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Age Discrimination at Work

nytimes.com

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Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#31

Post by alexfromapex »

mattbillenstein wrote: post #30

I've effectively "fixed" a couple startups built by fresh college grads and interns and made a pretty penny doing it. I think some companies and some founders have thought engineering was an area where they could cut corners by not hiring experienced people, and they have learned this is a good way to fail. That being said, you want a mix - more seasoned people leading the direction, processes, and technology selecti…

This is actually an example of age discrimination. Young people can be in leadership too. I always see conversations about ageism in tech drift towards older workers but as someone who was precocious I was often denied opportunities I was ready for because I didn’t have “enough experience”.

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#32

Post by gbacon »

I’m having difficulty finding a full-time role because I fear that, in my 50s, I’ve been thrown out with the trash in favor of “new blood.”

How is this claim falsifiable?

London admits having won no major awards recently in a competitive industry. New York comes across as high falutin’. Maybe they’re overpriced for what they bring to the table. Maybe they’re woe-is-me or brash in person too.

In software, productivity is hard to measure. The pressure to keep costs down is strong. As salary expectations rise, we’ve got to up our game. One route is specializing in a niche of a niche, but that is a risky approach. Stack talents to make unique combinations. Every organization needs project and technical management. Talk to people who know, like, and trust you about the challenges of what they’re trying to do at work and what you can do to solve it. Learn how to grow the business. Start your own business or go out as a freelancer.

Sure, we’d all like to sit at the same desk doing the same job watching the raises and perks pile in. Expect to hit a ceiling with that approach. I miss the days of having one problem to focus on for weeks at a time. These days, I’m not just feeding my own family but making sure that lots of other families are staying fed too. That’s a much harder job.

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#33

Post by michalu »

mschuster91 wrote: post #23
michalu wrote: post #6

> At 66, I am in excellent health.... Then presume I’m Miranda Priestly... I do not want a childproof cap on anything that threatens to ruin my expensive manicure ... I do NOT have any children or grandchildren! If you're 66 and you're still sitting around in a corporate job, and you have no children because you model yourself after a BS character from a BS movie then you're really just taking up space for someone wh…

> If you're 66 and you're still sitting around in a corporate job, and you have no children, 9/10 you're really just taking up space for someone who needs to feed their kids, has a potential to grow, and a better place to funnel the earned money than "expensive manicure" I agree with you in principle - the fact that aging Boomers and olders cling to their jobs and prevent younger successors from rising is a real prob…

Sure, but aren't the "fucked retirement/pension systems" a legacy of their generation?

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#34

Post by rco8786 »

Zenst wrote: post #2

30 years ago the discrimination was firmly against young people, today it has flipped on its head. Yet we have larger HR departments, rules, etc etc. So some serious questions need to be asked. But having felt the brunt of age discrimination when I was young and now older, I kinda angst. Kinda feel like generation discriminated sometimes having caught it at both ends.

Guessing you’re Gen X?

As a millennial (albeit a slightly older one) this is the reason I tend to not worry about this. We’ll be the dominant age group in the workforce for the next 20 years, there’s no reason for us to discriminate against ourselves.

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#35

Post by bluecalm »

michalu wrote: post #6

> At 66, I am in excellent health.... Then presume I’m Miranda Priestly... I do not want a childproof cap on anything that threatens to ruin my expensive manicure ... I do NOT have any children or grandchildren! If you're 66 and you're still sitting around in a corporate job, and you have no children because you model yourself after a BS character from a BS movie then you're really just taking up space for someone wh…

"Taking up space" in an industry where there is serious talent shortage about everywhere in the first world and people who can barely code a sorting algorithm are hired for jobs with 6 figure salaries is just laughable argument. There are so many opportunities and so many ways to make living as a competent programmer, especially when you're young.

You're already in a privileged position by virtue of being born in technology age, having younger brain and better energy levels. It's an industry you can make it in in endless ways if you're willing to work on your skills.

If you're born in US that's another huge advantage as you can skip the language and culture part which is big barrier for many hard working and competent people. You also have access to the best market in the world and you don't need to worry about being denied entry or visa extension.

You know what's right for society? Working hard and not being an entitled brat. You have all the advantages in the world as a young English speaking person born in the first world country and you're complaining about 60+ years old trying to make living. It's honestly pathetic.

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#36

Post by tjungblut »

klingonopera wrote: post #27
robin_reala wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the UK (and I suspect all of the EU?) it’s specifically illegal to discriminate on age ( https://www.gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination ), and when I was last interviewing there HR would remove any birthdates that came in on CVs before passing them over to the interviewers.

In Germany, it's customary to include a picture of yourself in your CV. ...I think you can figure out your chances, if you don't include one. EDIT: I'm saying this to show how the German (who are European) employers will try to circumvent such age discriminating laws. You get it taught in school, in vocational training, at jobless centers, self-help books and the Internet, that the picture must be of "high-quality",…

For that exact reason I'm rejecting everybody that puts a picture on a CV in Germany.

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#37

Post by eropple »

michalu wrote: post #33
mschuster91 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you're 66 and you're still sitting around in a corporate job, and you have no children, 9/10 you're really just taking up space for someone who needs to feed their kids, has a potential to grow, and a better place to funnel the earned money than "expensive manicure" I agree with you in principle - the fact that aging Boomers and olders cling to their jobs and prevent younger successors from rising is a real prob…

Sure, but aren't the "fucked retirement/pension systems" a legacy of their generation?

A legacy of people in their generation with power, yes. You realize there's no moustache-twirling Boomer Conspiracy Society out there, yeah? And that some random working schlub wouldn't be invited if there was?

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#38

Post by [deleted] »

jasoneckert wrote: post #15

I've seen and heard of age discrimination in non-tech industries, but in the tech industry I believe that age discrimination is often mistaken for skills obsolescence. As a software developer for as long as I can remember, I'm actually at the top of my game now in my 40s - I can software engineer (plan) off the top of my head, and my tenacity is balanced with a sense of direction I never had as a younger developer. I…

[deleted]

Re: Age Discrimination at Work

#40

Post by cameronbrown »

bluecalm wrote: post #35
michalu wrote: post #6

> At 66, I am in excellent health.... Then presume I’m Miranda Priestly... I do not want a childproof cap on anything that threatens to ruin my expensive manicure ... I do NOT have any children or grandchildren! If you're 66 and you're still sitting around in a corporate job, and you have no children because you model yourself after a BS character from a BS movie then you're really just taking up space for someone wh…

"Taking up space" in an industry where there is serious talent shortage about everywhere in the first world and people who can barely code a sorting algorithm are hired for jobs with 6 figure salaries is just laughable argument. There are so many opportunities and so many ways to make living as a competent programmer, especially when you're young. You're already in a privileged position by virtue of being born in tec…

> people who can barely code a sorting algorithm are hired for jobs with 6 figure salaries

I ask, where does this happen? I'd love to apply to this easy money.

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