Older Isn’t Always Wiser
Especially when you think everyone younger owes you deference.
I was about 25 at the time. The company’s team mainly ranged from their twenties to late thirties — relatively young but experienced.
We opened a job position and received a wide range of applications. One was from a man in his fifties, nicknamed Sharkman. The origins of this name are best left untold.
I handled the hiring process. After interviewing the candidates, I narrowed the list to three strong finalists. Sharkman was not one of them. He had some technical gaps, but his attitude was the larger issue. He barely acknowledged the women on the team, seemed uncomfortable reporting to someone younger, and showed no interest in anything outside his accounting experience.
We had other older candidates who were well-qualified, experienced, curious, and collaborative, but none advanced.
The owner, who had not interviewed anyone, overruled my decision and hired Sharkman. It quickly became clear why: he wanted an accountant at a support tech’s salary.
It went all wrong, of course. Sharkman ignored process, resisted change, talked down to others, and rejected oversight. He seemed to think his age should excuse him from adapting.
He quit a few weeks later, citing the workplace as unprofessional.
Age does not guarantee skill, respect, or a willingness to learn — and in tech, that willingness matters most.
Sharkman left. Only the story remains.