Will E. Wurkornot, just turned 60. Looking for a job at that age is not easy, but more and more people are doing it, because they need a job at 60. Will just got turned down at "Tire Country," a local tire store where Will had hoped to sell tires. Here is his letter to the hiring manager.______________________________
TO: Tire Country
Brian Dehd, Jr.
Dear Mr. Dehd:
You discriminated against me at Tire Country. There is no other way to say it. I know your father owns the company, and that at 24 years old, you may be intimidated to have someone working for you who actually knows what he's doing, but your frat brother won't do nearly the job that you would have gotten out of me.
You are prejudiced. I've been in sales for 28 years, and my multiple reference letters, my existing contacts of people I've worked with for years, my presentation skills based on years of giving sales presentations, would have paid dividends for you. I'm not tired, as you seem to think, and my past results would be recreated at Tire Country.
People like to buy from people with experience, people who know how to build rapport, and people who tuck their shirts in and don't have a nose ring. I'm sure your friend can sell a tire, but can he build a client-base? Can he generate loyalty and repeat customers? Can he get referrals? Mr. Dehd, you may not know it yet, but sales is a hard profession. Repeat business and referral business are the best types of business you can get, and the cheapest, and the most profitable.
I've been doing that since before you were born, and was doing it while you and your buddy were drinking yourselves stupid at your frat parties.
They discriminated against Jeremy Lin, in the NBA, and you discriminated against me. Perhaps, it was for different reasons, but the result is the same.
I wish you luck with your friend. I'll make a prediction now, and it is that the hire you just made will be gone in 6 months and you'll be looking for a replacement. Based upon this job market, you may get a second shot at me. Keep my resume.
Will E. Wurkornot
Tire Sales, not tired salesman
__________________________________________
NOTE: It's difficult to believe, in a world of fair-play, and laws against prejudice, and union shops, and political correctness, that workers are still discriminated against for something as insignificant as their age.
Discrimination, in any form, creates unfair advantages for some while building un-conquerable obstacles to others.
Jeremy Lin was an Asian, Harvard-educated, NBA bench-warmer, averaging a little over two points per game in a reserve role. Then, a couple weeks ago, Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks' "star" player, got hurt. The Knicks had won eight out of 23 games.
Desperate for someone to handle the ball, Lin was inserted, and scored more points in his first five games as a starter, than anyone ever has. The Knicks won eight of their next nine games, with Lin running the point for his team. Since he began starting, Lin is averaging 24.6 points and 9.2 assists per game, while hitting 49.7 per cent of his shots. Anthony is averaging 21.8 points, and 3.1 assists, per game, while shooting 39.8 per cent (29.7 % from three-point range).
Since February 5, when Lin began starting, the organization has seen its stock rise 13%. And, since Lin entered the starting lineup, traffic on Knicks websites has increased more than 550%, and Knicks TV ratings are up 70%.
Why has no one in the NBA seen the value of Jeremy Lin? He's 6 foot 3 inches tall (same height as McCrabby's son). But, he is Asian-American, and went to Harvard. And, since the thought is that Asian-Americans aren't NBA players, and the last NBA player from Harvard was playing in the 50's, he was discriminated against. Can he play? It appears so. Why didn't we know?
No one knew for the same reason that people don't see value in the worker over 50, or 60, or even older. Stereotypes prevail everywhere, and the workplace is one of the toughest places because of the impact on people's lives. It's hard to feel too sorry for Jeremy Lin, who has been in the NBA for 2 years and is paid $760,000+ a year to sit on the bench and go to practice (the bet here is that he'll be getting a raise next year). McCrabby has several friends that would settle for half that salary.
But the point should be to look past the common perceptions while building our organizations and to look for someone who can make an impact, no matter their age, race, disability, or other perceived imperfection. Let's give everyone a chance to shine and see what develops.
Take a chance on that 50-something or 60-plus individual, and maybe your stock will go up 13 per cent. The point might be valid. Give an experienced person a chance to prove it.
McCrabby
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