A buddy of mine just wrote a story about Annie’s Restaurant in Elsmere, Delaware, that provides patrons with glasses because so many of them can’t read the menus these days.
The owner, Wendy Scully, is an entrepreneurial genius. The population is aging and they can’t see her menu.
But this story also got me thinking of a larger issue. Americans today don’t want to accept growing old. They’re ashamed of it and make excuses for it. And this my friends is a recipe for career disaster and a lot of unhappiness.
Lately I’ve been getting tons of letters from readers who are 40 and up, wondering if they’re too old to start new careers, or ever find a job they’re happy with.
One email I included in my MSNBC.com “Your Career” column this week summed up the sentiment out there:
I just turned 46, and for the past 17 years I’ve been a flight attendant for one of the United States legacy carriers. As you know, my job has changed very dramatically in the past 5 years, especially when it comes to job security and my paychecks.
I’ve been interested in the fields of network administration, network security and computer forensics. However, due to the years wasted as a flight attendant, I now see that my age might be an issue if I decide to pursue a change of careers.
I am very unsure as to the possibility of finding a job opportunity so close to the age of 50. Do you think it would be impossible to find another job at that point?
Folks, if you think an employer isn’t going to want you when you’re 50 then you’re right, they won’t want you.
No one wants to hire a sad sack who is down on themselves, not in this economy or any economy.
Confidence in yourself and your ability is infectious. That’s what opens doors.
I talked about this in my column and got some “you’re-an-idiot-Eve” responses as a result:
The author Eve Tahmincioglu is too optimistic and unrealistic.
Unfortunately many work places have a prejudice against older people. So if I’m 50 and going from sales to accounting, it is hard to get a decent level/paying accounting job. Many places do not want the health care increase associated with older employees. If your 50, it can be even harder trying to work your way up the ladder or to have the patience for the education. Companies like, young, married, fresh, inspirational, and somewhat experienced employees.
Young. Fresh. Married. Inspirational. Somewhat experienced.
If you have three or four of these traits, you’re probably in pretty good shape no?
Since when do young workers have a corner on the fresh, married, inspirational and somewhat experienced market?
I also got an email challenging my premise from “Rob,” who claimed to be a headhunter but did not want to divulge the company names he’s worked for.
I am a 36 yr old headhunter and have been one for about the past 14 years.
I am inundated with resumes of late 40-50 yr olds who have all the credentials to do the job, but my managers wouldn’t consider these candidates as “A” candidates, because of the age and experience. And while that is total discrimination and highly illegal, it is the reality of the current workplace. When you don’t hear back for a job or find out that the company which had 30 postings, doesn’t have any real openings….it’s not them…it’s you. It’s the only legal way HR managers or recruiters can reject you without actually rejecting you.
First off, this is a 36 year old individual who should know better, and should step forward if age discrimination is so rampant.
And it sounds like these employers he talks about are no place a person of any age should strive to work for.
I think there’s something deeper going on here.
“Rob” goes on to write:
And I can’t say I entirely disagree with the stereotype that has been created on this group. When they call to speak about an opportunity, they do not necessarily follow the proper job channels, in some cases feeling a sense of entitlement to speak to the CEO or COO of the company because of their years. AND THEN, the laundry list of bills that I hear about (tuition, healthcare costs, mortgages, etc) as rationale to why I NEED to consider them for this role.
He doesn’t like the “sense of entitlement” these older workers have. It seems to be pissing him off. I guess many of the people he encounters are much older and don’t give “Rob” the respect he thinks he deserves.
“Rob” clearly has his own biases, but he makes a good point and one I’ve talked about before for any age job seeker.
No one wants to know about your personal problems. DO NOT share these during an interview, or in a cover letter, or to the secretary who you’re sitting next to when you wait for the hiring manager to call you into his or her office.
Aside from that, we all have to accept the inevitable. We’re going to grow old, if we’re lucky of course.
You can choose to revel in it, be proud of it, find a new chapter in your career to enjoy it. Or you can bitch and moan about your gray hair and go to your grave unhappy.
Many have chosen to boogie down before their funerals are scheduled.
This comment from another reader, Dixon:
I’m a 55 year old engineer who has always worked in the furniture and cabinet industry with technology such as CNC and robotic machines. Several of our manufacturing locations are being closed in July, and my job is ending in mid-June.
Despite my age, I see this as an opportunity. I am going back to school this fall to start earning a degree in graphic design, photography, and Web design. I found that there is much help available through grants and government programs to help me acheive this. My final goal is to open my own business.
I’m actually very excited about starting a new life.
Let’s all get excited people! Are you?
UPDATE:
An old friend of mine Margo Hammond, the former book editor of the St. Petersburg Times, just left me a message on Facebook regarding this issue and I wanted to share it:
tell them about my mom. She started a new career — writing a newspaper column — at 86. See “Post Scripts: A Writing Life After 80″). Or how about Helen Hooven Sootmyer. She penned a best-selling novel at 88. It’s never too late. Except, of course, if you want to be a ballerina or an NBA star.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Eve, tell that flight attendant that she is not too old to consider IT (network administration, network security, computer forensics). She must have realistic expectations for the type of job she’d be able to land once she gets some technical training (a certificate and/or a degree)–she’s not going to walk into a network administrator job on day one (it took me 15 years to get mine).
She should not be discouraged, however, because there are many good careers available in IT, even with trends toward outsourcing some positions. For the past four years, I’ve taught network administration skills to adult learners at an area college. Some were already in the industry and hoping to add the degree as a safety net, others were hoping to make career transitions, and others were pursuing business but wanted more exposure to IT. Many of my students were beyond 40 (and I’d veture that a few were in their 50s). It’s definately not too late. She needs to find a program in her area that will fit her schedule and needs. She may only need a certificate if she wants to get in at the ground floor (e.g., help desk), two year degrees (A.S.) are an option, but she will likely need a four year degree if she wants to side-step into IT through the world of business (e.g., business analyst, systems analyst, relationship manager). From the information posted, I don’t know what tech skills she already possesses. If she already has tech skills (even if informal, or in a non-profit setting), she may be able to get by with less education, providing she can convey her technical knowledge on her resume.
Her prior experience as a flight attendant would, in my opinion as an IT manager, give her a leg up when applying for an IT support position. She clearly has customer service skills and experience, and likely has plenty of experience dealing tactfully with difficult customers. She’s also familiar with the concept of needing to complete work according to a prescribed process (e.g., work procedures, best practices), so that’s another piece that fits.
Please strongly encourage her to pursue a career in IT, should that be where her interest lie. When applying for work, she’ll need to impress upon potential employers how her years of airline experience can translate into the new job.
There’s something I try to convey to all of my students regarding hiring decisions: you can always train staff on new or different technologies, but it is much harder to train them how to communicate well or how to be customer-focused. If given a choice between two candidates for a customer-contact position, one with great tech skills and horrible people skills and one with great people skills and only mediocre technical skills, I will opt for the candidate with the people skills.
She should definately give it a try.
May 25th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Unfortunately, “Rob’s” comments regarding his company telling him to NOT bring them anyone >50 is an evergrowing experience. My husband has been out of work for nearly a year, having been let go from a major electronics chain after nearly 29 years of retail experience. His former company has been on a MAJOR cost reduction binge and salaries of senior personnel are being cut, with anyone with >15 years on the cutting block.
He has been going to a career counselor and applying for anything and everything under the sun. He’s gotten to final round on a couple, but lost out. On others, for even simple retail manager position, he hasn’t even gotten interviews, even tho he has 29 years of excellent experience.
Guess what? Age discrimination is alive and well. As soon as they figure out his age, it’s thanks but no thanks.
Rob knows and acknowledges what he’s doing is illegal. But he’s doing it anyway. Why? To cover his butt, keep himself employed, and because the company knows they’re NEVER get caught.
You made a comment in your recent MSNBC column that “I’m not naïve here. I know there can definitely be age discrimination in the workplace, but most hiring managers are looking for the most competent candidates, bottom line.” You should add the following to the last sentence….”as long as you’re NOT over 40.”
If you think age discrimination isn’t prevelant in this recession, then you’re VERY sadly mistaken and deluding yourself AND your readers.
May 31st, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Young people starting out in any business usually have one luxury, time. If they acknowledge what works, they must sit down, shut up and listen in order to do something so well that works. If they acknowledge what does not work, they must sit down, shut up and listen to find out how it does not work. The same scenario would apply to older people that are beginning in a new job. This 36 year old Rob character obviously works for a smaller company that swims aroung big fish. The smaller family owned busibess I worked for lucratively for several years would write off two paid life insurarnce policies. One for the employee that provided a larger payout if the insured dies on the job, and a larger policy that insured the employer with an even larger payout to the employer if they should pass away. For the better part of 10 years, I interviewed hundreds of job seekers in various places for various jobs. I could tell whether or not eh job seeker owuld qualify for a job in the warehouse just after i shook their hands. Manual labor creates callouses.
‘'’If you are hire people who are not as bright as you, you have a company of midgets. If you hire those who are far more brilliant than you, you have a company of giants'’-Peter Drucker
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I love you very much and you write great things