Youth Versus Experience
March 23rd, 2010 by ComputerBob
The other night, I saw a TV commercial that showed two corporate HR people studying two job applicants from behind. One applicant has dark hair; the other has salt-and-pepper hair. The HR people point at the two applicants, while saying something like, “We need his experience — but he has more energy.”
It’s a commercial for men’s hair dye.
And apparently, its lessons are that:
- Corporations want to hire 25 year-olds who have 30 years of experience.
- Corporate HR people make their hiring decisions based solely on looking at applicants’ hair from behind.
- Job applicants can’t possibly be both experienced and energetic.
- Employers always discriminate against older workers.
- Experienced job applicants should dye their hair darker to make themselves look less experienced and more energetic, or no one will hire them.
- If you dye your hair darker, you will have more energy.
Then, this morning, I received a forwarded story from Journal reader, George Diaz.
I think it has a better lesson:
“One day, an old German Shepherd starts chasing rabbits, and before long, discovers that he’s lost. Wandering about, he notices a panther heading rapidly in his direction, with the intention of having lunch.
The old German Shepherd thinks, “Oh, oh! I’m in deep doo-doo now!” Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the panther is about to leap, the old German Shepherd exclaims loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious panther! I wonder, if there are any more around here?”
Hearing this, the young panther halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him, and he slinks away into the trees. “Whew!” says the panther. “That was close! That old German Shepherd nearly had me!”
Meanwhile, a squirrel who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the panther. So, off he goes.
The squirrel soon catches up with the panther, spills the beans, and strikes a deal for himself with the panther.
The young panther is furious at being made a fool of and says, “Here, squirrel, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that conniving canine!”
Now, the old German Shepherd sees the panther coming with the squirrel on his back and thinks, “What am I going to do now?” But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn’t seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old German Shepherd says…
‘Where’s that squirrel? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another panther!’”
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