AGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
DO’S AND DON’TS OF INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB WITH SOMEONE YOUNGER THAN YOU
You may feel like the parent in the room but that doesn’t mean you should treat your younger interviewer like a child. It’s likely that the person you’re interviewing with has enough confidence to handle your occasional sneer or misguided question but that doesn’t mean they have to accept it. If you come across as the “Father Knows Best” type, there’s a good chance you won’t get called back for a second interview.
We’ve compiled a few do’s and don’ts when interviewing with a person who, let’s face it, is old enough to be your daughter:
DO your homework
There’s a great “Seinfeld” scene that summarizes the mistake of never really having a grasp on what a company does. When Morty Seinfeld, Jerry’s father, takes a job with J. Peterman, the catalog-driven clothing company where Elaine works, he grows increasingly frustrated at J. Peterman’s storytelling. When Peterman tells him that it’s his stories that sell the clothes, Morty responds with his own sales strategy, one he learned as a clothing salesman in New York a few decades earlier.
“Cheap fabric and dim lighting. That’s how you move merchandise,” Morty says. After Peterman shows him the door, Morty continues. “I never knew what the hell I was peddling with those stupid cartoons and that paper book, anyway.”
While your workplace scenario may not be worthy of a sitcom, it better not show a similar disregard for the company’s route to success. Too often, older workers show mild disdain for companies even as they seek to be hired by them. They discredit their online efforts, fret over their emphasis on social media and question their clients. While you may offer some strategic tips once hired, you’ll want to keep those eye rolls on the inside of your head for now. You should know as much as possible about a particular company. If you’re interviewing with a startup and are having trouble learning specifics about the company itself, study its industry and react accordingly.
DON’T condescend
As difficult as it may be to avoid coming off as skeptical or all-knowing, it’s important for older job seekers to keep their expert opinions in check.
No one wants to be told — directly or indirectly — that their job candidates are surprised their potential boss is so young. The more you talk down to an interviewer, the less likely your chances of ever getting hired. While it’s one thing to subtly stress your potential value as a sounding board for ideas and strategies, it’s another to make the person conducting the job interview feel inferior in any way. Your goal is to make your interviewer comfortable. There are plenty of younger managers who value someone with experience on their staff. They just don’t want that someone to be a condescending know-it-all.
DO show enthusiasm
One of the bigger concerns that younger managers have with older employees is that they won’t be able to maintain the same level of energy as others on staff. And not just in physical terms. Managers want to know that their new hires are able to communicate well with others, maintain relationships in the office and have an engaging presence on social media. They want people who are active participants in the office so show some signs of life. You don’t need to come across as manic but you definitely need to show that you’ll be more than the guy at the desk in the corner, counting out the hours until his retirement.
DON’T talk about every job
Keep your experience limited to your most recent jobs. Don’t go back any further than 10 or 15 years. While you may think your first job servicing accounts for Old Man Roberts was the absolute key to your confidence and future success, your new boss doesn’t want to hear about it. There’s a fine line between experience and nostalgia when it comes to presenting your work backstory. While it may seem interesting to you, you’re potential manager is much more interested in what you’ve accomplished in recent months. Remember, you’re getting hired to do a particular job. It’s a given that your experiences have contributed to who you are and how you work. No need to bring up the old stuff.