Weve got a vacancy for a supervisor, but the best internal candidate would be 20 years younger than some of the people he would be managing. What do we do?
Have you identified, without reference to any potential candidates, the characteristics and skills you need for this job, and decided how much weight you are going to apply to each? They might, for instance, include strength of character, confidence, the ability to remain cool under fire, leadership skills or potential and the ability to get on with people, as well as competence, experience and drive. From October 2006 they may not (except in some very limited circumstances: see questions 27 and 28 below) include age. Once you have identified what characteristics and skills you want, and how much you want them, you can go ahead and score all the candidates for promotion against them; and whoever comes out on top should get the job. If this turns out to be a 27 year-old who will in consequence find themselves in charge of people with 20 years’ more experience – well, that’s how legislation against age discrimination works. What you have to do then is back the winner. Make it plain that
