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Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

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Re: Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

#211

Post by csbrooks »

johnward wrote: post #163
yitchelle wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The legalities of age discrimination is one thing, and what actually happen on the ground is an entirely different matter. They don't even have to give a reason why he is not hired for the positions he has applied for.

Even in the US. If you feel like you've missed out on a job based on discrimination you still have to prove it and no employer is going to actually put "too old" in writing.

I might be naive, I just feel like the HR department would be unlikely to shoot down a candidate for being too old. A big part of their job is making sure everything is at least documented enough to justify in court if it came to that. Rejecting every old candidate seems like it would make their job a lot harder.

Re: Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

#212

Post by atlantic »

collyw wrote: post #159
atlantic wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't think in terms of offering the lowest price. When you are selling your services online, price also tells the client how much your work is worth. Never compete on price, just ask for whatever you think is fair, given your knowledge and experience. I work on oDesk, and I've always obtained well-paid work. Just a question of patience and establishing a reputation.

Getting a reputation would seem to invove doing at least a few projects at a crappy rate from what I gather.

You can start off at, say, half your target rate, and/or on smaller projects than you would usually take on. Once you have two or three decent recommendations under your belt, then your online career will take off.

Re: Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

#214

Post by MicroBerto »

humanrebar wrote: post #109
MicroBerto wrote: post #78

This is crazy. Were I hiring, I'd kill to have someone that experienced and with likely far fewer "life liabilities" (I'm doubting he's going to start having babies or go absolutely insane over some girl he can't get out of his mind... or disappear playing video games for two weeks straight) Have him keep at it. Someone will appreciate what he's got.

Your intention is probably admirable (reassuring someone about a rough situation), but your list of life liabilities basically appeal to other prejudices based on age, gender, and possibly relationship status. I'm not particularly impressed by this logic.

The logic is actually the best part of my post.

The worst part is the fact that if I were to actually hire like that, it'd be illegal. That's what sucks.

Land of the free though, right?

Re: Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

#215

Post by johntaek »

atlantic wrote: post #212
collyw wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Getting a reputation would seem to invove doing at least a few projects at a crappy rate from what I gather.

You can start off at, say, half your target rate, and/or on smaller projects than you would usually take on. Once you have two or three decent recommendations under your belt, then your online career will take off.

You don't have any contact info in your profile. I would like to run some questions past you, if you have the time?

Re: Ask HN: My 56-year-old father is a developer having a tough time finding a job

#220

Post by luisivan »

aantix wrote: post #89
luisivan wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Should he reach you out or something?

Just apply. I'm a friend of the CTO, so that's how I knew that they are looking. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/24829783

Thanks! He will :)
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