Do you think it gets harder to find a job the older you get?
By LCecelia
@LCecelia (1124)
United States
July 24, 2007 12:43pm CST
I haven't worked a full-time permanent job since 1998. Wow, I didn't realize it was than long!
Anyway, I've worked many temporary jobs through employment agencies. A few were really long term...more than 2 years.
I worked for 14 months as a "nanny" which was a nightmare. And I am currently working part-time at a hospital. I've applied to many of their open full-time positions which I was more than qualified for and it went to the person who was buddy, buddy with the HR manager...that happened twice, with the SAME person moving from one position to another.
I'm getting up in age...I'll be 46 in just over a month. And it has occurred to me that my advancing age is what is causing me not to even get an interview for jobs I've applied for. I have a 4 year college degree, and I've worked in an office environment since I was 19.
So my question is, do you agree/disagree that the older you get the harder it is to be considered for a job?
3 people like this
10 responses
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
24 Jul 07
Yes and no. I think mostly the fact that it is harder to land a job as we age is the fact that as we age, and gain experience, we tend to start being very picky on jobs. Think about it, when you were first starting out in the career world, you would basically take anything you could get huh? And as you gained knowledge and understanding, you started to branch out.
I know I was that way before I had my son. Then I stayed home with him till about a month ago (took 15 months off from the career world) and now I am working as an office assistant for an Electrical company. Which is weird for me because before I had my son, I worked in collections as a Collection manager. so taking a step down was hard but I had to take what I could that would work with the schedule I wanted and needed for my family.
2 people like this
@LCecelia (1124)
• United States
24 Jul 07
I agree that as we gain experience we are more choosy in the jobs we seek. I'm beyond that now since I've been looking so long. I'm at a point now where any job will do. I worked as a "nanny" for less than minimum wage for 14 months. I'm not proud, but it gets very disheartening when you apply for a position working at the Home Depot and you are not offered a position but the kid just out of high school has no trouble getting in.
1 person likes this
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Have you tried temp agencies? They are a wonderful source for job seekers. Alot of good companies will only use temp agencies to do their hiring for them. Try that route and I wish you the best of luk!
1 person likes this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
24 Jul 07
I still don't have any difficulty getting jobs and I am 47. I do those jobs that many people do not want and so I am usually always working. You need a resume with your degree and one that does not have one to make it now. I still don't have a degree and my many years experience is what gets me the jobs now. Along with being able to speak clearly and with proper English. I could work more if I chose to learn Spanish. Just need to find those jobs that they can't keep anyone or find anyone. That will help you to keep working. Also starting a business online may just be the way to keep an income in these changing times. Good luck in all you do.
1 person likes this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
25 Jul 07
I am signed up with a temporary agency and am working as a cleaner in a factory. I have great working conditions and great people to work with and for. The hospitals have a turnover and they can be easy to get into. Hotels are good to work at for the summer and I have Cedar Point that needs people yearly. Everyone has a fair so they can be good for work though on a shorter term. Just the more you do is the more you can do and showcasing it in resumes including the online things I can do makes me easy to place. I just turned down a job recently that was asking questions of race ways attendees. That was for 4 days and could have been a recurring and exciting job at the local motor raceway.
You look around your area and watch your local papers and even talk to any business owners you know about how you are looking for a position. You never know what will come up and that is fun as well as exciting at times. Good luck to you.
1 person likes this
@Phlamingho (7825)
• Denmark
25 Jul 07
Yeah I could imagine that it would get harder and harder, I've never had any problems finding work, actually I've never been to an interview where I didn't get the job - but I'm only 24 so I can't say for sure :-)
1 person likes this
@joanbonner (28)
• Philippines
25 Jul 07
I agree, age does matter in landing a job now. they always consider your age almost in all company's nowadays, they say that when your younger, your more productive and more eager to learn new techniques. I've noticed it from my co-officemates here in the company that we've work for. I am 12yrs younger than them, and my production is more than them, so i have an advantage for that. Its an edge for me because im still young.
@beyond12 (77)
• China
25 Jul 07
The answer is of course not.As far as I am concerned,with your growing age,you have many experiences accordingly.The experience is a wealth in itself.Let look at the winner of Nobel Prise,the common point of them is that they are very old .From this point of view ,maybe you are glad for your growing age
1 person likes this
@Sherry12 (2472)
• United States
24 Jul 07
I think you are absolutely right. My problem is I took off to raise my family and now I'm so behind on all the new technology. I have found I can make more and save more by doing programs on the internet and keeping my website updated then I can out working.
1 person likes this
@LCecelia (1124)
• United States
24 Jul 07
That is why I've been investigating what I can do on the internet that will work for me.
I've spent money on programs only to find out that they've left out some crucial part of the plan or the plan is just unrealistic...getting a website set up and run for you comes to mind.
1 person likes this
@raychill (6525)
• United States
24 Jul 07
I think it's hard to find a job no matter what.
As a young child/young adult it's hard to get a job because they want you to have experience. If it's your first job ever, how in the world can you have any experience if you've never had a job.
At the same time... it can be hard to find a job when you get older because you might not have ENOUGH experience or you have TOO MUCH experience. Or maybe it's because the job market is bad and there are no jobs available in your field.
And then when you get even older, it can be harder because you're kind of like a liability. I mean, where I work it's a lot of older people. Not older with one foot in the grave necessarily but definitely more likely to have medical problems causing them to be out of work...or working for a few years and retiring or going out on disability and causing them to find another new employee.
Finding a good full-time permanent job is hard no matter how old you are.
1 person likes this
@Iggygirl (2)
• Canada
24 Jul 07
Well, when I went into the employment centre it seemed most of the services were offering help to students.
My problem is I spent the last 3 years in college, and I didn't work much because schoolwork took up much of my time so I have more education then job experience. However it seems that a college education is useless these days. Many college graduates end up unemployed after they graduate. Someone once told me that if your over qualified for a job it'll actually make it harder to get a job because the manager doesn't want to hire anyone smarter or more skilled then them because they may end up taking their job.
1 person likes this
@LCecelia (1124)
• United States
25 Jul 07
It does seem that a college degree is useless these days. I have a college degree...in business no less and what am I doing now? Working as a receptionist...and part time at that.
What you say about some one not hiring you because you may be more skilled than they are. That came up in a discussion about an opening where I work. It was in the human resources department and that was my concentration in college. The director of human resources here does NOT have a college degree. And I did apply for the position of her assistant!
Anywhoo, life goes on and hopefully something, anything will fall into place soon before I get turned out on the street.
1 person likes this
