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If you don't need a ton of older workers, who don't fit your mold, just for the sake of having more "institutional knowledge", then they certainly have proved that that model works, at least for them.
Just like you don't "need" female workers or black workers or disabled workers "just for the sake of having them."
Whatever works? Unless it's illegal. What you described is corporate discrimination. So you should rethink whether or not you can blame them.
Certainly seemed like some discrimination going on. My manager's argument was that they didn't fit in with the culture or didn't have the particular type of skills that the younger candidates came in with. I wasn't in these interviews, just going by what he told our group.
People throw around the words discrimination and racism way too loosely. It's not discrimination if it is factual information. He was stating a fact based off experience. Its only discrimination if he doesn't hire or interview people based off their age. SO for example, if an older person did fit in and didn't hire this person because of age, then that would be discrimination. He was saying what was typical from older candidates.
We have these same "old people" on these forums all the time bitching about how bad millennials and kids out of college are, but then no one accused them of discrimination.
Its only discrimination if he doesn't hire or interview people based off their age. SO for example, if an older person did fit in and didn't hire this person because of age, then that would be discrimination. He was saying what was typical from older candidates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SQL
... it seems like they just didn't hire older workers in the first place.
You can't force a company to hire someone if they don't fit in with your organization, or if they don't have the skills you are looking for. Whether that manager wants to come out and say it's because he doesn't like "old people", that's up to him. He probably won't though. And so it boils down to what you don't know won't hurt you. The company is running quite well as is, so most likely nothing will change with their hiring practices.
The more I read people's experiences online, the more blessed I feel my life has been.
I was laid off from a good job at the age of 53 (grant money ran out). I had a good relationshp with a colleague who had a friend who worked at a pharma company and I happened to luck into a department where I think they would hire anyone with a functioning brain and a pulse.
My closest colleague/friend for my first year was 30 years old. I never felt an age gap with her unless I was talking about my first experience with computers being a Wang word processing terminal. I've always been receptive to change and a quick study, and this young woman was gay and I made clear that I was gay-friendly so she didn't feel she had to be defensive. This young woman essentially taught me how to do my job. I can never repay her for that.
Maybe pharma work is less age-sensitive than other fields. When I was 38 I applied for a programming job at a business television network and the minute they looked at me I knew the interview was over.
We have these same "old people" on these forums all the time bitching about how bad millennials and kids out of college are, but then no one accused them of discrimination.
Incidentally, it's acceptable and permissible to blatantly call Millennials "whiny", "entitled", "spoiled", etc. That's fine and dandy. It's not even against the rules here, let alone in the workforce. But if you even acknowledge a gray hair on their head, oh boy, you're in for a ride.
You can't force a company to hire someone if they don't fit in with your organization, or if they don't have the skills you are looking for.
Correct, and that is covered in the age discrimination act under "reasonable factors other than age." That kind of thing can and has been proven in court.
But let's not act like the discrimination he's advocating is a practice to be admired just because they are doing well for now.
My closest colleague/friend for my first year was 30 years old. I never felt an age gap with her unless I was talking about my first experience with computers being a Wang word processing terminal. I've always been receptive to change and a quick study, and this young woman was gay and I made clear that I was gay-friendly so she didn't feel she had to be defensive. This young woman essentially taught me how to do my job. I can never repay her for that.
I'm very happy that you had a good experience with your younger co-worker. I've worked with older workers most of my career and have had mostly a good experience with them as well. I only worked for one director who was discriminatory towards me because I was younger. He had zero respect for me, even though I was one of the most talented performers in his group. When I hinted towards leaving at one point, he had to call me in his office to strongly encourage me to hang around. Things never got better with him and I eventually left. Age discrimination is a nasty thing, whether you're old or young.
But let's not act like the discrimination he's advocating is a practice to be admired just because they are doing well for now.
Not admiring it, just said that it has worked well for this company. However, if it reduces cost, and they perform well, I would certainly admire that as a stockholder. I'm guessing that's why they do it. There's no point in hiring more costly labor if they can be out performed or, at the very least, just as well.
So you ask how can I not blame my former manager for taking the position he did against hiring older workers. I am having a difficult time convincing myself that he is wrong. If this is how they are presenting themselves, I wouldn't think they were a good fit either. I personally think a good mix of young and old is a good thing. With the old, you get experience and knowledge. With the young, you get a unique perspective, and, additionally the next generation who will take over the reigns when the old retire. That's just what I think personally. But then I see comments like the one I posted above, and I can't help but to think maybe my former manager had a legitimate point to leave these type of people out of the mix. Who needs negative people like that working on their team?
Last edited by PJSaturn; 12-16-2016 at 11:26 PM..
Reason: Please do not quote other threads here.
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