Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
1–10 of 26 posts
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#2We hear it over and over again and I understand the reluctance to address it (it can be scary to step out from the crowd) but when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Until an organization has the desire and courage to step out from the crowd and fund ideas/startups, without regard to age but, on the strength of the idea and the team, then this issue will forever be in the news.
This would also be an opportunity to expand the pool of startups to fund and to analyze growth, ROI, etc. compared to the standard business practice of funding startups with young founders.
How can we say we care about people and on finding solutions for the problems facing people today when we shut the door on a large segment of society simply because they are over 40? i wonder how Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Sergey Brian, or Eric Schmidt feel about this topic if there was mandatory retirement at the age of 40 in tech. Would they think they still had something to offer? If the answer is they would, why is everyone ignoring this issue?
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#3We hear it over and over again and I understand the reluctance to address it (it can be scary to step out from the crowd) but when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Until an organization has the desire and courage to step out from the crowd and fund ideas/startups, without regard to age but, on the strength of the idea and the team, then this issue will forever be in the…
>when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue?
This is not the sort of diversity they're interested in.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#4We hear it over and over again and I understand the reluctance to address it (it can be scary to step out from the crowd) but when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Until an organization has the desire and courage to step out from the crowd and fund ideas/startups, without regard to age but, on the strength of the idea and the team, then this issue will forever be in the…
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue?
Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#5We hear it over and over again and I understand the reluctance to address it (it can be scary to step out from the crowd) but when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Until an organization has the desire and courage to step out from the crowd and fund ideas/startups, without regard to age but, on the strength of the idea and the team, then this issue will forever be in the…
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
I suppose we'll just need more government regulation (mandatory reporting of candidate interviews, hiring criteria, hiring decision justifications, etc).
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#6We hear it over and over again and I understand the reluctance to address it (it can be scary to step out from the crowd) but when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Until an organization has the desire and courage to step out from the crowd and fund ideas/startups, without regard to age but, on the strength of the idea and the team, then this issue will forever be in the…
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
YC offers the same amount of $ to each startup that it admits to its accelerator program. So your statement of "if you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost" is confusing.
When it comes to hiring employees, each company has to make the decisions on whom to hire and what is the basis for their decisions. I realize that some individuals, especially those with established families, are unable to work for lower wages or for long hours, I am not talking about them. I was talking only about those areas within YCs sphere of influence....those receiving seed funding and being given an opportunity to launch their startup by going through YC. Ageism in SV affects what startups are given a chance, who VCs fund, and who is employed at any tech business. It is not solely a factor that goes to an interview/offer/acceptance scenario.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
I suppose we'll just need more government regulation (mandatory reporting of candidate interviews, hiring criteria, hiring decision justifications, etc).
The problem, I think, is that they are hiring younger for what are economic decisions, rather than decisions based around protected status. That is, they're more likely hiring young because they can get a better deal out of it (they assume), not because of age in and of itself.
I don't want to see older tech workers out of work, but I also don't think it's a group that deserves anything more than any other group.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
I suppose we'll just need more government regulation (mandatory reporting of candidate interviews, hiring criteria, hiring decision justifications, etc).
I spent too many years working for the government and I can assure you that is exactly what we do not need. Anyway, we already have that if someone wants to make a discrimination claim and they are called the EEOC.
I choose to think intelligent, creative individuals can find a solution to an issue such as this rather than beat each other up. Maybe I just need to take off my rose colored glasses.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
>But when is an organization with clout, such as YC, going to take a stand on this issue? Given the current state of things, you could say they already have. The market has decided that younger engineers are more in demand because they are more willing to accept lower wages and longer working hours. If you can get 90% of the talent for 50% of the cost, it's just business. This holds true across many industries.
I suppose we'll just need more government regulation (mandatory reporting of candidate interviews, hiring criteria, hiring decision justifications, etc).
I can't tell if you're being serious, but will the costs to the taxpayer and possible unintended consequences and invariable corruption be worth it to add more layers of government to our slowly eroding free interactions? Since there are plenty of job markets outside of Silicon Valley, maybe it's good people are looking elsewhere. These markets could use the boost.
Re: Ageism is forcing many to look outside Silicon Valley
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suppose we'll just need more government regulation (mandatory reporting of candidate interviews, hiring criteria, hiring decision justifications, etc).
The problem, I think, is that they are hiring younger for what are economic decisions, rather than decisions based around protected status. That is, they're more likely hiring young because they can get a better deal out of it (they assume), not because of age in and of itself. I don't want to see older tech workers out of work, but I also don't think it's a group that deserves anything more than any other group.
Please understand what I am saying, I do not think older workers want nor deserve special treatment. They simply want a chance to be considered. If an older applicant is willing to work the hours and for the offered pay, it appears they are not even being considered along with the younger applicants. At least that has been my takeaway from the many news reports on this issue.
To make a job offer based on a protected status (in short to hire a mature applicant simply because of their age) is as discriminatory as it is to exclude someone because they are an older applicant.