OLDER
BOSS?
ARE YOU
THAN YOUR
2
� J U L Y
2 O 1 5
A
ccording to a national survey conducted
by CareerBuilder, 38 percent of American
workers are older than their supervisor.
This trend seems to be continuing, as
many baby boomers are electing to work
past the benchmark retirement age of 67, and as
Millennials continue to enter the workforce with
increased qualifi cations. The good news is that of the
38 percent, only 9 percent fi nd the situation diffi cult.
And Here's Another Tidbit:
with more people delaying
retirement, estimates project that by 2020, fi ve genera-
tions active in the American workforce will not be that
uncommon.
Working for someone younger than you can be a bit
unnerving. Perhaps
"that
kid" got the promotion
you thought you
were line in for
because you
have seniority.
The fact is, it doesn't work that way. Here are four
suggestions to help you cope. Who knows, you might
even fi nd that your situation is a blessing in disguise.
1.
Remember, Your Boss is Your Boss for a Good
Reason.
Face it, that person is probably more
qualifi ed than you. That sounds harsh, but remember
the line from
The Godfather: "It's not personal; it's
business." Try to fi nd ways to learn from your manager.
2.
Pinpoint Your Assets.
Remember that wisdom
comes with age, and so with your work
experience comes a wealth of knowledge that your
boss will want to use.
3.
Don't Be Condescending.
One pitfall in such a
relationship is for the older employee to occupy
something of an older sibling or parent-like role.
It's okay to be helpful, but do not act like a parent.