Want to know just how screwed up things are right now for America’s workforce?

Here’s one telling sign: A Florida plastic surgeon is offering free cosmetic procedures to older job seekers so they can look younger and be able to better compete for a new job.

According to an amazing-but-true story in the Miami Herald, some “1,200 of South Florida’s newly jobless … recently vied for free Botox, dermal fillers, laser liposuction and other cosmetic procedures offered by Dr. Jason Shapiro … . [T]he Fort Lauderdale internist who gave away free procedures said he was moved by the applicants’ tales of being jobless, feeling unattractive and getting overlooked by employers despite their experience.”

And lest you think this is just an oddball trend that is somehow unique to South Florida, think again. The newspaper went on to note: “Nationwide, a growing number of people are turning to cosmetic procedures to put their best face forward as they look for a job—or try to hold on to the one they have. A survey of physicians by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed that 75 percent of them said they had treated patients who requested facial plastic surgery to stay competitive in the workplace.”

“Youth is becoming more and more emphasized in the workplace,” Dr. Steven Pearlman, past president of the organization, told the newspaper. “The seasoned experts, once pictured in ads with lots of wrinkles, have been replaced by young go-getters with multiple degrees and the appearance of boundless energy.”

Maybe it’s just me, but wouldn’t you rather hire someone who really has actual energy and real experience, even if they are older and more wrinkled, then someone younger looking who only has “the appearance of boundless energy”?

There are a number of factors that are challenging workers right now: a terrible economy with massive job losses, a huge generation of older workers (baby boomers) who now can’t afford to leave the workplace, and a business environment where companies want a clear and unmistakable sign of a recovery before they are willing to invest in any new jobs.

Add to that the normal bias that many organizations have for younger, cheaper workers instead of the higher cost that older, experienced workers bring with them, and you can see why some older workers may be desperate to do anything to make themselves more competitive in the job market—even cosmetic surgery.

But I wonder: For all the glib talk from so many organizations about constantly striving to win the “war for talent” and hire the best people possible, what does it say about our national hiring practices when highly experienced older workers feel they need to enhance their looks in order to get companies to seriously consider them for a job? 

Keep this in mind the next time you hear some talent management “expert” prattle on about how tough it is to win the war for talent. It might not be as tough as you think, especially if you aren’t hung up on just getting young and cheap talent in the front door.

In fact, you might actually find that older workers have a few things to offer—experience, depth of knowledge and a broader worldview—that are positive qualities to add to your workforce. Bottom line is, you need the best people possible for your workforce regardless of their age or looks. Smart managers are already aware of that, of course, and no amount of Botox is ever going to EVER change it.

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