Re: Job market and potential age discrimination?

[SteveFJong -at- aol -dot- com]

Age discrimination seems to be the most blatant discrimination still active. 
I have been told by more than one recruiter to limit my resume to 15 years of 
experience, which entirely removes a highly successful 10-year job (some 
would call that a career). To be fair, another told me that advice was crap, 
but then I didn't get that job. I've also been told that age discrimination 
starts after age 40.

One person who interviewed me said they "needed more grayhairs," then didn't 
hire me. (Maybe I wasn't old *enough*.) Another place required, on their 
application form, date of birth, which I understand to be completely illegal.

I believe the perception is that older workers are (1) too expensive for the 
relevant experience, (2) too lethargic, (3) too expensive, benefits-wise, and 
(4) too inflexible (by which I mean we won't work 80-hour weeks just for free 
beer and pizza and the thrill of developing a product). Mind you, I think 
that's all crap, but I believe that's the perception. When considering 
candidates, all they have to do is say, "I don't think he'd be a good fit 
with our culture."

This problem is particularly galling for older workers who see H-1B workers 
imported, supposedly to fill a shortage of qualified workers, when they're 
right there on the market.

Fortunately, the long-term trends favor the older worker. The relative number 
of new workers entering the workforce is declining, and the baby boomers 
(which I slightly trail) are marching toward retirement age. The boomers have 
changed American culture all their lives; they have the sheer numbers to 
demand a solution to this problem. Besides, when they retire, there'll be 
such a shortage of workers that they'll have to hire us anyway 8^)

-- Steve (on the wrong side of 40)

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