What' s your say about age limit when you are looking for a job?

Although I would like to believe in good things in the world, but so the real world is not as good as what we thought sometimes. I agree that people with higher age are more experienced. But the corporate world usually like to hire fresh graduates, because they are more energetic, more willing to learn and more importantly, request for lower basic salary. A person with high qualification and experience, find it's tough to get a job, especially during recession period. Therefore, age limit is a important factor for the companies and job seekers to consider.

Hi williamjisir, long time no see! I hate age limits for a job. But I hate it more when the requirements are impossible, like "age 20 to 25, 5 to 10 years' experience in the same area" What?? How do you acomplish that??? I think age limit is a stupid discrimination. I could understand (although I don't agree either) that someone doesn't want employees with kids, because they may get sick, because you have to pay family support, because a single person with no kids has less obligations that would cause them to skip work. But age limit? What's the point? Especially if you need experience, emmm, flash news: experience means years of work, that means you can't be 18 and have experience!!!

There shouldn't be an age limit, but for some jobs, age does actually matter, and yet in some countries it is illegal to put an age limit on a job post. Personally I think it should be more about your experience, more than qualifications, qualifications are fine on paper, but when it comes to common sense and experience of life they come in a poor second. Older people are far more reliable, settled and have overall a better attitude from my experience. I am not blanketing everyone in this field. Unfortunately there are other discriminations too, like nepotism and whether you are male or female. It comes down to the occupation too. In an ideal world if a 20 year old had the same qualifications as a 50 year old, both should be equally considered and age not a deciding factor! In actual fact the 50 year old should have the advantage, in theory, shame it doesn't work that way in real life my friend!

This is a discrimination. And it's also very unfair. Due to the large population, and it makes the heavy pressure for the employment. And the government doesn't have any methods to protect it, then it leads to a serious competition. This is why today even if a college graduated students have difficulties to find a job. So it is harder for the elders to find a job. I love China

I am in Shenzhen, China, perhaps the most youngest city in China, In the degree, I agree with you , but from the management's review , lady's above age 30, always have family and childen , sometimes it will make conflict with your career. and we must admit that China has a large amount of workforces, so the employer's has the space to make choices. If you want to get a job, just stop complianning , put youself in the emplyer's shoes, make them believe you are the best choice for them .

I think that there are some companies that really needs to restrict the job placement requirements for their applicants because they needed to. For instance, the company is a fast food chain, of course it would be rude to hire a person 40 or 50 years old above with that type of business operation. It would be better for to hire an 18 to 25 years old for a fast food chain.

you to wake up to the reality that it is a requirement of certain companies just like our standards in choosing our frends, clothings and stuff, if it does not fit you then you choose another one, and to lessen your stress and weed out the ones you do not need you put a required limitation to your choices. Now, put yourself in their situation, if let us say you are to sell some beauty product, would you hire a sales person who is nearing forty? No, you hire a much younger person to attract customers. I think it would be unfair for these companies if you impose your own set of standards to them.

I am not sure why this happens either I think they are trying to give the young people more opportunities but then again, people over 40 also risk losing jobs and have to find a new one they should be able to get a job too

I noticed also this is a kind of discrimination. If you are above forty it's very hard to find a decent jobs although you are rich of experiences. I don't know what's on their mind when people reached this age. I think it depends on how they look the personality of a person. Despite of their experiences and educational background. I think better to hired old age than fresh faces of a certain kind of job. Maybe in that case they want workers that are multi tasking. Can do job beyond individuals limit. Either, by the use of their force or their brain. Many people on their position look job seekers that can make things more than the jobs they are applied for. It happened to me before I work in different departments but received a salary intended for one job only. This is the reason I resigned my previous job. As of the moment my superior treat me and give me assignment base only to what my job description is. Hope it will not change in the future. I enjoy my job now although sometimes we experienced pressured by our Head of Office.

hi there. before i didn't care when older friends tell me about age limit when it comes to looking for work. i didn't think that age would be a basis for job qualification. i see job postings stating the age requirement. i kinda feel bad when i see them. first, i feel that am slipping away from the peak of my qualifications...i feel bad. second, i feel as if the age limit is discriminating, because they several companies are limiting their employees to younger people. thirdly, i feel that the skills are overlooked. though this is the reality, i just hope that people who are a lot older will be given chance to work especially the drive and motivation is there. one has to work to survive. i hope that there would more job openings that do not limit the qualifications to age.

Age should be a secondary consideration in jobs. Ability and capability should come first. If you are able and willing to perform a job, it should not mayyer how old or young you are. Your performance on the job will be the proof.

I don't think there should be an age limit for a job as long as they are qualified in the job description and they achieved the minimum educational requirements. And their skills improves while they aged. Its really hard to find another work when you reached 40. At that age the only positions they can apply are mostly managerial or higher positions, which are seldom available. Companies will seldom or never hire a person with that age in a entry level position, which is usually available.

As a 59 year old I am slightly biased, but I know that I have a lot more 'go' about me than many of the lethargic young things that serve me in so many shops and restaurants!! As the saying goes, 'there's many a fine tune played on an old fiddle', so employees should give us biddies a chance

Certain trends have been around in the labor market. There is hell of a lot of people whose only wish, from day one in a new job, is to dream of the pension years. On the other extreme are people similar to your case, whose purpose is to be useful to themselves, family, friends and the society in general. I think that a individual can choose (or compromise and adapt to real life conditions), the level of activity, up to which he/she wants to be involved with in life. In the modern (western) society, people are given the option, in fact this is something earned after centuries of class conflict, to select their working lives' schedule. Of course, this can only happen in a perfect world, since our economic needs and wants act as a constant push towards a longer working life. To come to the subject, the recruitment of an older person is not a matter of the employee or the employer. It is a matter of the recruited person's suitability to carry the tasks in the expected by the employer manner. The real problem: since an older person holds a certain amount of experience, this means that he/she has "crossed the same bridge before" and that would make him/her think twice before acting. That would not apply to a younger person, who would act on the spot, often in the flair of the moment. This is what employers are looking for: Operatives following orders without a second thought. With an older person, there would always be the possibility of second-guessing and the expression of a different opinion, usually based on a similar amount of experience, as that of the manager's. 1)If older people feel confident and they can prove themselves to be more serious, productive and profitable workers than the younger ones, then they should go for any job, matching their area of expertise and level of experience. 2)If not, then, their mature, usually more mature than younger workers',way of thinking should be a good reason for them to go for the alternative option, which has to do with jobs requiring more kind of "been there before" or, "tested solutions" attitudes, or, capitalize on their precious and well-earned experience and try to engage into more advisory and strategic roles.

I haven't had much of a problem with getting a job. There are some that won't hire older people for whatever reason. Their loss. You get what you pay for.

I am 66 years old. So I am probably prejudiced. But my opinion is that ages below age 80 should make no difference unless there are obvious physical limitations to obtaining or performance of the job. After 80 things might start to go downhill :-) ! But a person's mental stability plays a big part in holding a responsible job, an many of the world's top officials, scientists, composers, artists, brainacs, hav performed well beyond the age of 80. And some people are losers at thirty!

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I think once you reach your 30s you have to get settled in your career. It's a shame for those who started later in life or had problems in their youth, but the job market is too competitive for someone to just enter at say age 40. Also, many companies put a lot of importance on senority. You can have as much experience, or more, and better experience than a coworker who is there longer, but the job only looks at your time there. Also, when you're older, you maybe have family and other responsibilities. So, a job sees you as taking more. You need more salary and more benefits, if you're sick and/or have family. So, if I was hiring someone I would pick someone younger with less experience. You can pay them less and they probably don't have a family. Also, you can't be greedy. People in their 20s need to get a job and get their foot in the door. If you're 40, and over, you have your chance and wasted it. Why take a way someone else's chance?

Hi, sad to say, not just age limit, there are many factors when one is looking for a job. From those relevant to the job requirement such as experience, qualifications and certifications to something less relevant like age, gender, and even how you look contributes to your chances of being selected. With regards to age limit when applying for job, I can understand if the job requires someone with physical attributes but if they are looking for people for senior managerial level, I don't find it appropriate for them to cut off those applicants simply because of their age. If they really do, it's the company who will lose out eventually because they refused to hire the right people for the right job because of the age factor.

Hi williamjisir, I'm 23 yrs,but let me say my opinion "age is not what matters but..the person's willingness" Its not fair to discriminate jobs on age basis.. thanks for starting the discussion... have a great day/night....

I really do totally agree with you. The world we live in is rather ageist and I don't think that will change a lot. There don't seem to be people out there campaigning in the same way as they do for feminism, multiculturalism, etc - i do think these are perhaps worthier causes - but what about ageism, hey!? I am an actor and you should see the discrimination on that whilst posting for jobs. Here are some examples - "We are looking for someone... -Waif- like" -Between 5 ft 7 and 5 ft 9 -Caucasian -From South London -with a driving license -attractive!!