Hiring managers say they’re seeing an uptick in seniors applying for entry-level roles. About 79% responding to a recent survey reported seeing more older applicants for such roles as compared with three years ago, according to a Sept. 27 report from Express Employment Professionals.

In addition, 60% of those hiring managers said they prefer to hire older candidates over younger ones for entry-level positions, demonstrating a shift in perceptions about experience and maturity.

“We need responsible workers who have the work ethic,” Mike Nolfo, a franchise owner with Express Employment Professionals, said in a statement. “Skillsets are easier to train, but work ethic and the importance of work is the priority right now.”

In a survey of 1,010 U.S. hiring decision-makers, 82% said they’re looking for full-time employees, with 55% searching for hourly workers and 51% searching for salaried workers. Most commonly, companies are looking for employees at the entry-level (53%, down from 63% in late 2022) and mid-level (52%, down from 58% in late 2022).

In turn, applicants are casting a wide net. About 83% of job seekers said they think it’s acceptable to apply for roles where they may be overqualified, as long as they want it. This may work well for companies, particularly if they are short-staffed and don’t have the time or resources to train new hires well.

“Some even lack trainers, so they need workers who already have the skills and experience to do the job from day one,” Bill Sofio, another franchise owner, said in a statement.

That’s where older workers may be able to provide value when applying for entry-level jobs, Nolfo said.

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