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From the looks of things it appears age discrimination may not be such a big factor overall. In fact from looking at things it may appear that young people are being discriminated against.[SIZE=2]8255909577916122
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[SIZE=2][/SIZE] "some 2.7 million jobs in the 16-55 year old category have been lost. The "offset": 4 million jobs for Americans between 55 and 69"
I notice when I go to job sites ( building construction ) I'm really hard pressed to find any young people, The majority of people I see getting hired are 55 and up. This explains why.
They hire a lot of older guys in my occupation. Part of that is due to young folks loosing interest in honest paying careers. I believe young folks are much pickier about which careers they pursue than previous generations, where you worked for whoever was offering a job. In many trades, there is a marked "greying" of the workforce, and no one stepping up to take their place.
Of course, if we did hire someone young, we would have to listen to the complaining about actually having to work for a living, low entry level wages, and other facts of life. That's what happens when the parents make their kid's couch too comfy.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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That's a result of so many experienced people being available, and the lower cost of retirement pay for those with only 10 years on the job rather than 30. Companies have to take advantage of opportunities to save money and increase productivity when they can, they are in business to make money. We have no jobs any more (2,000 employees) that
have less than a 3 year experience requirement. Even so, my last few hires have included
people in their mid to late 20s, one with an MBA for our lowest paying position. Others have been 48 and 53, so all 4 were under 55.
They hire a lot of older guys in my occupation. Part of that is due to young folks loosing interest in honest paying careers. I believe young folks are much pickier about which careers they pursue than previous generations, where you worked for whoever was offering a job. In many trades, there is a marked "greying" of the workforce, and no one stepping up to take their place.
Of course, if we did hire someone young, we would have to listen to the complaining about actually having to work for a living, low entry level wages, and other facts of life. That's what happens when the parents make their kid's couch too comfy.
That is a load of <insert your favorite scatological term>. You are stereotyping an entire generation.
Yes, some under 30 people are flakes. Others are entitled. And many of them are driven career oriented hard working people. Same as your generation and mine.
What do you mean by young? Do you mean inexperienced? Not hiring you because you are inexperienced and hiring someone more experienced for a specific job is the way it should be. I worked low wage fast food and entry level retail jobs earning minimum wage in my early 20's after graduating college. I see many young people in those same jobs today.
Young, inexperienced, early 20 somethings are supposed to be going after entry level jobs... if 55 year olds are applying to entry level jobs, then I feel more sympathy for the 55 -60 year olds desperate for money who should be looking forward to retirement.
If an inexperienced 21 year old applied to the same job an equally inexperienced 55 year old applied to... who is likely be discriminated against based on age? If both were equal in knowledge & experience, a younger person would almost always have the advantage. Older people are rarely hired specifically because of their age, it's because of their experience. Occupations where age is a criteria, it's youth that wins out.
I've lost out on a lot of what were supposed to be entry-level jobs because I had to compete with older and more qualified applicants. It's not like I have no experience. I have almost always held full-time employment since I graduated from high school and I have a few years of supervisory experience. However, that is nothing compared to a 40 year old who has been working twice as long as me.
I've lost out on a lot of what were supposed to be entry-level jobs because I had to compete with older and more qualified applicants. It's not like I have no experience. I have almost always held full-time employment since I graduated from high school and I have a few years of supervisory experience. However, that is nothing compared to a 40 year old who has been working twice as long as me.
Do you think a 40 year old earning a salary similar to what he earned 20 years ago feels lucky?
Is that what you hope for when you turn 40? I sure don't want that in my future.
They hired him because he had more experience. if you were hired over him, it would simply be because you were younger... that would be 100% age discrimination.
Would it be fair if a high school dropout with less experience than you were hired instead? Or how about if someone with less experience were hired because they looked younger and more attractive than you?
If I had to work at fast food or as a grocery stockboy... I would want to do it in my early 20's rather than having to do those type jobs if I am in my 40's. In fact, those were the jobs I had in my teens & early 20's.
That is a load of <insert your favorite scatological term>. You are stereotyping an entire generation.
Yes, some under 30 people are flakes. Others are entitled. And many of them are driven career oriented hard working people. Same as your generation and mine.
I am that generation. I don't see them lining up for manual labor/ditch digging/break a sweat work. The 55 YO simply has a better grasp on how the world functions, and how you don't always get what you want. That can include place of employment. In many cases, you do have to struggle for awhile and prove yourself before you can really start going places. It's the struggle that makes you appreciate the rewards of your efforts that much more down the road.
As previously mentioned, the older worker is hired over the younger worker for his/her experience. For any job that can lead to a career, a younger worker may be hired for his/her potential. That requires a certain hunger or desire to prove something, as well as an above and beyond effort. I'm sorry, but many of my cohorts expect something, and that's about where it ends.
Not all, but enough. But you're right, every generation has the deadbeats, losers, what have you... But at the end of the day, at least some of them should look in the mirror instead of blaming the world for their woes. We all have areas we can improve on, but few are willing to admit it anymore.
Quote:
Originally Posted by raymond2
Would you think it's fair if a high school dropout with less experience than you were hired instead? Or how about if someone with less experience were hired because they looked younger and more attractive than you?
For many positions, employers do seek candidates with a little less potential to go places in life. You wouldn't hire a PhD to flip burgers, at least not if your expect to keep him there very long. In many cases, an older, more experienced worker won't be hired for a low paying, entry level job for that reason alone.
It's a deliberate attempt to create controversy when they say "older workers" are being hired more over "younger workers" A more accurate description would be "experienced workers" are being hire more over "inexperienced workers". But that wouldn’t get as much attention, would it?
I agree with much of what Raymond posted. If you happen to be 55+ and for whatever reason have to compete with young folks for low paying, relatively unskilled jobs, it can feel like a trip right down to one of the outer circles of hell.
I know because at age 61, I'm in that exact same position. Ten years ago I developed a mysterious illness which baffled my doctors. Everyday was a little worse than the last until I could no longer work at all. I ran through my savings and everything else just trying to keep up with buying food and paying medical bills. I was forced to go on disability before I finally got a diagnosis.
The right medical treatment at long last helped me improve - up to a point. The doc's say that what I've now got recovery-wise is as good as I'm ever going to get. And I am nowhere near able to do the things I once did. Plus, I am left with no retirement other than social security which the government seems to want to take away any time now. And my social security is not enough to live on, anyway.
So, I'm forced to work relatively low skilled jobs because that's all I'm now capable of doing. I got laid off from a job as a hotel desk clerk last May, and I'm STILL looking for work. If you think a hotel/motel owner will hire me to work the front desk instead of some cute 20 year old girl, you'd be thinking wrong. I know I'll find work eventually, but it's a long uphill road.
Count your blessings, young 'uns!
Last edited by Colorado Rambler; 01-05-2013 at 12:37 AM..
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