Age discrimination? More likely they never updated their skills and their skill set doesn't match what silicon valley currently needs. That area of the country probably requires constant skill upgrades to stay relevant. Comfort is an illusion that seems to have cripled them.
This is what ERE can save you from
I have worked in the tech industry for 15+ years in 5-6 locations including the valley, and can attest that it is notoriously age-biased. Except one company, all of them had a strong underlying perception that younger is better. When I saw that video, I was struck by how uniformly oldish (and whitish, oddly enough) the audience appeared.
Young people are often cheaper, less change resistant, more willing to work the long hours the industry demands, and there is this strong notion that they get the 'next big thing' (which is partially true - young people have been the first to embrace chat, twitter, facebook, gaming, mobile apps, etc). Tech companies do value age, but in low quantities. Unless you can climb the ladder, aging is a serious threat to your ability to hold down a job.
Personally, for me this has been a strong motivator for ER.
Young people are often cheaper, less change resistant, more willing to work the long hours the industry demands, and there is this strong notion that they get the 'next big thing' (which is partially true - young people have been the first to embrace chat, twitter, facebook, gaming, mobile apps, etc). Tech companies do value age, but in low quantities. Unless you can climb the ladder, aging is a serious threat to your ability to hold down a job.
Personally, for me this has been a strong motivator for ER.
Agism is like sexism, racism and all the other 'isms that hold people back. Sometimes they are real and sometimes they are just excuses. Because too many people have "cried wolf" with these issues, my default is always to assume it's not one of the 'isms until hard evidence is produced. While I agree it is possible agism is the culprit, my previous theory is also quite possible.
The fact that one guy bought a duct cleaning service for his start up instead of being a pinch hitting consultant for whatever tech company is in need at that time says a lot about his marketable skills for Silicon Valley. You work your entire life in one sector developing those skills, and you profess to want to continue working in that sector, but you try and start a random duct cleaning service?
Another thing I always notice with the people who "can't find work" is that they aren't willing to move. Maybe Silicon Valley is agist, but I would bet most companies east of Denver would be fine with older tech personnel who know their stuff. I have seen plenty of older tech personnel on the east coast.
The fact that one guy bought a duct cleaning service for his start up instead of being a pinch hitting consultant for whatever tech company is in need at that time says a lot about his marketable skills for Silicon Valley. You work your entire life in one sector developing those skills, and you profess to want to continue working in that sector, but you try and start a random duct cleaning service?
Another thing I always notice with the people who "can't find work" is that they aren't willing to move. Maybe Silicon Valley is agist, but I would bet most companies east of Denver would be fine with older tech personnel who know their stuff. I have seen plenty of older tech personnel on the east coast.
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Robert Muir
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:15 pm
I have to agree with Chad. The longer people are in a "stable" job, the more complacent they become. They may do whatever is expected of them, but they also have the coffee cup on their finger and don't push the limits or look for ways to help the company succeed. It may take a while, but eventually, when the company needs to cut some costs, these guys will have to go.
When a company is hiring, they're looking to see what you accomplished at your last workplace. If it looks like you were a placeholder, then they're not likely to hire you regardless of your age.
Complacent employees don't plan for setbacks. Because of the mortgage "crisis", they've lost a lot of equity. While the clearheaded thing to do would be to cut their losses, default, and move to where they can work, they hang on to the hope that they can find a job at the last minute and save their house and sunk equity.
When a company is hiring, they're looking to see what you accomplished at your last workplace. If it looks like you were a placeholder, then they're not likely to hire you regardless of your age.
Complacent employees don't plan for setbacks. Because of the mortgage "crisis", they've lost a lot of equity. While the clearheaded thing to do would be to cut their losses, default, and move to where they can work, they hang on to the hope that they can find a job at the last minute and save their house and sunk equity.
"Also, the part where the guy laments the job at Target was remarkable: in an hour you'll earn more than 80% of the world earns in a day, and that's some sort of tragedy?"
I think it is fair criticism because I think it’s important for individuals to understand how fortunate or unfortunate they are on a broad scale, rather than a narrow scale. I also think there is room to be critical of the notion that someone who can’t find a job in 2 years is being subjected to something terrible by being offered a job at 9.25 an hour.
I do see your point about the cost of living being much higher in silicon valley than where I live, and it’s true that I hadn’t really thought much about that before posting. To a certain extent though, I think it’s reasonable for me to assert that other people manage to live a good life on $9620 per year (9.25/hr x20hrs x 52weeks), and so can the man in the video. He may have to move though. This site is frequented by several individuals who voluntarily live on far less than what this man is facing. I looked back at my own earnings, and adjusted for inflation, I lived on less than $19300/year (9.25/hr full time) for 12 years, and less than $9600/year for 7 years. It's hard to properly account for the impact of location, but fair to note that I was living in places with a lower cost of living than Silicon Valley.
I think it is fair criticism because I think it’s important for individuals to understand how fortunate or unfortunate they are on a broad scale, rather than a narrow scale. I also think there is room to be critical of the notion that someone who can’t find a job in 2 years is being subjected to something terrible by being offered a job at 9.25 an hour.
I do see your point about the cost of living being much higher in silicon valley than where I live, and it’s true that I hadn’t really thought much about that before posting. To a certain extent though, I think it’s reasonable for me to assert that other people manage to live a good life on $9620 per year (9.25/hr x20hrs x 52weeks), and so can the man in the video. He may have to move though. This site is frequented by several individuals who voluntarily live on far less than what this man is facing. I looked back at my own earnings, and adjusted for inflation, I lived on less than $19300/year (9.25/hr full time) for 12 years, and less than $9600/year for 7 years. It's hard to properly account for the impact of location, but fair to note that I was living in places with a lower cost of living than Silicon Valley.
See the following articles for age discrimination at google:
http://www.insidecounsel.com/Issues/201 ... Case-.aspx
http://open.salon.com/blog/bonnie_russe ... that_brats
Also see
http://www.strategie.gouv.fr/revue/IMG/ ... ickHS5.pdf
While everybody is responsible for trying to stay current and working hard to get a new job, it seems that some people have a harder uphill battle than others.
http://www.insidecounsel.com/Issues/201 ... Case-.aspx
http://open.salon.com/blog/bonnie_russe ... that_brats
Also see
http://www.strategie.gouv.fr/revue/IMG/ ... ickHS5.pdf
While everybody is responsible for trying to stay current and working hard to get a new job, it seems that some people have a harder uphill battle than others.
Vanguard had a documentary entitled Maxed Out on this topic:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/91604/vanguar ... s-p4-so-i0
what people consider normal, frugal, and etc., can be a bit of trip to the other side. Lewis Carol wrote fiction, unlike this.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/91604/vanguar ... s-p4-so-i0
what people consider normal, frugal, and etc., can be a bit of trip to the other side. Lewis Carol wrote fiction, unlike this.
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AlexOliver
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:25 pm
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mwilliams92
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:03 am
just 12000$ per person will give them 2 years to find a job instead of gov spending, maybe not living the way they want for the rest of their lives (ere IS a choice after all) but if some people can do this for life, all should be able to do it for a "crisis" add in a minimum wage job 20 hours a week while your looking for something better makes 1000 a month or forever on 500.
and lets face it 12k is not difficult when the average person makes what? 2000-3000 a month. at the "recommended 15%" thats 40 months and i think a lot of these people have worked more than 3 years.
and lets face it 12k is not difficult when the average person makes what? 2000-3000 a month. at the "recommended 15%" thats 40 months and i think a lot of these people have worked more than 3 years.
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mwilliams92
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:03 am
