<p>I have hired “seasoned” employees and new college grads. The best thing about people with work experience and life experience is: good communication skills; emotionally stable; they understand human nature (so they realize “waiting for so and so to call me back” is no excuse for picking up the phone and following up). On the downside, some employees who used to be self-employed would drive me up the wall when they’d pontificate at length with the lecture: “see – you can’t do that – when I had my own shop” bla bla bla. Helpful offering of salient information is one thing if done in a respectful manner. A lecture to your boss who is 20 years younger than you is not.</p>