We have been told since we were younger: don’t judge a book by its cover. The phrase is common when we are younger, however, it doesn’t seem to be the case once we get older. Humans tend to have an unconscious bias where they see or do something and have an opinion of the exact instance it occurs. The unconscious bias tends to occur with age on how someone is perceived to look at a certain age. This is related to the unconscious or conscious bias on how much they are respected or knowledgeable. This should not be the case, as we all, no matter the generation we were born in, have different experiences and knowledgebases, where how much we know or are respected should not be based on our perceived age.

Do you feel too old to want to switch careers? It is never too late to take those chances and chase after your goals! Want to start your own business right out of high school? You can achieve this goal! Want to start your own business when you are years into your career? Go for it! You can only regret the chances you do not take, so take those chances and live the life of your dreams and goals. We should be uplifting each other to reach our goals no matter our age rather than judging someone based on their age about how much they are knowledgeable of.

We should want to be inclusive of all ages and generations, as we are stronger together rather than apart. We all have varying experiences to alter our perspectives which can help to bring new ideas, innovation, and creativity to any aspect of our lives. I personally have been on the side of being looked down upon based on how young I look on several occurrences, as I have heard the phrase “you look twelve.” This phrase has stuck out to me, as I have heard it in several instances. One particular instance sticks out to me when I was at a professional event to uplift women, and I was there seeking to learn. Instead, I was discouraged by a speaker to have the spotlight and laughed at when the speaker revealed in front of the audience that I “looked like I was twelve.”

I will graduate from college in May with a bachelor’s degree and am part of Generation Z, which is often talked about poorly. For instance, “we are always on our phones.” I challenge you to overcome this unconscious or conscious bias of age where all generations can collaborate and bring so much to the table if you give everyone a chance and don’t judge a book by its cover. It has been shown that being inclusive to all generations and differences increases productivity, creativity, innovation, and much more! We should be more inclusive and inviting of all our perspectives and not limit anyone based on their age. Our ages help bring new perspectives and knowledge to help others, so we should not discourage anyone based on their age. We should be welcoming of all ages to learn and try new things. New experiences result in challenges that may come your way and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to no matter your age. We are not limited by our age, rather, our age should be shown as a strength of what you can bring to the table.

Courtney Tesch

Marketing Intern at Lori Dibbs & Associates, LLC

Email: courtney@loridibbs.com