Ageism is becoming an issue for me
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Ageism is becoming an issue for me
1–10 of 72 posts
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#2Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior".
Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#3Nothing in here about age discrimination in the IT industry.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#4Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior". Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
What types of companies were you interviewing at? I've really never seen anything but ageism in the favor of younger people.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#5[deleted]
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#6Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior". Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
It's an execuse so they can higher you for less money.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#7Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior". Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
What types of companies were you interviewing at? I've really never seen anything but ageism in the favor of younger people.
One was a consulting company, and the other person to tell me that was a recruiter as a reason for not submitting me for a job i.e., "they're looking for someone more senior"
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#8Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior". Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
What types of companies were you interviewing at? I've really never seen anything but ageism in the favor of younger people.
That's really strange. When I was just out of college no one took my work experience during college seriously, they all treated me like I was a clean slate even though I had about three years of part-time experience with two full-time summers. I was constantly told, when I actually got feedback, that I was too inexperienced. I was applying for entry-level positions, which these days means you need 1-2 years experience. If I didn't have any work experience at all I don't think I'd ever be able to get a job except perhaps as helpdesk or PC tech.
Somehow I doubt everyone else was treated like a prodigal son when they were younger and my experience was just bad luck or poor preparation. When this was happening in 2007, I was able to get about 20 interviews that only ever amounted to 2 job offers.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#9Inside I think of myself as young.
If you really did, then you wouldn't have even written this post.
Like Dave Winer, I am also 54 and absolutely do not care what anyone else thinks about it.
When I first started out I quickly rose through the enterprise ranks and was never taken seriously because of my age. As a wimpy looking nerd, I had always been underestimated by others and I found a way to use that to my advantage. When the time was right, I would just shoot them between the eyes with the right solution. My young age didn't matter.
Fast forward 30 years. I never notice age discrimination. It may be there, but I simply don't notice it. I think being in IT and in my 50's is a tremendous advantage.
For every issue I have to address, I have that many more instances of experience dealing with something like that. Many more iterations of similar patterns to draw from.
IT is one field where you can actually get better with age. You don't have to run fast or carry heavy loads, but you do have to think nimbly and get things done, both of which get better with lots of practice.
IT is also one field where "what you get done" is more important than "who you are". This is always good news for us hackers and makers, regardless of age, sex, background, or anything else.
I am currently writing the best software of my life, by far. Not just how I'm writing it, but what I'm writing. I have seen so much that I have a natural instinct for what is needed, what works, and how to best go about it. New technologies keep me fresh and engaged. I feel perfectly at home here at hn even though I'm older than most of you. I can't imagine a better place to be, with 21st century technology and 30 years experience!
To me it's odd that someone as accomplished as Dave Winer doesn't feel the same way. Then again, maybe it's just state of mind.
My grandmother taught me one of the most important lessons of my life, "If you look hard enough for trouble, you'll probably find it."
There is negativity everywhere, about ageism and a million other things. The secret is that it's only data to process as you choose. I have decided to ignore it and continue to do what I love and love what I do. I suspect that Dave should as well.
Re: Ageism is becoming an issue for me
#10Until I grew a beard I was getting reverse ageism at job interviews. Despite 10 years of programming experience, companies were telling me they wanted someone more "senior". Who knows, maybe that was just an excuse. But the beard seems to have helped.
Beards are cool anyway. What else could you twirl while thinking about a problem?