Why you, as a company, should be employing the over-50s
Recent research by Ghent University reveals that someone over 50 who applies for a job is as much as 34% less likely to be invited for an interview, something we find hard to understand in times of unseen labour shortages. In our opinion, there are only benefits to be gained by employing someone older than 50. Stefaan Coppejans and Els Dessein explain.
Exactly one month before his 60th birthday, Stefaan Coppejans started as an Application Integration Specialist and he has now been on our team since last August. “And I haven’t had a moment’s regret”, he says. “I applied for the position at Vandelanotte and was in contact with Iris De Groote. She never saw my age as an obstacle. Above all, knowledge, drive and the click with the team were her highest priorities.”
And many companies could learn something from that, according to Stefaan. In the past, things didn’t always go so smoothly. Seven years ago, after years of being self-employed, he started looking for a new job. He sent more than 100 applications. “The results of my tests were always good, but it was always my age that held me back”, he says. “Luckily, I’ve seen a gradual change in the last few years, but that perhaps contradicts the research a bit .”
I applied for the position at Vandelanotte and was in contact with Iris De Groote. She never saw my age as an obstacleStefaan Coppejans , Application Integration Specialist
Els Dessein (52) also started at Vandelanotte last summer. She works in Customer Care. “In my opinion, companies are afraid that someone over 50 will be too expensive or that they will make too many demands. If you’re over 50 and looking for a new job, then you know that you really do want that job. You have built up a great deal of knowledge over the years and you only make a change if it is really going to make a difference in your career. That is different for someone in their twenties, who is often still trying to find out what they want to do and who wants to try different jobs.”
For Els, there are only advantages in recruiting a more mature employee. “I am glad to be able to share what I know with the younger generation. We can learn a lot from each other. The one can’t do without the other,” according to Els. “We, too, are open to change and still want to grow in a job. If companies are afraid that someone over 50 will be too expensive or that they will make too many demands, then they should have the courage to discuss it”.
Stefaan adds that he continues to seek challenge and satisfaction in his work. “The last thing I want to do is to be counting the days till I retire. There are always opportunities in the private sector that you have to take, irrespective of your age.”