Workers Over 40: "Diamonds in the Rough"

Almost every week, one hears about some German company that is downsizing, cutting jobs or laying off workers. At the same time, German unemployment agencies are criticized because they can't find work for the unemployed.

Recently, Federal Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Franz Müntefering decided that Germans should work longer, upping the retirement age to 67. Great, say the more than 4 million unemployed Germans, but where are the jobs?

Above all, it is the unemployed over 40 that find it particularly hard to find a job. "Too old," say potential employers. They take too many sick days and are too inflexible, the thiking goes.

But Dirk Uwe Krüger of Cologne thinks differently. Three years ago, he founded an agency which specializes in placing those over 40, and called it Zeit-Sprung (time leap).

"These people that we place are truly good, essentially like diamonds in the rough," said Krüger. "And that they are really great is something that employers are realizing too slowly. So I will continue to push for them in the near future."

Fairy godfather

He's the fairy godfather out of an unemployment fairy tale -- because he means what he says.

He has 2,000 names in his Rolodex -- all people over the age of 40. And he is on the prowl daily, hunting for new jobs for them.

"Most have already had training, experience or education in one or two fields over the course of their lives," he said. "But it is difficult to find something appropriate for them sometimes. Many of the jobs they trained for don't exist anymore or have changed so drastically that they won't fit."

Krüger and his colleagues call potential employers and offer them candidates for their openings. Then it can take a day or more before they are convinced of the advantages of a new employee over 40 -- their knowledge, expertise and reliability. He is able to place craftsmen, sales people and technicians more quickly and easily than other agencies.

A success story

Elizabeth Metz is 48, a bookkeeper, and for six months, someone whose job applications were returned either without comment or with a remark about her age. Krüger and his colleagues managed to set up her first job interview since her employment search began.

"Up until then, I had been given no chance to introduce myself or even simply to talk to anyone at any company," she said. "I find that on paper, employers can tell a lot. But they can't really tell what you can really do or how you might fit."

These days, Stephan Aschenbrenner, her new boss, praises her intuition and knowledge. During her interview, her age was not brought up at all. And he doesn't understand the prejudices of employers against older workers.

"With younger employees, I have completely different issues. After a year, they always want to know how they are going to advance up the ladder," he said. "Or it might be that they take maternity leave or fail to show up on Mondays because the weekend was too rough."

An incredible moment

Metz is very comfortable in her new job. And she can keep it until she retires, according to her contract.

"I am the oldest here -- the team is very young," she said. "I have a 15-year-old son myself and have no problems dealing with older or younger people. I get along with everyone very well. It also hasn't mattered here either that I am older and has been like that since the first day, when I felt I immediately belonged."

Metz is a success story for the agency. Krüger isn't able to find jobs for everyone and he won't reveal how many he has unsuccessfully tried to place. Still, he is expanding his business to six other German cities.

"When we are able to help, it is an incredible moment," he said. "Then those who get jobs come through the door, sometimes with flowers or champagne in their hands, and say, 'thank you -- I am so happy.'"