Does Age Really Matter?

Today on twitter, several people were taking pot shots and talking negatively about a 27-year-old being named Chief Digital Officer for New York City.

Kudos to NYC for not caring about age or being smart enough to realize her youth and that she was qualified anyway. To the people taking pot shots? I think they’re jealous and closed minded (although $115k for a CMO gig in NYC doesn’t seem like something to be jealous over). Or, as the article states, maybe NYC was wrong in their choice. As I’ve said before, promoting yourself through social media doesn’t always translate to being able to promote a brand through social media.

In today’s world, all you hear about are the people under 30 who are driving innovation. Facebook, Groupon and Foursquare were all developed by individuals under 30. Sure, maybe the “youngins” don’t have your “worldly” experience, but they also don’t have a closed minded attitude or the cynical boredom that comes from being (or working with) corporations for too long. Furthermore, career minded folks under 30 are hungry and passionate as hell, more so than you’ll ever be again. I’ve worked with some amazing rockstars under 30. In fact, if I was building an A-list team, my #2 pick would be a girl who’s 24 and blows my mind daily. My #1 pick? Someone who’s barely over 30 and has more passion for the interactive space than I do.

In today’s digital world… Actually, in the world in general, be open to learning new things from ANYONE, no matter what age they are. Who knows? Your five year old niece might spark the idea for your next big innovation.

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