Just 28% of workers age 55 and older who were laid off in the past year have found new jobs, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. That’s compared to 71% for laid-off workers age 25 to 34.

The end result: A lot of “overqualified” workers are applying for jobs. The majority (63%) of laid-off workers older than 55 say they’ve applied for positions below the level of their previous job — and 44% say employers have told them they’re overqualified.

While the influx of experienced job seekers gives companies an opportunity to hire experienced talent at a low cost, it also opens a legal can of worms. Here’s some advice for hiring managers on how to avoid claims of age bias:

• Don’t ask interview questions about age, just about relevant experience.
• Avoid snap judgments about overqualified applicants – for example, don’t assume they’ll demand a high salary or will leave as soon something more prestigious comes up. Use the interview to learn those things.
• Don’t interview someone you know you won’t hire. It’s much easier for an interviewed applicant to sue than for someone who just sent in a resume.
• Consult with HR if someone asks why they weren’t hired.

One goal of intern programs is finding people who will come work for the company when they’re finished school.

But if companies aren’t careful, they can turn these people off to the idea of seeking permanent employment. Here are some of the common problems and advice on avoiding them:

• Cutting them too much slack. That doesn’t do anyone any good. They’re there to learn about the “real world,” and you want to learn about them. Sure, they probably won’t be treated exactly the same as regular staff, but it should be pretty close. Most importantly, constructive feedback is key.
• Not helping them learn. In addition to giving them meaningful work, managers should give interns plenty of time to ask questions about the company and the business in general. Also, if there are specific things an intern wants to try doing, some flexibility in assignments might be the best way to get the most out of him or her.
• Avoiding talk about the specifics of future opportunities. If you’d like the interns to consider taking a permanent job after graduation, tell them it’s a possibility and that you’ll be in touch down the road. Getting too specific might box you in or give the impression you’re making a commitment. Sending regular e-mails to past interns (the good ones, anyway) is a good way to keep the company on their minds.

That’s right, it’s almost time for college graduations. And the job market will be a lot tougher on grads than in previous years.

Just 43% of employers have any plans to hire recent graduates in 2009, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. That’s down from 56% last year.

Also, 21% said they’ll be offering lower pay to entry-level hires. At most other companies (68%), those salaries will remain flat, and just 11% plan on an increase.

Bottom line: Employers have an opportunity to grab entry-level employers at a lower cost and with a better chance of landing the best hires.

Here are some ways companies can stand out when recruiting college students:

• Use the Web – Everyone knows students and recent grads spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other Web sites — yet many companies still don’t have much recruiting presence in those areas.
• Get referrals – The influence of friends and classmates can be a powerful factor in students’ career decisions. So when you hire someone fresh out of school, make sure you ask for the names of others who’d be a good fit.
• Keep internships – As hiring in general goes down, fewer companies plan on hiring interns this year. But experts warn against getting rid of such a valuable, low-risk strategy for bringing talent in the door.

It’s a new twist on the issue of generational conflict and can result in a lot of battered egos. Older workers don’t think they should be taking orders from someone with less experience. And younger managers may view the other group as old-fashioned and unable to adapt.

But when a conflict arises, here’s some advice you can give both sides to help cool things down:

1. Don’t take it personally. Both the employee and manager need to know that misunderstandings are bound to occur, especially at first. However, they need to know it’s not personal and won’t last forever.
2. Give — and take — advice. Older workers may be reluctant to advise their boss — and likewise, younger managers may not want to take tips from a subordinate. That’s not good for the company — the employees likely have valuable experience they can share with the new manager.
3. Forget about style. Conflict often arises when employees and managers do things in a different — but still effective — way than the other side is used to. But stress the fact that it doesn’t matter how something is done, just how well it’s done.
4. Don’t make assumptions. Problems between generations are often there before the two sides even work together. That’s because both groups make assumptions about how the other will act. Instead, managers and employees need to view each other as individuals, not as stereotypes of their generations.

Many companies are reluctant to hire overqualified applicants because they’re afraid the employees will be difficult or jump ship as soon as they find a job with the pay and prestige they’re used to. But some experts say those employees are often the best hires because they have a boatload of experience and make good candidates for future promotions.

So should you hire one of those candidates?

Of course, those decisions will need to be made on a case-by-case basis. But here are some things to keep in mind:

• Don’t ignore the issue. Many interviewers are afraid to talk about the concern. But asking them what your company would need to do to keep them satisfied will let you know what chance you have of hanging on to those employees.
• Consider people from other industries. Often, the best candidates are the overqualified employees who are switching businesses or making a career change. They’ll be provided with new challenges and will be looking to learn as much as they can about a new area — in contrast to someone moving down within the same field who may carry a “been there, done that” attitude.
• Show the path to advancement. If there’s a good chance overqualified employees will be candidates for promotions, let them know. Explain early on what paths employees in that job generally take. That will help you avoid having employees who feel like they’re stuck in a job they’re too good for — and let them know they won’t need to leave your company to get back to the upper level.

Most companies get the bases covered — show employees where the coffee is, introduce them to key people, etc.

But a lot of orientation programs could use some improvement. Here are two simple steps HR and management can take to give hires a better introduction:

• Schedule a Q+A day — Effective first-day programs give newbies a chance to ask any questions they have — but it’s unlikely they’ll think of everything they want to ask right away. Meet up with the employee to chat after he or she’s been on the job for several days.
• Pick mentors wisely — A common practice is to pair the hire with a veteran for the first couple of days. That works great — if the two are a good match. Pick a mentor you think will get along with the new person and give the best impression of the company.

Maybe, according to a recent report, “Unpacking Prior Experience: How Career History Affects Job Performance,” published by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

According to the study’s authors, employees may be better off investing in developing fresh talent instead of hiring folks who’ve already built up their expertise. Why?

Mostly, it comes down to culture. While prior experience gives an employee valuable knowledge, it also leads to “habits, routines, and other cognitions and behaviors” that may cancel out the value of someone’s knowledge. (Which is made more problematic because experienced employees cost more.)

The report’s conclusions are based on an in-depth study of two companies and the successes and failures of their employees. You can download the paper here.

What do you think? Who have been the most successful candidates you’ve hired — the people with more or less prior experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Most employers aren’t doing so — 56% of companies don’t consider generational differences when planning compensation strategies, according to a recent study by World at Work. And only 3% are actively executing a plan that takes all generations into account.

Is that a bad thing? On one hand, with benefits such as health care and retirement plans, older employees may have significantly different wants and needs than their younger counterparts.

But on the other hand, all employees are different and may have varying preferences no matter what generation they’re in.

What about at your company? Do you offer different packages to attract workers in different age groups? Has it worked? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

No surprise here: They want cash.

Though it’s often said younger workers are more interested than their predecessors in factors like flexibility and social responsibility, 85% still say salary is the most important incentive employers can offer, according to a recent survey by Personnel Today.

Of course, that doesn’t mean other benefits don’t matter when you’re recruiting. But companies should be careful about substituting those other perks for competitive compensation, the researchers said.

Don’t send them out empty handed.

Instead of walking new hires through the workplace for a long series of introductions and handshakes, pick a day to send the newbies around with something employees will appreciate — for example, have them hand out coffee and donuts.

It’ll make more of an impact on employees, so they’ll be more likely to remember the new folks next time they pass in the hallway.

And it will ease some tension for the new hires, since they’ll be walking around doing something fun.