An aging workforce prone to catching the career-switching bug means more veteran intern candidates are available than ever before. New York-based Vault Inc. says its surveys show at least a 10 percent increase in employers giving nontraditional interns a try over the past decade. “The trend toward companies using older interns is continuing to grow,” adds Mark Oldman, president of the online recruiting service.

Older interns can present challenges if they’re set in their ways, demand more responsibility than they’ve earned, or chafe under the direction of younger supervisors. But there are several compelling reasons to consider expanding your internship recruiting efforts beyond college campuses:

• Most require less hands-on management than college students. “Older interns usually don’t need as much guidance,” says Tracie Spinale, internship coordinator for the Smithsonian Institution. “They tend to be more proactive.”

• They immediately fit into the workplace environment. If they have concerns or ideas, they generally speak up, and they usually have a strong sense of personal responsibility. They “have an intellectual maturity and an accumulation of knowledge to do a good job,” says Benjamin Austen, who runs the intern program at Harper’s magazine.

• They can help show young interns the ropes. “In some of these organizations, older interns serve as de facto mentors,” Oldman notes.

• They’re serious about working their way into a job. Older interns aren’t usually just testing the waters — they’re committed to starting a career in the new field. That makes them motivated interns and potentially valuable hires.

Adapted from Hiring Older Interns,” by William Atkinson, in HR Magazine

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I always thought it was easier to ask senior managers and senior technical staff questions, because they had so much experience ... Here are examples of questions I’ve asked in the past:

• Give me an example of a time you had to choose between two alternatives you didn’t like. What did you do? (I’m looking for someone to say they didn’t limit themselves to two options. Or if they did, I’m looking for how they made the decision.)

• Has there been a time you felt your ethics were challenged by something your management wanted you to do? What happened? (Anyone who’s been in a senior position or has been working at mid- and upper-management levels for any amount of time has been in a position like this. I want to see them admit it, and say what they did.)

From Johanna Rothman’s Hiring Technical People www.jrothman.com/weblog/htpblogger.html

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As the sector facing some of the nation’s most acute worker shortages, it’s no wonder the healthcare industry accounts for 60 percent of AARP’s list of Best Employers for Workers Over 50, including the top five spots. Here are ways several top-rated organizations recruit and retain older employees:

• Mercy Health System. The Wisconsin-based employer’s Senior Connection club gives retirees and workers 55 and older free financial counseling, health coverage, and prescription discounts. Flexible schedules with names such as the Weekender (in which nurses take weekdays off), the Traveler (temporary assignments with full benefits), and the phased Work to Retire are also strong selling points.

• Lee Memorial Health System. This Florida-based operation allows employees to work six months of the year while keeping health coverage during off times. The Health Make-Over wellness initiative gives enrolled workers a selection of free prescriptions for a year.

• Bon Secours Richmond Health System. Workers at this Virginia-based outfit can nab college scholarships for their children and grandchildren. Bon Secours also offers a six-week course on retirement planning.

• Oakwood Healthcare System. After surveying employees, this Michigan organization adopted flextime and compressed schedules. Now 36 percent of workers take advantage of the options.

• First Horizon National Corporation. This Tennessee financial services firm provides current and retired workers with a nifty medical benefit: a free 24-hour hotline connecting them with Mayo Clinic nurses.

• Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. The daycare at this New Jersey-based pharmaceuticals company follows an Intergenerational Care model that brings in grandparents to interact with the kids.

Adapted from AARP: The Magazine

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Professional Search Services

• Large national candidate pool
• Internet recruiting at www.mhaservicecorp.com
• Background checking service
• Low contingency fee

When you need a healthcare management recruiter, call Steve O’Connor at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association in Lansing, MI at (517) 663-5755. He’s the search consultant who produces this monthly newsletter and has hundreds of management candidates currently registered with his service. Most are open to relocation. You are also invited to browse his web site for more information on Professional Search Services at www.mhaservicecorp.com.

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For more information contact:

Stephen O’Connor, SPHR, Senior Director
MHA Service Corporation
Professional Search Service

Corporate Office:
6215 West St. Joseph Hwy.
Lansing, MI 48917
(517) 663-5755
Fax: (517) 663-5897
E-mail Address: soconnor@mha.org

Regional Office:
24725 W. Twelve Mile Rd.
Southfield, MI 48034
(248) 356-7950
Fax: (248) 356-8543

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