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.
This might be a sensitive topic for some of you, but it's something I feel is worthy of discussing. The economy clearly hurt a lot of people in recent years, and many were forced to go back to work. It seems us younger people, fresh out of college, are having to compete with much older candidates with decades of experience for entry level jobs one would think were perfect for young people to enter. Obviously, their experience (and possible degree) trumps ours and it makes it much harder to find an entry way into a career.
Has anyone else noticed this? It's really no fault of ours, as the grand scale of the economy is more for the big people sitting at the top of fancy skyscrapers or in govt. buildings, so I am in no way trying to start an argument. Just an observation!
With the last decade of downsizing and cutbacks, so many people were "let go" earlier than they planned. It's a natural consequence.
Not sure what you mean by this, though: It's really no fault of ours, as the grand scale of the economy is more for the big people sitting at the top of fancy skyscrapers or in govt. buildings.
With the last decade of downsizing and cutbacks, so many people were "let go" earlier than they planned. It's a natural consequence.
Not sure what you mean by this, though: It's really no fault of ours, as the grand scale of the economy is more for the big people sitting at the top of fancy skyscrapers or in govt. buildings.
I mean that the economy tanking wasn't the little people's fault, so we shouldn't be mad at each other for it. It has been absolutely brutal to find a decent position that will pay the bills these days though due to impossible competition for entry level jobs once reserved for people like me. Bring in the fact that 99% of jobs have an online application process, and the screening system/HR doesn't even see age, it's obvious that young people are at a major disadvantage.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,206,701 times
Reputation: 57822
It's true, but you can't blame the older workers for trying to make a living. You have just been born at a time when at working age there are less jobs due to outsourcing and automation, while at the same time the good jobs that still exist are taken by a generation that is living a lot longer than those before. Due to the high cost of living, and reductions in pensions, they are forced to wait longer to retire. In some cases they are even having to support their children into their 30s, so they can't retire. I don't see any solution though it might be eased some when the later boomers get to age 70 in 15-20 years.
It's true, but you can't blame the older workers for trying to make a living. You have just been born at a time when at working age there are less jobs due to outsourcing and automation, while at the same time the good jobs that still exist are taken by a generation that is living a lot longer than those before. Due to the high cost of living, and reductions in pensions, they are forced to wait longer to retire. In some cases they are even having to support their children into their 30s, so they can't retire. I don't see any solution though it might be eased some when the later boomers get to age 70 in 15-20 years.
It feels like I am entering the hopeful career market at the worst time in the last 3 decades. Almost hopeless at times, yet I keep trying.
Why do you think those jobs are supposed to be "reserved for people like you'??
Entry level jobs that have the potential to offer a career are perfect for younger people graduating from college and what not. Obviously a 55-70 year old entering that job isn't planning to be there long term (talking 20 or 30 year retirement length). It is 100% unfair to us to have to compete with decades of experience for these jobs when it's a literal impossibility for us to match it. The fact that age plays no factor at all in today's job process up until interview time is a major disadvantage for the young. We have to hope like hell that we even make it through the application screening.
And yes, I know life isn't fair. It's just a very unfortunate time for the young to be applying for good jobs.
Entry level jobs that have the potential to offer a career are perfect for younger people graduating from college and what not. Obviously a 55-70 year old entering that job isn't planning to be there long term (talking 20 or 30 year retirement length). It is 100% unfair to us to have to compete with decades of experience for these jobs when it's a literal impossibility for us to match it. The fact that age plays no factor at all in today's job process up until interview time is a major disadvantage for the young. We have to hope like hell that we even make it through the application screening.
And yes, I know life isn't fair. It's just a very unfortunate time for the young to be applying for good jobs.
When a resume has 30 years of work experience on it, it is fairly obvious that they are not in their twenties. In some cases someone's age and experience will work to their advantage, in other cases it will work to their detriment. People have families to support and bills to pay, so don't expect them to retire to make life "fair" for you.
Obviously a 55-70 year old entering that job isn't planning to be there long term (talking 20 or 30 year retirement length).
The term "entry level" implies that young people wouldn't intend to be there long term either.
What you're describing isn't any different from people with 15-20 years of hard work experience being replaced by new grads willing to work for a third of the pay. A brand-new j-school grad with excellent grammar and web skills is in no way the same value as a reporter with similar skills who has spent nearly two decades learning their beat and building relationships with local contacts. But corporate news orgs are willing to sacrifice that quality in the face of shrinking revenues.
Thanks to the internet, you're now competing with the whole world for jobs. So do your best, know your sh*t, and get out of the house to work your contacts.
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.
