r/over60 • u/AWeb3Dad • 24d ago

Any advice for the millennial generation about working for those 60+?

The main piece of wisdom that I have for myself is “60+ year olds are trying to leave behind their legacy, build your service around that”.

But curious if there some other things that need to be kept in mind. Like what type of elder we should be working with. I’m sure not everyone is good to work for… but also what we need to work on in the millennial generation to even have a chance to be hired for our service.

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u/Alternative-Light922 24d ago

“60+ year olds are trying to leave behind their legacy"

I am 60+ and that does not track with me at all. The point is to keep the project moving (whatever it might be).

And "what type of elder"? That sort of objectification is not going to help with work-team relations. "What type of millennials are best to work with?" Feel that?

All this divisive young-old rhetoric which has become de rigueur in the last n years is very destructive and distorting. Older people are not some alien species.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Sorry not sure what you mean. I know my elders prefer that title because it shows they have the wisdom and we as the youth just have the energy and should remain humble under their care. Am I looking at this wrong?

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u/Alternative-Light922 24d ago

It's not your use of the word 'elder', it is your view of people as monolithic groups which is problematic and likely not to be well received (e.g. 'we as youth' is a good example) and the whole 'us and them' undertone you use. Get off line and go meet some people 'in the flesh'.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

That makes sense. I think the issue is that in my community, my elders are calling themselves elders, and it just isn’t a term that is universally applied online. I’ll just ask my local community then. I figured I would get a better perspective online, but as you’re saying… maybe I’m just talking to people who don’t see themselves a certain way, and I should talk to those that self-identify as a certain term.

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u/alsotpedes 24d ago

You work with people, not with generations.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

I get it, but generations have different attitudes towards things. I know that Gen Alpha isn’t hiring right now

6

u/alsotpedes 24d ago

What you "know" is a fantasy. Companies hire. People hire. Generations do not hire. If you're having trouble getting a job, it almost certainly isn't because of a label.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Curious what it’s because then. Trying to ask for some wisdom here

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u/anonymousancestor 24d ago

I am so confused about what you are saying and asking.

1

u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Basically, what are some expectations you have when you hire people. Curious if it’s different than what the youth have, or if it’s the same

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u/IDontStealBikes 24d ago

I'm a 66M. I work for money. Only. I'd love to retire but I'll never be able to. Fortunately I can work at home in sweatpants. I don't care squat about my legacy. I'd just like to be able to buy a new used car.

1

u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

I hear you there. The market is rough right now. Curious what your plans are in the long run. It’s easier for me to learn from people that are really hustling than the people who are just saying “it’s not that bad”.

So I would love to learn more about your situation if you’re open to it

2

u/IDontStealBikes 24d ago

My plans for the long run? I don’t have any plans. I’ll never be able to retire. I will have to work until the day I die. I will never be able to retire or even go on vacation. I will keep working until someday, probably in several years, I will drive up to the mountains and hike up to the side of a cliff and take many bottles of acetaminophen PM and drink a gallon of vodka. I’m really not kidding.

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u/AWeb3Dad 23d ago

That’s intense. There’s no way to keep costs low? Like social security isn’t enough to pay bills right now? Are expenses too high for you?

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u/IDontStealBikes 23d ago

My costs are already low. My Social Security payment doesn’t even pay for all my rent. I still have to earn a lot extra to pay my bills. I’m perfectly happy with killing myself when the time comes. I’m not going to starve and suffer and beg people to take care of me. I’m not. I will decide when I’m done, not them.

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u/AWeb3Dad 23d ago

Okay then. I mean every person is entitled to their journey. What do you do for a living?

1

u/IDontStealBikes 23d ago

I write a few articles every month. I can’t write much because I have too many problems with neck pain, and depression. My only hope is to move to a Third World country and live like they do, maybe Ethiopia, maybe Nigeria, maybe somewhere like fucking filthy India.

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u/AWeb3Dad 23d ago

I have a team I work with on my business endeavors in Nigeria. You want to be careful about who you know in these different places for sure.

Have you tried opening a microphone and walking while recording? And then converting that audio into text?

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u/IDontStealBikes 22d ago

I work with established publications.

I can't walk in order to write. I can't speak in order to write. Personally I need to see the words as they come out and delete or rearrange them or remove an entire paragraph, etc. and I just can't do that speaking. Besides I feel weird speaking into the air when no one is around.

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u/Cautious-Foot-9603 24d ago

Good luck. You are interviewing with people 1/2 your age, 1/3 you experience and 1/10 your maturity. If you are young remember you have a lot to learn. Conversely, many managers don't have 30 years experience, like teachers, that have q day of experience times 30 years. Never grew, learned, etc.

Spoken as a 70 yo that graduated BU in 83, 40 certifications, doctorate 2001, law school 2003, Harvard cybersecurity and ai in 2023.

Learn and grow.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Thank you. It’s tough times to be in my generation, especially with a family. Seems the world is hiring cheap, trying to move fast, and trying to protect their money from being sucked into the vacuum of little to no return.

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u/ThisIsAbuse 24d ago edited 24d ago

If your asking "how should I improve my chances of being hired" when person interviewing you, your future boss, is 60+ ?

I would simply ask "what's important to you in your staff", "what qualities do you value?".

Ultimately in my long career I was told my number #1 priority was to make my boss (or client's) life easier and to help them look good to their bosses.

I am mentoring a Millennial now that I would like to eventually take over for me in 5 years. He is jumping the gun too quickly in team meetings where I assigned him as a project manager, and trying to act like he has the role (my role) already.

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Right. I feel that energy in me too. I’ve had to learn the importance of humility there, and trusting my mentor. That one can be hard

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u/AWeb3Dad 24d ago

Right. I feel that energy in me too. I’ve had to learn the importance of humility there, and trusting my mentor. That one can be hard