When I receive a CV of an applicant aged 30 or less, I erase it immediately, without reading what it says. I, as a recruitment firm, cannot recommend candidates under 30 for management positions, younger than 33-34 years for the positions of general manager and under 40 for positions in the Boards of Directors and other non-executive boards. That, especially if it’s about large companies, let alone for state-owned companies.

Of course, I have seen, as others did too, several (not many) with such ages doing good or even remarkable things in such positions. But it does not mean anything. Obviously, noticing that it was a good decision, a poor one or simply a lucky one, after it was made and produced effects, is the most banal thing possible.

I have seen members in the Boards of Directors of large (very large) state-owned companies even at the age of 27. When they are not decisions of a touching stupidity made by certain ministers (because they say „yes” or „no” in these cases), then they can be considered criminal (it’s corruption!!!), given the consequences.

In serious and developed countries, a professional path solid, clear, upward and with concrete and verifiable results of an applicant could be a very good predictor and sometimes enough to support an application for a similar position and to justify the hiring decision. In Romania (and in other similar places), this track-record is a major predictor to be taken into account, but not always the best and, anyway, never enough. Here, to have good results as manager, you need (it is essential) to be taken seriously, respected, feared – to be listened. If you are also appreciated for the technical competence in the field, managing competence (or both) and for knowledge, in general, it’s even better. In Bucharest, at the age of 27, nobody listens to you when you talk and order from the chair of CEO, regardless of what your CV says, how many schools you graduated from and what positions you had before. In Bucharest, you don’t need knowledge, technical competence to lead, but personality, before everything and in most cases, and in state institutions and companies, always, without exception, as far as I know.

And then, how to be respected at the age of 27, 28, 30, in Bucharest? In small teams, homogenous from several points of view, with relatively simple activities, where things go well, with employees with similar ages, maybe. But in large organizations, heterogeneous, difficult and, especially, with problems of all kinds, it does not work – whatever others might think. The larger and older the problems in the respective institution or company, the lower are chances for a young man to impose himself. That’s why, I find irresponsible the initiatives and programs circulated in the political environments and the electoral space promising fantastic jobs for young graduates, especially if they swear they will return home as soon as they end some studies at some universities abroad. Those who are very young can do many things for the country, indeed, but too few from the managing chairs of state-owned companies and institutions.

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The full version of this article can be read in printed edition of energynomics.ro Magazine, issued on September 2015.

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