I love networking. I love meeting people, hearing about the work of others, telling others about my work, finding ways to work together, learning things I didn’t know, sharing my knowledge, being challenged, challenging others, and on and on. Especially if red wine or beer is involved.
But, apparently, a lot of professional networking groups do not want me: I’m too old.
Consider a group here in Portland, Oregon, for example: it’s for young and emerging nonprofit and public sector professionals in the area. Or another group in Detroit, described as mobilizing young professionals to get the energy up at nonprofits and to bring new ideas to fundraising and outreach.
I find this again and again all over the USA: groups focused on technology, on nonprofits, on some aspect of nonprofit work (the environment, the arts, children, etc.) that say, explicitly, “this group is for young professionals who….” Because, you know, what the heck does someone over 40 know about the Internet? Or innovation? Apparently, we don’t try new things, we’re not risk takers, we’re not daring, blah blah blah.
The descriptions on the web sites and online communities of these organizations make it clear I am not wanted. It’s not just that I’m hurt to be left out of such groups and excluded from the networking and learning I so enjoy; I also think it’s sad that these groups isolate themselves from knowledge, skills and a diversity of viewpoints that group members might find particularly valuable, regardless of age. These “young professional” groups also contribute to the stereotype that people over 60, or over 50, or over 40 — take your pick on which group you want to stereotype — don’t have fresh ideas, aren’t tech savvy, aren’t innovative, do not like to learn and have nothing to offer.
I hear a lot about how traditional volunteering leaves out people under 35. I’ve been hearing about that since I was 30, actually. And I do see it in many organizations, hence my work over the last 15 years trying to get organizations that engage volunteers to create a diversity of volunteering opportunities that will appeal to a diversity of volunteers. I get that some groups have left out “young professionals,” and that these groups are trying to address that. But the solution is not to create an exclusionary group where no one but “young” professionals are welcomed.
I wouldn’t doubt that many young people have become frustrated or bored with the same-old same-old approaches of their older colleagues and assume that no new answers will be found in our generation. Or they may have joined more traditional professional organizations and found them irrelevant or exclusive, so who could blame them for wanting to go their own way. Often the traditional organizations expect members to climb a long leadership ladder before contributing their skills — frustrating for any member.Younger generations would be making the same mistakes that some Boomers do if they apply generational stereotypes to an age group. Many of us Boomers and Gen X still hold onto (or have developed) that curious and experimental mindset that some ascribe only to younger generations. But there will always be niche groups, small communities, based on all kinds of demographic and professional characteristics. I don’t begrudge them wanting their own community. Ideally they would invite older professionals to some events so each generation can learn from and be inspired from the other.