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Subject:Re: Another question to ponder From:eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 18 Oct 2004 09:31:43 -0400
bounce-techwr-l-106467 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com wrote on 10/16/2004 04:31:02 AM:
> I have never had any problem interacting with the
> children; in or out of the day care workplace.
Perhaps my sense of humour hasn't kicked in yet and I'm still in a
pre-caffeine haze. I'll assume that the post was intended as
tongue-in-cheek.
But, the underlying attitude expressed is probably far more of a reason
for a crotchety curmudgeon not to be hired. I deliberately avoided saying
'old' curmudgeon for a reason. It's not an age, it's an attitude.
Let a hiring manager get even a whiff of the attitude that shows you think
you'll be working with children and you're guaranteed not to be called
back. Just as the young prima-donna know-it-alls are likely to suffer the
same fate if discovered before hired. Neither the daycare-workpalce nor
the geriatric-home workplace are likely to appeal to a great number of
workers of all ages, but it is impossible that a company with a
younger/older workplace will want to hire someone who would consider them
anything less than colleagues based on age/experience. It will rub both
the worker and the new workgroup the wrong way regardless for which reason
each is putting down the other. Even two workers of identical age but
varied experience will rub each other the wrong way if one decides the
other needs baby-sitting or that they are due some undeserved respect and
consideration just because they've been doing something longer.
Extra experience only goes so far. Eventually, you're not gaining much
more. Flipping burgers, a veteran with a couple years experience is
probably no more worthy than someone with a couple months experience. In
techwriting, I'd hazard the generalised relational experience stops
growing 1 for 1 shortly after you can call yourself a 'senior' writer.
Conversely, the added learning, newer schooling, and youthful enthusiasm
only raises a new graduate so high before they overstep their bounds.
I suppose this is just a long winded way of saying mutual respect and
humility are far more important than age and even make up for experience,
and perhaps even skill, when it comes to being hired and becoming
successful in a new workgroup.
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