Age discrimination is a thing, especially in the legal field. With young, new graduates from law school accepting first year jobs, clerkships, and more, why would you consider hiring someone older? There are a lot of benefits to hiring a more experienced employee in your law firm. They bring more to the table, don’t have the same demands as millennials and their younger counterparts. Let’s take a closer look.
Problem Solving Skills
There is something to be said for the life experience that brings wisdom and problem solving skills. Not that younger employees can’t be great at problems solving, but there are some things that can’t be taught in school. The ability to see problems from all angles, think outside the box, avoid black and white thinking, all come with experience.
Perspective
Older workers also have a different type of perspective. They’ve seen a lot of things and handled a lot of jobs and problems. They know that the goal isn’t just the start and finish line, but it’s a variety of milestones along the way. That added perspective can help your firm get over some major humps when it comes to the work you do.
Knowledge
And don’t discount the knowledge that a seasoned worker brings to the table. They have a lot of experience under their belt which means they’ve learned things academically as well as practically in the business world, whether in law or other fields. This knowledge isn’t something you can put a price on and it may be just the thing you need.
Mentoring Ability
When you do have a diverse workforce in all aspects, including age, there is a real advantage to giving your younger workers access to the knowledge, and experience of those who have been working for a long time. An older employee can act as a mentor to your younger team members, which will make your entire firm well rounded and encourage cross-demographic collaboration.
Have you considered a more diverse hiring strategy at your firm?
Contact NRI Legal Staffing and request a seasoned professional today.
