improvement. It may also imply you’ve been doing things the same way for 30 years. Long and deep experience must show progression, increasing achievements and continual evolution if it is to be an asset in a job search.
Frustrated job seekers, especially older workers, often say “It seems like my years of experience don’t mean much.” They’re right, when you don’t present your experience in a way that matters to potential employers. Make your experience count by sifting through it and highlighting the quantifiable achievements as a demonstration of what you can do for your next employer.
Look over your resume. Does it shout “Years of doing tasks” or does it shout “Achiever with proven ability to solve problems and create value”?
Coming up, we will talk about the opposite problem: What to do when a job posting requires a minimum number of years of experience in certain skills.
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6 Comments
There’s an old saying that illustrates your point: ‘Does he have 20 years experience or one year 20 times?’
So true Chris!
Carrie
To often the 55 year old who loses their job expects to replace their salary. Why? Because they have 25 years experience. Yet upon analysis they have 5 years of experience 5 times and 40% of their salary is annual COL increases. Without a strong record of progressive achievements their job hunt is doomed and they will be lucky to get a job at 60% or less of their previous job. This is a very difficult concept to register with the older job hunter.
Thanks for that insight John.
More on the topic of how the work force and expectations have changed in this blog:
http://blog.jobfully.com/2011/03/job-search-older-younger-workers/
Carrie
WRONG. Neither example is more impressive. Since quality matters so little these days, employers will settle for someone who has a pulse, who will except lousy pay, and who is willing to make work their #1 priority because they don’t have a family or life outside of their job. This is the only reason more experience professionals aren’t hired in this job market.
Believe me, companies want the more experienced employee, but they’re just too darn “expensive” and, “how dare they expect health insurance and a pension?!?!”
Younger generations are only attractive to employers because they can easily exploit you. Soon enough though, they too will be replaced – probably by some immigrant who is willing to work for even less.
Pathetically, it’s the greedy boomers who created this mess in the first place, and now it’s come back to bite them in the behind.
Kate, I’m sorry to hear that you are having such a negative experience with the job market and what employers are looking for. Certainly employers consider salary expectations as a factor in hiring, but most would prefer to hire a mature, stable worker if the applicant has demonstrated experience and quantifiable achievements. In working with a lot of job seekers, we find experienced professionals ARE getting hired in this job market when they bring out the value they are capable of bringing to an employer.
Carrie
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[...] Les années d’expérience ne sont pas aussi importantes que la valeur des réalisations. Peu importe que vous ayez fait quelque chose depuis plusieurs années ou sur une courte période, l’essentiel est de toujours démontrer la valeur que vous avez créée. [...]