Are You Too Old For IT? - InformationWeek

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Tom Murphy,
User Rank: Author
11/20/2013 | 5:13:02 PM

Re: Probably a simple reason

Actually, it was my doctor (a fellow in his late 50s) who gave me that advice about heart surgeons. He also told me that if anyone ever tells you that you need a stent, make sure you go to a big-city hospital instead of your local general hospital. "All the good doctors work in the city," he said. He lived in the burbs near me.

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anon7127394659,
User Rank: Apprentice
11/20/2013 | 5:02:01 PM

Let's keep it real

Not to cast any stones or accusations, but we need to keep a couple of things in perspective here.

First off, everyone needs to bring their A-game when interviewing. Or, in regards to the current subject, no one wants to hire a curmudgeon - regardless of the age.

Second, you have to be actively engaged and invested in your skillset. No one has the luxury of a career in IT with a single technology any longer. That's been gone for at least twenty years now. If the skills on your resume are fifteen years out of step with the market, you have no one to blame but yourself.

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cjohanssonv6t,
User Rank: Apprentice
11/20/2013 | 4:44:08 PM

Re: Probably a simple reason

Surgeons that don't have steady hands cannot practice, they mentor the younger ones, atleast in Canada (not sure in the US). The surgeon that handled the c-section of my eldest boy was 68, had glasses and a steady pair of hands. As he was showing the procedure, there was two others in training (all in their late 30's) and helping out. As I held my wife's hand, the elder surgeon was asking questions and pointing out mistakes of the trainees. Later I asked about the process, apparently they had to be mentored under an experinced surgeon for 5 years before they could go solo just for the c-section.

This raises another thought, if you're specializing in Medicine: 4 yrs in college, 2-4 years in med school + 7 years specialization + 5 years being mentored ~ 20 years. No wonder most of the doctors with specialization are typically in their 40's.

To answer your question, would I hire someone older than me. Definitely. Are you applying? I see little IT pros out there much older than me so the likeihood would be rare. The older IT fellow that we did hire, it was my staff that suggest we keep his resume in the pool for I tossed it out (it read like he was going for my position hence over quialfied and he didn't address the resume to the position). At the interview, I then spotted how he would be useful in many other areas other than the position applied for.

To be fair, if I was interviewing someone for a position and they said they wish to retire in 1-2 years out, I would probably not. The ave staff rotation at the Univ I work at is 5 yrs hence I use the 5 year rule, I need to have the person in for about 5 years. Getting a new person up to speed takes time and energy.

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Tom Murphy,
User Rank: Author
11/20/2013 | 4:35:28 PM

RE: Keepin up with Tech

Howard: First, thanks for being so frank -- I'm sure there are a lot of us gray beards out here who can relate to your plight. Personally, I found that happening, so I put myself through the exercise of figuring out why people would want to hire me. I literally made four lists:

1. Things I do well and in which I have extensive experience. (social media? finance? tech? Writing?)

2. Things I need from a job to make me really happy. (money? location? flex hours?)

3. Jobs that require expertise in the first list and offer most of the second.

4. Companies that offer those jobs. Then I approach those companies and tell them affirmatively that I can help them with that job -- whether they are advertising for it or not.

That may sound simplistic, but it has led me to a series of fascinating jobs over the past 20 years. I have even convinced at least three employers to create a job for me. I'm 60 now, and have no intention of quitting anytime soon, but when I do, I already know what I'm doing next. In fact, I have a few things in the No. 3 group (I keep the list current, just in case.)

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LogicalThinker,
User Rank: Apprentice
11/20/2013 | 4:34:16 PM

Forced Retirement

Its a fact, the older you are when you get laid off, the longer it takes to find a new position. If the length of time to find a new position extends past their Social Security qualification age, many older workers will choose to take Social Security early (ya gotta pay the bills!). By forcing older workers to retire early, those young bosses are also hastening the depletion of their own retirement funds.

They may not have the retire early option when they get laid off because they are too old in the future.

So, they may eventually suffer for their age discrimination acts - maybe not by the courts, but in the pocket.

It is poetic justice in a way.

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wht,
User Rank: Strategist
11/20/2013 | 4:21:12 PM

Re: Similar Dynamic

Zuckerberg needs some counseling re employment laws, especially since he is in California, where he could be easily sued making comments about younger people being smarter. The Detroit guy that was fired for not working 60 hours a week and complaining about it when the new hires just did it w/o complaining would also put that employer in deep hot water violating California and Federal laws, not mentioning age discrimination. Instead of unions I prefer IT staff use the legal system instead. I would not work for someone like Zuckerberg or a union shop...I am well over 55 and still working into my 70's before I "retire". Fortunately I have a great employer.

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Tom Murphy,
User Rank: Author
11/20/2013 | 4:19:11 PM

Women -- of any age.

Ageism is one thing. But even more frightening is the absence of women from the ranks. It's rare to see an IT department where women comprise even 10%. That ain't right.

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Tom Murphy,
User Rank: Author
11/20/2013 | 4:16:41 PM

Re: Probably a simple reason

cjohansson: I've actually heard that if you are having important surgery, it's wiser to pick a top younger surgeon with steadier hands and sharper eyes. As I know all too well, it is a rare human who gets past their 40s without reading glasses. And now my eye doc is telling me that we all get cataracts eventually. More to look forward to!

BTW, you've hired one guy who's a little younger than you and some younger folks. But have you ever hired a significantly older IT pro? Would you?

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HowardL126,
User Rank: Apprentice
11/20/2013 | 4:14:29 PM

RE: Keepin up with Tech

I totallly agree with ageism in technology. I am 58 years old and for the last 8 years getting and keep job in IT has been a struggle. Not because I did not keep up with technology. I did I was part of the mobile tech boom working with companies like Palm, Windows, blackberry and others. Then when social media came out I was one of the first on Linkedin, Facebook, and others. I even wrote white papers and spoke a Tech expos on the subject. But the more I kept up with technology the less I found work in the field. In one case I when for a job interview and the interviewer said that they are not sure I could keep up because they used social media to contact their clients. When I told them that I was not only on social media but wrotw a blog that was pick up by IBM Social Media Boot Camp and I was on a social media panel with Luke Shepard of Facebook and that was on my resume. I told the interviewer "you didn't look at my resume because you would not have ask me that question" All of the sudden my interview was over.

This keeps happening I have had companies read my blog or white papers. Call me up for an interview only to get there to hear you are not what we are looking for when they see me in person.

Now I am working as a mobile consultant only because I can't get a job. I now kind of wonder what is was the point of getting my degree and having the experience if it's not valued.

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cjohanssonv6t,
User Rank: Apprentice
11/20/2013 | 4:02:44 PM

Probably a simple reason

I have seen this with my college buddies who are in various of industries. It is not restricted to just IT. Newly minted professionals are cheaper, period. This is what I gather from my friends who are in the HR side of the business. However, many of these "old timers" come back as consultants because the freshly minted do not have the broad range of knowledge they need to get the job done. Overall, the company is actually spending more money. Engineers are a good example.

In my case, I'm mid-50's and I have a few newly minted IT staff and hired one old timer (~50). The young fellows have computing skills are great and current but they need me (as their director) to guide them through the various landmines of Federal etc. regs and policies, strategic planning and just basic soft skills. The old timer, understood the landscape and rarely needed me to point out a potential issue. He also picked up the skills he needed, just a quick as the younger fellows. The old fellow is less work to manage and more costly to the unit (salary, benefits etc.) but this is made up with insights he brought in from previous experience from his other places he worked at.

The question I usually mention for those that promote younger over that of older employees, if you were having surgery and had a choice of the new minted or older and experienced surgeon, who would you pick? Always the older and more expereince surgeon is picked. Experience goes a long way when a life is involved.

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