Michael Mercer, Ph.D.

Managers often talk trash about hiring young people – Millennials (18-28YO) and Generation X (29-42YO). <br />
<br />
However, pre-employment test research and other methods reveal the true message every manager needs to know. <br />
<br />
Fact: Managers need to realize it does not make any difference how old or young a person is. The one and only factor that counts is if the person you hire will be a productive, dependable, and honest employee. Some Millennials and Gen Xers are very <br />
> productive, responsible, and valued employees<br />
> lazy, irresponsible, and lousy employees<br />
<br />
Oops. I almost forgot to tell you another handy management fact. Some people older than Millennials and Gen X are extremely <br />
> productive, responsible, and valued employees<br />
> lazy, irresponsible, and lousy employees<br />
<br />
Wow. Isn’t that amazing? <br />
<br />
Colorful trash talk by managers and in news media makes exciting “news” and human interest stories. But the fact remains: Managers need to hire productive, dependable, honest employees, regardless of job applicants’ age.<br />
<br />
With that said, let’s look at some helpful research plus tips to help you hire the best, regardless of the age of the job applicants.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><br />
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST RESEARCH ON YOUNGER WORKERS VERSUS OLDER WORKERS</strong><br />
<br />
Companies using pre-employment tests from my firm start by us quickly custom-tailoring the tests. We conduct research called a “Benchmarking Study” or concurrent validity study. In this research for custom-tailoring, we have employees in the company take our pre-employment tests on interpersonal skills, personality, motivations, and mental abilities. Then, we discover typical or “benchmark” test scores of the very best employees in each job. <br />
<br />
The resulting pre-employment tests are taken by job applicants. Then, the company can take the logical next steps:<br />
* prefer applicants whose test scores are similar to the very best employees<br />
* shy away from applicants whose test scores differ from the best employees<br />
<br />
In pre-employment test benchmark customizing, I continually discover the very best employees get similar test scores – regardless of their age. For instance, ultra--productive and dependable Gen Xers and Millennials get test scores essentially the same as older employees who also are ultra-productive and dependable. <br />
<br />
Also, when starting pre-employment test “Benchmarking Studies,” I have the company give me lists of employees they are testing. Sometimes, I hear details about the employees listed. Lo-&-behold, the very best employees span all age ranges. That clearly shows age is not the key issue impacting productivity and dependability. <br />
<br />
Instead, it boils down to this fact, which I also emphasized in my third book, “Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest(tm)”: <br />
The fastest, easiest and lowest cost way to have employees who are productive,        dependable and <br />
honest is to hire people who are productive, dependable and honest human beings. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>TALES OF 2 MILLENNIALS</strong><br />
<br />
Let me tell you true stories of two people who are in their twenties. You could call them Millennials. I met them through their parents who live near me. <br />
<br />
One of these Millennials loves to <br />
- sleep late<br />
- barely job-hunt<br />
- play on computer, e-mail and Twitter all day and night (after he awakens)<br />
- watch TV and DVDs while playing on computer, e-mailing, and Twittering<br />
<br />
The second of these Millennials loves to <br />
+ keep busy<br />
+ show up at job one hour early each day<br />
+ work overtime, whenever available<br />
+ help family members who need assistance<br />
+ work hard<br />
+ earn top performance ratings, because it feels personally important<br />
<br />
Questions: As a manager, which of these two people – both Millennials – would you <br />
- hire?<br />
- feel comfortable perhaps putting on your payroll?<br />
- predict might be productive on-the-job?<br />
- think will show up at work (a) every day and (b) on-time?<br />
- leave unsupervised – yet feel confident work is getting done?<br />
- imagine will deserve your respect and trust?<br />
- suspect cares a lot about earning high performance appraisal ratings?<br />
<br />
Another question for managers: Haven’t you also met two people in every age group who exhibit similar good or bad qualities? Of course, you met such people of all ages.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>REMEMBER THIS – SO YOU HIRE THE BEST</strong><br />
<br />
Pre-employment test research and work-style observations show some Millennials and Gen Xers are super-productive, dependable, and honest employees. And some are the opposite.<br />
<br />
In fact, every age group – young, old, and everywhere in between – has people who are productive employees. Also, others are people you never should hire, because they are slackers who do minimal amounts and quality of work. <br />
<br />
So, age of job applicant does not matter. What matters is a hiring manager’s skill at predicting which applicant is likely to be productive and top-notch, if hired. <br />
<br />
Remember, as I highlight in my “Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest(tm)” book: <br />
The easiest, fastest and cheapest way to have productive, dependable and honest employees is to hire productive, dependable, and honest people. <br />
<br />
And pre-employment tests, which are readily custom-tailored for each company, plus work-style insights are two great methods to predict if a job applicant will be productive, dependable, and honest.<br />
<br />
So, quit wasting your time fretting about a job applicant’s age. Instead, invest your time into using prediction methods that forecast which job applicants – without regard to age – will be fantastic employees for your company.<br />
<br />
Pre-employment tests plus investigating work history gives you big clues. Look for these two key clues to hire the best:<br />
1. Applicant’s pre-employment test scores are same as scores of your best employees.<br />
2. Applicant’s work history reveals proven productive, conscientious work habits.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
© COPYRIGHT 2009 MICHAEL MERCER, Ph.D., <br />
www.MercerSystems.com</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
Dr. Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is nationally-known as an expert on (1) pre-employment testing and (2) hiring the best. He created the 3 “Forecaster™ Tests” – pre-employment tests that companies use to hire people who will be successful on-the-job. Dr. Mercer’s 5 books include “Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest™” (in 13th printing). He is business psychologist and president of Mercer Systems, Inc. in Barrington, IL. When you subscribe at no-cost to Dr. Mercer’s monthly “Management Newsletter,” at www.MercerSystems.com, you instantly receive via e-mail his 14-page “How to Hire Winners” recommendations. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />