Applying for Jobs: Age's Impact in Your Area

[Jekertee]

Is it more difficult or easier to apply for a job in your area when you are old ?

 

[TMFKAN64]

Define "old".

It's certainly easier once you have experience and industry contacts... but I'm sure after some point, diminishing returns set in and people avoid hiring the guy who is planning on retiring next year.

 

[mr_coffee]

I agree with TMFKAN64,

If your retiring age it doesn't mean you can't get a job, it will just be a lot tougher.

I saw a guy co-oping at IBM who looked like he was in his mid 50's.

You also have to think logically about the situation if a company wants an employee to stick around for awhile and if your 40, another kid is 23 but you both have the same qualifications he might favor the 23 year old but doesn't mean he will.

He may favor the 40 year old because maybe he sees you as more responsible or more dedicated to your work because you have more financial obligations like a family to support.

Not saying your 40 just an example.

 

[billblack]

"define old"
Anyone 20 years older than me.
52 now defines the middle of 'middle aged' since I just reached 52.
in 10 years, the median point of middle age will be miraculously moved to 62.
The only really good thing about getting 'old' is that there are more 'younger women' every day.
AND...at 52 I am finishing my BS in engineering technology...It will be interesting to see how employable I am...or am not.

 

[JasonRox]

Anything above 21 is just old.

 

[Jekertee]

What is an "industry contact" ?

If I apply for a job then accepting me or not becomes an issue. Usually how long does it take for such debate to reach a decision ?

 

[TMFKAN64]

An industry contact is someone at the particular job who already knows your work. Assuming that you have done good work in the past, it is *much* easier to get a job in a group with a former colleague than it is to get a job by sending your resume to strangers.

(I should point out that I'm coming at this from a computer industry perspective. As we've established in other threads, computer people flit around various jobs like bees about flowers... physicists evidently have more of a tendency to stay put.)

As for time, it varies widely. Sometimes people are ready for you to start tomorrow, sometimes you are the first person through the door and they want to do a thorough search before hiring anyone.