Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have been to several of the resume writing/job finding classes that were offered by the unemployment offices in various states. A couple of the particular classes were taught by employees of temp agencies , partnering with workforce (unemployment). In two of those classes, we were able to pin down the trainer and discuss age discrimination. The trainers reluctantly, after much brow beating, caved in and advised us that for the most part, although it is illegal, they are asked at least 80% of the time not to refer anyone who appears to be over the age of 40 to a job.
In my job hunt, I refuse to even consider going to an agency for temp or temp to perm work because of the two times I have been told this, I am 55, it seems I would just be wasting my time, even when I am a perfect fit for the jobs being advertised, if they are in fact real positions to begin with.
Has anyone else had direct experience with this and agencies, or has anyone else had it said to them by an agency (yes I know it is illegal to do it and the trainers told us that we never heard them say it).
Thanks.
I worked with a staffing company for seven years and never one time heard it even IMPLIED - by customers or the company I worked for - not to refer anyone who appears over the age of 40. The very idea would be shocking and ridiculous and if a customer had ever asked me that, I would have set them straight immediately.
True story - an older, very poised and very well dressed woman came into our office for an interview. She told me that she had taken a ten year "break" from working because her husband had been ill and she'd been taking care of him. She let it slide that they had been married over 50 years. She had a very professional background but she said, "I don't want to be anyone's boss - I just want some sort of office work." Her background was all financial, including being a Comptroller of a company and a CFO of another one.
She was sharp as a tack. I called a customer who had an open job order and scheduled the interview. I also began checking her references, which were impeccable.
After the interview, the customer called me and said, "Oh my gosh, we love her. I think I want to make her a job offer. But I have to ask something that is probably inappropriate. Look, it's obvious that she's older - heck, she's elderly. But she's perfect for the job otherwise. I mean, this is a permanent job - do you think she might get sick and have to quit?"
I said, "She's no more likely to do that than Sally Mae is likely to get pregnant and quit." So the customer told me they wanted to hire her.
A few minutes later, the phone rang and it was one of her former references calling. The guy said, "Wow, is she back on the job market? WE WANT HER BACK!"
Long story short - this woman was in her 80s. At the end of the day, she had not one, but two job offers to choose from.
I work in the Oil & Gas industry & see people over 50 getting hired everyday.
If you have the right skills and knowledge, you age is irrelevant to companies that need to fill positions. I work in Nuclear and if you know how to repair and service equipment designed and built in the 70's and 80's, you could write you own ticket, even if your 90 years old. Where age becomes an issue is lower level skill jobs where a younger person with the same skills is more desirable over an older worker.
When I went thru some desperate times Manpower and other agencies found me work. Apply at every single one. Get your hair colored and cut at an upscale salon, buy 1 or 2 designer dresses or suits, put on some diamonds (faje if necessary) and most importantly, some new modern shoes.
Go in with confidence, get a spring in your step, drink a cup of coffee and look and act vibrant. You can do it!
When facing zero dollars in the checking account, you have to put your pride aside and know you may not get a glorious job: at one time I worked outdoors in a Minnesota winter.
And never say "no" to any offer of work.
I did it, my job went temp to perm at a Fortune 10 company. But yea, a couple years ago I had to really lower my standards.
I find it reversed. The older my friends get, the easier it is for them to get hired. Instead of applying online at 100 places, they can ask their contacts for a job or a referral.
I worked with a staffing company for seven years and never one time heard it even IMPLIED - by customers or the company I worked for - not to refer anyone who appears over the age of 40. The very idea would be shocking and ridiculous and if a customer had ever asked me that, I would have set them straight immediately.
True story - an older, very poised and very well dressed woman came into our office for an interview. She told me that she had taken a ten year "break" from working because her husband had been ill and she'd been taking care of him. She let it slide that they had been married over 50 years. She had a very professional background but she said, "I don't want to be anyone's boss - I just want some sort of office work." Her background was all financial, including being a Comptroller of a company and a CFO of another one.
She was sharp as a tack. I called a customer who had an open job order and scheduled the interview. I also began checking her references, which were impeccable.
After the interview, the customer called me and said, "Oh my gosh, we love her. I think I want to make her a job offer. But I have to ask something that is probably inappropriate. Look, it's obvious that she's older - heck, she's elderly. But she's perfect for the job otherwise. I mean, this is a permanent job - do you think she might get sick and have to quit?"
I said, "She's no more likely to do that than Sally Mae is likely to get pregnant and quit." So the customer told me they wanted to hire her.
A few minutes later, the phone rang and it was one of her former references calling. The guy said, "Wow, is she back on the job market? WE WANT HER BACK!"
Long story short - this woman was in her 80s. At the end of the day, she had not one, but two job offers to choose from.
That's an awesome story! Gives hope to us who are just 49.
I have been to several of the resume writing/job finding classes that were offered by the unemployment offices in various states. A couple of the particular classes were taught by employees of temp agencies , partnering with workforce (unemployment). In two of those classes, we were able to pin down the trainer and discuss age discrimination. The trainers reluctantly, after much brow beating, caved in and advised us that for the most part, although it is illegal, they are asked at least 80% of the time not to refer anyone who appears to be over the age of 40 to a job.
In my job hunt, I refuse to even consider going to an agency for temp or temp to perm work because of the two times I have been told this, I am 55, it seems I would just be wasting my time, even when I am a perfect fit for the jobs being advertised, if they are in fact real positions to begin with.
Has anyone else had direct experience with this and agencies, or has anyone else had it said to them by an agency (yes I know it is illegal to do it and the trainers told us that we never heard them say it).
Thanks.
I've had temp agencies I signed up with in 1994 tell me that they've "purged" all my work history since before 2010 so that also takes with it my education - my Bachelor's, my Master's, my law degree and my teaching license. And recently talking to an office of said agency, they don't understand why purging all my life from 1994-2010 "should matter." WTF?!?! Is this younger generation all on drugs or something?! That if it looks, "on paper," like I've been struggling to find work since 2010, that that "shouldn't be a problem" finding work?! It's a form of age discrimination to only count the past 10 years worth of work experience even for agencies that SAY they will take people with NO work experience!! I called a different CITY (different state) location of the same agency and naturally got told something slightly different - but then, the Bay Area has always been slightly better for people with no work experience (or none "recent enough") to get jobs through temp agencies than, apparently, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
But yes, it's age discrimination. It makes me feel like I've overstayed my welcome on PLANET EARTH.
When I went thru some desperate times Manpower and other agencies found me work. Apply at every single one. Get your hair colored and cut at an upscale salon, buy 1 or 2 designer dresses or suits, put on some diamonds (faje if necessary) and most importantly, some new modern shoes.
Go in with confidence, get a spring in your step, drink a cup of coffee and look and act vibrant. You can do it!
When facing zero dollars in the checking account, you have to put your pride aside and know you may not get a glorious job: at one time I worked outdoors in a Minnesota winter.
And never say "no" to any offer of work.
I did it, my job went temp to perm at a Fortune 10 company. But yea, a couple years ago I had to really lower my standards.
I signed up with Manpower originally in 1997. At least THEY are still at that same location. They've moved all around "the Embarcadero" area of a certain large West Coast city which shall remain nameless, but they're still at the same phone number I have memorised. Yay them.
I even yelled at the other aforementioned agency that if I went and got my PhD in the next 8 years, then had I, what, better not even bother trying to get a job after that because I will have spent the previous 8 years out of the workforce and they apparently only care about where you've WORKED lately?! They hedge about that one...I'm only even looking at PhD programs because Master's and Law degrees earned "too long ago" also don't seem to matter worth a darn...and it's getting harder and harder to get hired these last 15 years or so. I hate like anything being treated like I look younger than I am (because they mistake me for a damn TEENAGER) but when I bust people's butts or they're looking right AT my date of birth, that's not good either!! Even one of the university applications wanted me to detail where all I'd been since high school graduation...1989. NINETEEN EIGHTY-NINE. Talk about age discrimination - and that's in university admissions applications!!
I am concerned about starting a career in education as an older person. Would I face age discrimination in my mid 50s starting out in education? I want to teach biology/earth science/botany. I am afraid I won't even be able to find work as a sub, much less a full-time teacher.
I just came off of a teaching "stint" in which, among other things (not the least of which included massive grade fraud and racial discrimination) the principal of the school flat-out admitted to us in the Math teacher meeting that he didn't want to hire anyone over-40. I was 44 at the time they hired me. I didn't even know where to begin the lawsuit. (it wound up being for racism, by the way).
I'm over 50 AND overweight. I've had a bunch of interviews and just accepted a position. In my experience, the temp agencies/recruiting companies were the worst. I had several recruiters be very excited about my resume and want me to come in and meet with them before sending me out for interviews with employers. I'd get dressed up, take the train for an hour downtown and then be interviewed for 5 minutes by some 25 yr old and never hear from them again. The position I accepted I was referred to by someone in my industry who knows my work.
I hate talking to 25-year olds. They all need to be taken out and horsewhipped about the way they talk to people 20 years older than them!!
Now, I'm told that it's because they think I "look young." Hence my aforementioned "they're treating me like they think I'm a TEENAGER" comment. They take this attitude that they know more than you even though you've been around ON EARTH longer. My generation was raised NOT to talk to people older than us that way.
Basically, rule of thumb: if the interviewer is 20 years younger than you, you're NOT getting the job and you just wasted your gasoline, wear and tear on the car, train/bus fare, getting dressed up, wasted your makeup, etc. Just like for me (minority), if the interviewer is white, I've pretty much wasted my time even getting my hopes up. And the drive there, and the makeup, and the clothes, and etc, etc.
Manpower does practice age discrimination. Scott Greer/Shelly Rogers (FC CO) 2 ppl from Manpower just did it to my family member. He took all their tests scored 89 overall got the interview and as soon as they saw him the whole game changed. He is more than qualified for the job. They said he didn't seem like he really wanted it, when in fact all through his interview he couldn't stress enough times how much he need full time long term work. Said they would call him no later than the next morning and oh guess what no call. Really. Also no other offers of employment? They are a temp agency they do offer other placements. Just trying to figure out who to complain to now. Someday they will be up there in age and kharma has a long memory. Manpower no good in Colorado!
If it makes you feel any better, the one in San Francisco isn't like that. But then, I scored more like 100 on all their tests. And it was back in the "dot-boom" era. But it does seem like agencies in KKKolorado and New Mexico do all suck.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
