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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I FEEL old at my office because I am in the older range of employees and it is a shrinking group.  Where are all of the 40 and 50 somethings?  We keep getting in younger employees and most from other countries so just being American and older is putting me into a small minority.  It is lonely.

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[b]My only advice is to open your mind a bit - this isn't to say you're closed minded, rather that you're perhaps just accustomed to a more homogeneous workplace.  Also, look at yourself more as a mentor to these new folks, but don't come off as someone with more "seniority" than they have (which is how many people in government and union shops do).  Offer your advice once or twice, and if they don't want it, don't offer again.  Trust me when I say that they'll be back when they find themselves over their heads.  In that case, don't tell them "I told you so," but instead say "I'm glad you came to me, maybe I can point you in the right direction."  You'll gain their respect.  Remember, you're not their mommy or daddy, you're just a colleague with more experience[/b].[/quote]

[b]EXTREMELY POOR ADVICE[/b]- Unless you plan on being forced out of your job.  I'm in my 50s- helped younger foreigners in an IT environ- they worked for a LOT less. After I shared my expertise, hoping for a promotion and respect, guess what? [b]I was laid off.[/b] I kick myself daily for being so stupid. Trying starting new in your 50s. [/quote]

I was the poster of the above-bold advice.  I'll admit that I missed the reference to "from other countries," so I would agree that sharing advice and being a mentor could be detrimental.  Notwithstanding this, I did NOT say that you should teach them everything you know.  It's also important that upper-management not have a clear idea that you're the sole repository of critical advice.  If they do, you'll be tasked with training the younger, foreign workers.  Better to keep your head down, but also look for opportunities to gather information that might represent "insurance" against a layoff.  At a couple of my prior companies, some key managers were sleeping with younger employees that reported to them.  Others were falsifying expense reports.  Still others were allegedly fudging time sheets submitted to end customers.  There was one guy at a prior company who was very well-paid and often found himself on the annual RIF list, only to have his name taken off shortly before it came out.  It turned out that he knew where the bodies were buried and wasn't shy about telling a few executives that he knew their secrets.[/quote]

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