Many people are afraid to hire people without experience. In vain. In the department that I head, all the employees are young, a little over 20 years old. A year ago they knew practically nothing about the market, but today they are professionals who can solve any, even the most complex, problem. Young employee - blank slate, on which the boss can draw whatever he wants. If, of course, he owns a brush.
They are not ready to work for an idea - encourage them financially
Managers often accuse young subordinates of laziness and unwillingness to work. But usually it’s not a matter of laziness, but the fact that they don’t want to work for an idea - for free. A young employee must clearly understand what reward he will receive after completing the task: a bonus, a promotion, or just praise. He has already worked for free during internships and volunteer programs, gained first experience and now wants to earn money.
Before setting a goal for a young employee, you need to explain in detail what will happen if he copes with the task, and what will happen if he fails. For example: “If you fulfill the requirements, you will receive a bonus and more interesting tasks. If you don’t comply, control will increase.” In this case, your employee will see personal benefit and understand why he is working. This motivates him much more effectively than general discussions about the mission and goals of the company.
For most representatives of the new generation, it is important that their boss is not a boss, but a teacher who will always give advice and point them in the right direction. A leader for today's young employees is not someone who acts assertively and impudently, puts pressure on others and pushes through at all costs. For them, a leader is, first of all, a professional in his field, capable of gaining authority among his subordinates thanks to his knowledge and experience. An aggressive management style can frighten them, and they become even more withdrawn.
If you want to win the favor of young employees and effectively build work with them, you must appear as a living example of what a novice employee can achieve if he works well and diligently, following all the instructions of the manager. And he should like this image - the young employee should want to become you.
You should not scold inexperienced subordinates for mistakes, shout at them, or intimidate them. They either will not accept this criticism, or, on the contrary, they will get scared and leave. It is much more effective to arrange “debriefings”. This will professionally, clearly, and visually show employees where they achieved results and where they made mistakes, and will also strengthen your authority.
They want to take everything from life - give them more freedom
Modern youth live according to the principle “take everything from life.” Realizing their capabilities, young employees want to work here and now, fully revealing their potential. Explain to them the rules, the implementation of which will allow them to improve and grow in the company, develop clear KPIs (with a transition from simple tasks to more complex ones), but in no case force them into rigid frameworks.
Set goals, but do not insist on any specific way to achieve them; give them the freedom to implement plans in the way that is convenient for them, the way they want. Young people often solve problems in non-standard ways, but the main thing is that they still solve them. At the same time, you should not be afraid to share your experience - give examples of how you successfully solved similar problems. Most likely, they use your experience - albeit in a slightly modified form.
Under successful career Young employees understand more than just career advancement. They are also interested in improving their already mastered skills and achieving expert status. Many of them want to gain certain knowledge so that they can later become an expensive freelancer and live in Goa, for example. This is fine. There is no need to force growth through the ranks if they don’t want it.
They are creative within strict limits - give them clear tasks
Young workers love clarity in setting tasks - for an unclear task, you will get an unclear result. It is wrong to say: “Make a report.” Say: “By the end of the week, make a report on movie sales with graphs and charts compared to last year. All necessary information it will be provided to you by the analyst who sits in room 102.”
Young employees will work effectively only when they clearly understand the sequence of their actions, areas of responsibility, and formats of interaction with colleagues. If work in a company is not clearly organized, employees will be cunning and only pretend to be busy important matter. It is better to write requirements and tips in the form of instructions, since the younger generation is not used to listening for a long time.
Knowing the clear criteria for completing a task, young employees will do everything exactly as you want, and will add creativity in presentation - for example, they will beautiful presentation according to the assignment or draw a beautiful visual graph.
The “carrot and stick” method does not work - praise and say “thank you”
When an employee completes another task, it is worth praising him and saying words of gratitude. Unlike previous generations who grew up in Soviet times, where work and slavery were somewhat synonymous, today young people want work to be enjoyable, to be a joy, and not a burden. Otherwise, why is it needed?
The “carrot and stick” method will not work, since young guys are very vulnerable - they can be greatly hurt by your rude words and unfounded criticism. Then talented employees will withdraw into themselves, lose interest in work and, ultimately, leave you without realizing their potential.
Always look for reasons to praise. At least for diligence and diligence, willingness to help colleagues. You don't have to spend money on bonuses often. Small bonuses also work - for example, dinner at your expense.
Grow a cohesive team - assign common tasks
Individuality is one of the main values for young employees. And this is one of the main reasons why many of them do not know how to work in a team: they do not trust their colleagues, they believe that they themselves can do everything better, more efficiently, more correctly.
If you want members of the younger generation to work together, set a task that interests everyone. To avoid confusion, separate areas of responsibility - otherwise everyone may take on one task. Then, when everyone on the team understands this, they will simply stop working.
Give them power and you will immediately see the results
Young people are not afraid of power. The new generation has grown up realizing that they are not just unique, but better and smarter. And often this is true. Young employees, as a rule, are more spontaneous, often very talented. This allows children to turn into good leaders faster than their parents.
But at the same time, young employees do not always fully understand that great power comes with great responsibility. Start by delegating simple tasks - for example, calling long-time clients and partners. Then gradually make the projects more complex. You should not immediately set the highest goal for an employee, even if you promise a good bonus or promotion for this. He may be afraid of responsibility and simply run away. Give power to your hands, but do it carefully.
Often a specialist whose work experience amounts to more than ten years gets lost when surrounded by a young team. They are completely different, they dress and talk differently, they have different values and priorities... How should an “old man” who finds himself in a young team behave - set him on the right path or change into jeans and remember his own youth?
Relationships in the team - the problem is obvious
There is an opinion that the age or personal characteristics of each individual employee do not affect how efficiently and harmoniously the staff will work. The main condition for such work is good motivation from management. But how does an “aged” employee feel in a team consisting entirely of young “talents” who insert newfangled terms every word, work enthusiastically until midnight and generally work differently than an older specialist is used to? Experts argue that in such “unequal” teams, where for the entire “young” team there is one older employee, conflict situations really not uncommon. And the first cause of such conflicts is the internal discomfort of an elderly person who finds himself in a group that is not his age. The consequence of such discomfort is either intense competition or the notorious generational conflict. Most often, “old people” in such cases either withdraw into themselves, despite the friendly attitude of the team, or begin to constantly point out to young people their inexperience. But it also happens that a young team simply does not accept a senior employee - young people adapt much more easily to new working conditions and a new team and do not accept into their circle those who do not show flexibility. Whatever the cause of the conflict, it will certainly affect general work, which means both sides will have to seek compromises.What to do?
The key factor in the relationship between a young team and an “aged” specialist is his own self-esteem. Psychological mechanisms are at work here in full force - if this specialist considers himself to be an “endangered species” and says that he is “behind the times,” there is no doubt that young people will soon apply these assessments to him. At the same time, an employee who values his breadth of views, experience and understanding of emerging situations will have an appropriate attitude from his colleagues. Of course, everywhere you can meet young workers who are not burdened with education, but if the “old man” treats himself with respect, he will not take the “pearls” of such colleagues seriously.Another development of the situation is when the respectable Pyotr Petrovich, looking at his young colleagues, suddenly decides to remember his bygone youth and begins to “look younger” with all his might. The desire to fit in with the team can be expressed in clothing style, outlook on life, and manner of communication. But in most cases, such metamorphoses look, at least, ridiculous and will become a reason for jokes on the part of those same young people. You shouldn’t become someone else, because at work, it is your working qualities that will be assessed first. If , the most valuable quality will be practical experience and a high level of communication.
Are there any positive aspects?
In fact, other than an excessive amount of energy, the young team is no different from any other. And there is always a place for an experienced, qualified employee in such a team. In the company of energetic, mobile and always positive people, an older person feels more cheerful and, as it were, younger than in a group of his peers. In addition, in a young team, the lack of an experienced, “cold-blooded” specialist leads to the fact that the company has to pay for additional training youth. And wise advice from a senior colleague means a lot when making a decision.An experienced specialist in a young team gets a little lost. After all, representatives of the new generation are completely different. How to behave as an “old man”: teach young colleagues to be smart or change formal suit on jeans and try to remember the past years?
Lost in translation
There is an opinion that the coherence and efficiency of staff work depends little on any age or personal characteristics of an individual employee - only if there is good motivation. But how can a mature specialist work surrounded by young talents who spout newfangled terms, sit in the office until night and sometimes perform their duties in a completely different way than the “old man” is used to?
Labor market experts say that in such “unequal” teams, where the ratio of adults and young employees is one to all others, some difficulties can indeed arise.
“The first is the internal discomfort of a specialist in a team that is not his age, and in this case he himself can become a source of difficulties in relationships, where either competition or generational conflict will be acutely felt,” says Liya Yustyuzhenkova, consultant in the Real Estate and Construction direction of ANCOR Business Solutions.
Of course, Ivan Ivanovich may withdraw and not communicate with his young colleagues, although they perceive him quite friendly. Or he may behave according to the scenario “I am an experienced person, you are a youngster,” which obviously will not contribute to the fruitful conduct of business.
Second, according to Lia Yustyuzhenkova, this is the rejection of the senior employee by the team itself. Moreover, the point here is not in age, but in the state of the team at at the moment and in the employee’s ability to fit in and adapt to circumstances.
Of course, young colleagues may not accept the “old man”. Perhaps they have been working together for quite a long time and during this time they have developed their own communication policy, which they do not want to involve an older person in at all.
All these difficulties have a bad effect on both team spirit and the results of the common cause. However, you can always find a compromise. And establishing positive relationships with younger workmates largely depends on the mature employee.
Scythe on a stone
We examined the main issues that are a stumbling block in relations between generations. Our experts shared tips on how to act in the current circumstances.
Young employees are known to love to joke. Having told the “old man” something like “Ivan Ivanovich, where did you get such a prehistoric costume?” or “You still don’t understand anything about modern methods doing business,” they will probably immediately forget about it. And Ivan Ivanovich will take everything to heart and will be upset for a long time. And the further you go, the more often a mature and experienced employee will take various statements personally and get angry with his colleagues.
“Perhaps the key factor that plays a very important role in the successful interaction of the “old man” with young colleagues is self-esteem, opinion about oneself. And here a psychological mechanism begins to work - a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the “old man” considers himself an “endangered species”, “behind the times” and hangs other derogatory epithets on himself, then he will soon receive a corresponding attitude from his young colleagues. If he values his experience, breadth of views and deep understanding of the situation, which come only with age, then the occurrence of inappropriate jokes directed at him is unlikely. Of course, ill-mannered young people are found everywhere, but a respectful attitude towards oneself will allow one not to take their statements seriously,” comments Ilya Shabshin, consulting psychologist, leading specialist of the Psychological Center on Volkhonka.
Another situation is when the same Ivan Ivanovich, inspired by his colleagues, decides to catch up with his elusive youth and begins to “look younger” excessively. This can be expressed in a change in clothing style, outlook on life, communication style, and so on. Is it necessary to break yourself and make such a transformation?
Ilya Shabshin believes that we should not forget about real situation affairs and pretend to be a boy or girl with appropriate behavior, wardrobe and makeup, since this will be inappropriate, and those around you are unlikely to react positively to such metamorphoses.
There is no need to try to be someone else and forget that work should be put first, and not similarities with colleagues. After all, even if the “old man” starts wearing the same pants as the young designer, this does not mean that relations in the team will improve dramatically.
As he says Dmitry Viktorov, head of IT department recruiting agency Penny Lane Personnel, it is more advisable in this situation to follow the ancient and simple recipe - always and everywhere to remain yourself.
It is no secret that older employees are more experienced than younger employees and can suggest something and direct the latter in the right direction. But is it worth telling your colleagues that they are wrong about some things? And what’s the best way to say this without causing aggression?
“In cases where (from the point of view of existing experience) a specialist sees that a mistake is being made, it is worth saying about it. In this case, the intonation and the method of communication are important: you should not lecture the foolish, but offer to use your existing experience and knowledge, and take them into account when making a decision. Regarding comments about appearance and the actions of young people, then you cannot do them seriously. After all, no one wants to be known as an “old grump,” he says Ilya Shabshin.
“The respect of the team is earned not by gray hair and professional show-off, but by a high level of communication and the quality and quantity of work performed,” adds Dmitry Viktorov.
Another sore point: how to ask, for example, a young manager something about work or clarify with a young programmer how to use this or that program, so that they don’t snort contemptuously - they say, such an adult and smart specialist, but doesn’t know banal things .
“In all likelihood, the “old man” will have to learn something from his younger colleagues - and this should be treated not with embarrassment, but with joy and
interest. Besides production needs, learning something new is very useful for both maintaining intellectual fitness and
for a person’s personal development,” sums up Ilya Shabshin.
Positive points
The young team, in fact, is not much different from any other. And if an employee is objective, adequate and (which is important) a qualified specialist, then he will find his place in any team.
And working in the same company with young people, by the way, has its advantages.
“In the company of young, energetic, optimistic, mobile people, a person who is far from a young age feels more cheerful, more cheerful, even younger, as it were, than when surrounded by the same “old people” like him. It seems as if you are recharged with general energy,” I’m sure Ilya Shabshin.
“One of the advantages I would like to highlight is the demand for a more experienced specialist as a mentor. After all, the main disadvantage of a young team is the lack of experience and the company’s need to finance training. Young professionals also sometimes lack a “cool head” to make an informed decision, and this also requires wise advice from a senior colleague,” adds Liya Yustyuzhenkova.
In addition, we should not forget that “young” companies are dynamic and constantly developing. Therefore, in addition to the pleasant company of active and cheerful colleagues, in such organizations you can also get good prospects for career growth.
The question is: is it realistic to retrain people 40+ to work in the IT sector and is the industry pushing out “those who are in favor”?
“SOON NOBODY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE “OLD GUYS” IN IT”
Lola Trapsh
director of the Belarusian office international company on search and assessment of top managers Pedersen and Partners
For several years now I have been encountering a situation where companies are looking for employees 35+. Especially to bring balance and maturity (at least social) to the team.
There are technologies that are not popular among young people, but are in demand for development. There are serious financial projects, requiring approaches and knowledge that older people usually have. Eat reputable companies with large-scale projects and other organizational environments. All this is a slightly different reality than that part of the IT culture where they are eager to quickly “cut down a website or launch a startup.”
In general, I know few areas where the accumulated set of competencies can be taken and easily transferred to the IT environment with great benefit for it. Rather, an older person has more social and communication skills and a better understanding of their abilities and needs.
“Young people today are starting at the level for which we have suffered for so many years.”
And he will have to build up his technical competencies within the company. Young people will learn new things, of course, faster. But if you think strategically, then a lot depends on the individual: how strongly a person is committed to hard work and development. Which, by the way, does not necessarily imply promotion career ladder. Not everyone aspires to management positions. Many, on the contrary, refuse this in every possible way.
Employers need to learn to understand people and their motivations. To do this, it would be good for employers themselves to dig deeper into themselves and look at least two or three years ahead. Calculate whether it will be easier to retain a young person or to calmly work with someone who does not strive to constantly search new company, where there are more cookies.
I am sure that soon there will not be so many artificial barriers around IT, including age barriers. Now there are 28-year-olds working there, and in five years they will be over 30. Yes, the market situation is such that IT specialists earn much more, but nothing more. There is no need to make celestial beings out of them. It will pass very quickly. Soon no one will talk about the “old guys” in IT. In my opinion, a person undergoing a heart transplant is more breathtaking.
“GEN X ARE MORE LOYAL”
Maxim Poklonsky
managing partner consulting agency"MarkSist", head of the "Capital" business school. In the past, he was the head of commercial departments of such large Belarusian companies, like Tair-NTTS, ASBIS Group and Alutech Group of Companies
If an IT business owner thinks strategically, he understands that there simply won’t be enough 25-year-olds in the market. The industry is developing rapidly, so companies are experiencing a shortage of personnel. In addition, there is always a shortage of motivated people. I believe that it is possible to train and retrain people at any age - as long as they are energetic, interested and retain their natural curiosity.
Plus, Gen Xers tend to be more loyal. And this is worth a lot: if they invest in a person, it’s a shame when after a year or two he leaves for a competitor. Young people now easily change jobs, older people hold on to their jobs.
In my opinion, older employees are generally more responsible. Usually people 40+ have a good educational background, which is also important. In any case, already at the initial stage you can test what a person is inclined towards: programming, business analysis, graphic design. If the employer has a waiting list of young people, you can raise the screening bar. If there is a shortage and we are targeting people 40+, we lower the bar and during probationary period watching progress.
Why do we even think about age? The main problem is that older people do not have the habit of using new technologies. My dad is the creator of the first computers in the country, he headed a large design department at the Computer Research Institute, he has his own inventions. And now he has to explain for a long time how to use the phone and iPad. This is due to the fear of pressing a button or breaking something. It takes some time to get rid of this. But then experience and motivation make themselves felt. Now he is helping his grandson, who lives in Moscow, improve his math skills.
Situations are different. For example, if you need employees with specific knowledge of languages, platforms, technologies, you probably shouldn’t look towards older newcomers. It will be a long journey with a high degree of risk. But, when a candidate is selected for the position of tester, PM, analyst, industry expert, you can search among 40+ candidates.
But main factor The success of these projects is those managers who will train new employees 40+. I remember when I was a student of the first set of software at MRTI in the early 90s, I was asked to teach a course for accountants on computer literacy. And I explained to them what Norton Commander, Excel, Word are, how to work in DOS and Windows. These women looked at me as if I were an astronaut, with delight. Now I already understand why. I sincerely wanted to help them figure it out. And when they try to help us, we turn on.
Therefore, in training programs for employees 40+, guides in new world. I would focus primarily on training internal trainers - those IT specialists who will train and manage “40+ year olds”. I would develop managers with multi-age competence. It can even become a hidden competitive advantage.
“THERE IS AN OLD JOKE: THE BEST EMPLOYEE IS A FATHER OF THREE CHILDREN WHO HAS AN APARTMENT WITH A MORTGAGE”
Kirill Golub
co-founder of Aheadworks
Of course, cognitive abilities decline with age; it would be naive to deny this. But such a decline is compensated by experience and outlook. The rapid development of technology does not mean that every software company uses the entire range of new products in its work and only those employees who are proficient in them are needed. On the contrary, the technology stack of many industrial solutions used now is established and has not changed in some places for 15-20 years. And their market not only does not decrease, but sometimes even grows at the expense of developing countries. Many companies that have developed niche expertise and a client base no longer strive to be “on the cutting edge of technology.”
When analyzing a candidate’s competencies and prospects, everything depends on vacant position. If a programmer position receives one resume from a graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, another from a mechanical engineer who has worked in production for 20 years, and both without special knowledge and programming experience, none of them will be considered as a candidate, and their age will not play a role.
Fortunately - or unfortunately - for the IT industry, you can become a programmer and gain experience “with enthusiasm” and at any age. It is impossible to learn this work of a dentist at home, using manuals and without patients. And the last thing the customer asks a freelance programmer about is his passport age.
Although you shouldn’t expect problems in the office either. It is quite normal for a 25-year-old team leader to have people on his team different ages, including 40+.
Firstly, the relationship between the team lead and the programmer is not a relationship of subordination - this is not an army. Secondly, if a young guy has become a team lead, he clearly has not only abilities and experience, but also developed soft skills. There are almost no reporting relationships in IT. Creativity and flexibility of thinking are important here, which is why companies with a rigid hierarchy rarely achieve great success and often cannot stand competition.
Sometimes I hear that older people are not inclined to overtime, so it’s better to take young people into the team. And who said that in a normally functioning company there is a regular need for overtime? It's even harmful. Constant overtime is a direct indicator of systemic problems in the company.
During a class at a business school, I once had an absurd argument with a teacher who quite seriously formulated the following problem: “What should you do if you want your employees to go to work on their day off?” I did not understand this formulation of the question: what does “you want” mean? If at some point business circumstances require the entire team to spend a day off working on a project, there is an objective and understandable need for this, then there is no need to persuade anyone, much less force them. But if such an exception turns into a system, it means that something is wrong with your business (or with you as a leader).
There is an old joke: best worker- a father of three children whose apartment is on a mortgage. A more mature employee (and this is not always a characteristic of age) takes a more balanced approach to working relationships, and his requests are always adequate. And one of the main responsibilities of a manager is to organize work in such a way that his colleagues are happy to come to the office in the morning and return home on time.
“CONSIDERATION IN STARTUPS IS PROBABLY A MINUS”
Peter Krupsky
practicing psychotherapist
Most often, a person aged 40+ decides to change his profession against the backdrop of a mid-life crisis, when not everything is very good. During this period, achievements are usually reassessed; people may mistakenly believe that the best and most important things are behind them. They may have low self-esteem. This is all aggravated by stereotypes about age and lack of support from loved ones, friends, and acquaintances. Because they, for example, are not interested in new things and do not understand how they can take risks and radically change everything “in their old age.” Let it be better bad, but stable.
Therefore, people 40+ deserve attention just because they tried. It is much more difficult for a person at 45-50 years old to come to an IT company and ask for a test than at 25. Here it is important that HR personnel have enough professionalism to act outside of stereotypes. If you see an inquisitive, active person who knows English and has some technical background, age cannot become objective reason, according to which a person will not master a new technology.
There is another nuance here.
Often HR people are very young girls. Seeing in front of them applicants who are the same age as their parents, on a subconscious level they will remember possible conflict fathers and children, just not in the family, but in the team. Only maturity and professionalism on both sides can help here: the applicant and the employer. It is necessary to sensibly assess how realistic it is to integrate a person into an existing company. And it can be built in so competently that age becomes an advantage. Of course, if the candidate has good potential and a sufficient base. He also has life experience There is.
It is also important that older people tend to value human relationships more. Working in a company is not only about performing a strictly defined set of functions and solving problems, but also about communication and interaction. From a psychological point of view, it is very good when in a team different people. An attempt to be homogeneous impoverishes, but differences, on the contrary, enrich.
To summarize, I believe that age is not a definite plus or minus. We need to start from the situation. Usually older people are more reasonable. Is this good or bad? In startups, for example, this is probably rather a minus. And in systematically developing projects it can be just a plus.
“THOSE WHO ARE SOUGHT IN SEARCH FOR T-SHAPES CUT THEM OUT AT THE STAGE OF ANALYZING THE RESUME”
Elena Lokteva
expert in IT education and e-learning
I would advise company leaders to pay attention to the “old guys” before others do. Back in 2010, one of the most sought-after IT employers in Belarus told me that he was no longer interested in just a tester or programmer. He needs a programmer who has at least five years of experience in any other subject area: tourism, medicine, logistics. Unfortunately, his company's hiring structure is such that these people won't get there.
This year I attended several IT conferences. Each had at least one speaker who talked about T-shapes - people who have strong expertise in one area and a broad outlook in others. They are the ones who know how to find effective, simple, elegant solutions at the intersection of subject areas. Now let's think: at what age do we become T-shapes? The paradox is that those who rushed to search for T-shapes cut them off at the stage of resume analysis.
We must understand that a “blank slate” is not better, it is easier to manage. For the time being. An experienced specialist will have to be taken into account from the very beginning. And such people make a fast career in IT if they are given a chance. And our managers are often self-taught and not yet mature enough to hire a strong person into their department.
Is it harder to learn as you get older? We all, regardless of age, constantly process huge amounts of new information. This is not the prerogative of the young, but our life. What arrays of information will frighten people during whose lifetime the telephone has mutated from a rotary dial to a smartphone? How can you possibly scare people who, at 40+ years of age, decided to try their hand at new profession, around which there is so much flair a la “not given to everyone”? This attempt itself deserves respect!
The older we get, the worse and less we work - a stereotype. Hopefully it will disappear over time. I myself am 41, I have always worked much more than eight hours a day. Do you think it was easier for me to do this 15 years ago, when my children went to kindergarten and were sick?
I’m ready to make a small confession so that the “older generation” doesn’t look like completely cyborgs. Yes, I now cannot teach classes for 12-16 hours a day from Monday to Saturday. I will no longer go to work with a temperature of 39, I will protect the health of myself, my colleagues and my listeners. But my efficiency was not affected. It’s just that what once took me two days to do, I now do in two hours.
Finally, I’ll tell you another amazing story. A talented and sought-after musician once came to us for a web design course; he played a wind instrument. International competitions, foreign tours - everything is great. One morning he gets up and doesn’t remember how to play. Muscular amnesia. Imagine, a 35-year-old man got up in the morning and realized that he no longer had a profession. I was treated, visited grandmothers - to no avail. And you have to feed your family. One of his friends recommended courses, and he went to learn website development. At first I took the position of “I’m not a techie.” I had to carefully hint: who you are now is up to you to decide. When I realized that there would be no concessions, I gathered myself and began to study. And he did a wonderful graduation project about classical music. Moreover, most of all he was praised for the software part. A few years later, I found out that he opened a small web studio and makes websites to order.
So, dear “old men,” if you weren’t accepted into IT, there is always another way - to create your own company and convince your competitors that they made a big mistake.
Photo: Andrey Davydchik, from the personal archive of the speakers, illustrations: PANDARAMA for dev.by.
When looking for a first job, people tend to be particularly enthusiastic. They readily accept company policies, treat their colleagues sincerely, and show flexibility in their overtime and put forward innovative ideas, contributing to the growth of the enterprise. In addition, they try to develop standards for themselves that would correspond to new knowledge, but lack of experience often leads to mistakes that cause damage to the employer. Below are all the advantages and disadvantages of hiring young employees.
Advantages:
1. They love what they do
Compared to more experienced colleagues, young employees are more active. When starting their career, they are ready to work harder and harder. They enjoy spending time in the office. They are ready to learn new things and participate in educational programs which enable them to better perform their duties. They analyze everything they see in order to better understand the internal workings of the company.
2. They believe in the best
The younger generation has a positive attitude towards work. In attempts to join professional activity it builds healthy relationships with colleagues. Completing training allows such employees to fully meet the company's requirements. They openly accept different responsibilities and try on different roles because they lack experience in certain positions. They take any policy for granted. To do this, they just need to go through the process of competent adaptation. They strive to move up the career ladder, so they believe that information is never superfluous.
3. They work to their limits.
Young employees strive to achieve excellence in order to impress others with the results of their work. Such activities undoubtedly benefit the employer and allow him to get the maximum benefit from labor force. In addition, young employees often try to compete with more experienced colleagues for career advancement, and their efforts pay off in the form of higher productivity. They set high goals for themselves so that other team members perceive them as equals. They try to delve into all the details to avoid mistakes. An employer should not worry about the time spent training young employees because they will benefit the company in the long run anyway.
4. They are easy to control
Young employees are easy to manage because, unlike more experienced colleagues, they are not shy about showing real feelings. They willingly contribute to the common cause and are not afraid to overwork. They have pretty low expectations. They can multitask because work is extremely important to them. They are more flexible regarding timing and privileges. They strictly follow the instructions of teachers and mentors and rarely create problematic situations.
5. They are able to generate new ideas
Young employees have the latest knowledge in scientific fields, master the latest technologies and working methods. They can create the basis for innovation that marks the next stage in the organization's development. They are used to thinking outside the box and looking at things from different angles, which is very important for an employer who wants to develop and change the usual approaches to work. Young employees are needed by companies that want to not only survive in the market, but also grow, creating their own unique ways of doing business.
6. They are versatile
It is impossible to grow by constantly using the same methods. Processes must change from time to time. Today's young employees with the ability to think rationally will be a worthy addition to companies that once led their industry and then lost their position. Ideas can change the world. New employees often offer new effective ways reducing costs and performing routine tasks that not only save time, but also allow you to focus on key elements of the business. They may lack experience, but they have plenty of knowledge. Those who have participated in special projects and know all the pitfalls will certainly be needed by employers in the future.
7. They freshen up the work environment
The new generation wants to be inspired by their work environment. They refresh the culture, and this benefits not only them, but also those around them. A healthy work culture directly affects the development of a company. An atmosphere of boredom and despondency is not conducive to effective performance of duties, so the team should have young employees who can have fun and diversify the work process. In addition, they rarely participate in political intrigue, so their goals are very clear and they can work effectively. Finally, they are committed to helping mentors and teachers create a better work environment.
8. Their services are relatively cheap
Unlike experienced candidates, newcomers do not give special attention numbers on the check, and the employer does not have to worry about meeting their expectations. Due to the economic downturn, many are now having difficulty finding work, so newbies are eagerly jumping at any opportunity. By hiring young professionals, companies reduce their costs. Although new recruits need to be trained, this investment is repaid through their eagerness and increased productivity. However, in some companies there is such a thing as a security deposit that covers expenses in the event that the employee does not complete the probationary period.
9. They adapt quickly
Last but not least, the argument goes like this. Young employees quickly learn and adapt to new conditions, because... they still remember their college days well. They show much more enthusiasm compared to experienced colleagues. If a company wants to start new project, young employees are best suited for these endeavors. As a rule, they have no health problems, they have plenty of energy to work in any conditions and on any schedule. This is why employers love them so much.
Flaws:
1. Lack of stability
Many young employees don't know what they want. They join the team and then leave it in search of new opportunities. Of course, this greatly harms the employer, who is forced to waste resources on training. Instead, he could hire experienced candidates and provide them with good benefits and long employment. This is what makes many employers reluctant to hire young employees.
2. Lack of skills
Some positions require specific skills to deal with professional responsibilities. With their inept actions, newcomers can cause damage to the company, and employers deliberately refuse their services to avoid this. More experienced employees are better able to understand and deal with different work situations. Since training cannot compensate for the lack of basic knowledge, companies prefer not to waste time on this and hire employees with experience.
3. Problems with discipline
Many young employees are completely unfamiliar with the work ethic. They are often late for work and refuse to follow the instructions of the HR department. Some people take time off too often, which is also a violation of the rules. internal regulations. Some lack maturity and awareness of work culture. When setting rules, employers want them to be common to everyone. Failure to follow them undermines the integrity of the team, negatively affects the atmosphere and can lead to serious problems in the future. This is another reason why employers prefer not to contact young professionals.
4. Inability to cope with stress
Sometimes companies assign complex projects to their employees and hope that the work will be completed on time. Some young professionals cannot cope with such stress and give up. The reason for this may be a lack of knowledge, an inability to find the right approach to completing a particular task, as well as an inability to work together. Managers issuing assignments want to see timely results and know that time will not be wasted. This forces them to put some pressure on employees to increase productivity.
5. Disappointment
Experienced employees know how to handle different work situations and deal with their superiors. Young employees often become impatient and frustrated at work when things don't go the way they would like. In critical situations, representatives of older generations do not give up, because they have already been through it. Newcomers try to shift responsibility onto someone else's shoulders, blaming management or colleagues for failures. In other words, mature people tend to behave more professionally, and in this regard they have an advantage over young people.
6. Irresponsibility
Young people may not know all the features of business. For purchase the necessary experience and understanding how enterprises operate usually takes years, and the lack of such knowledge leads to an irresponsible attitude to work. Any new situation can provoke panic, because experience still cannot be replaced by theoretical knowledge. Newcomers experience additional stress because they do not know how their actions will turn out for the enterprise, and they need extra time to complete tasks. From the point of view of the company as a whole, such use labor resources is irrational and entails financial difficulties.
7. They are reluctant to accept criticism.
Every new employee forced to deal with a lot of new recommendations and rules, so he must be able to accept positive and negative criticism until he understands all the intricacies of his work. In most cases, the assessment turns out to be negative, and many young employees find it difficult to accept this. They see advice as a hidden threat and do not try to use it to improve productivity.
8. They rely heavily on technology.
Young people rely heavily on the latest technology and are often unaware of alternative, old-fashioned ways of solving problems. Some people cannot work at all if their usual rhythm is disrupted. It simply doesn’t occur to them to turn to management or any experienced colleagues to finish everything on time. This skill comes with experience, so employers for the most part prefer not to take risks.
9. Lack of authority
Young leaders face additional challenges when managing older generations. Leading wise and experienced people is not easy. Particular sensitivity is required, which is why employers prefer not to hire young managers. The team may find itself subject to immature orders, and the employer will have to reconsider its policies, which in most cases is unprofitable. Management needs results, not endless drama. It treats employees equally, respecting experienced professionals for their long service, and young ones for the triple effort they put into achieving everything in record time.
In other words, employers like employees who are dedicated, caring, and talented, and are willing to give them equal opportunities to achieve their best results.
wisestep.com, translation: Olga Airapetova
- Personnel Policy and HR Strategies
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