The Age Game

Bob Weinstein is a journalist who covers technology, project management, the workplace and career development.

  Career Development  

"Sorry, you don't have the qualifications we're looking for."

Every day across America, older workers swallow a line like this from potential employers. And it's usually delivered by a smiling, perky human resources person 20 years their junior.

What employers actually mean, but can't say because of fears of a possible age-bias lawsuit, is: "Your qualifications are great, but you're too old. We want someone younger for this job." In short, you're over the hill.

Sound familiar? Whether they admit it or not, techies at all points on the skill ladder--support technician and project manager to programmer and CTO--believe that you are over the hill by your late 40s. After 50, you're holding on; past 60, you're hanging on by a thread and just plain lucky.

Consider yourself lucky if you've reached the 50 and bypassed age discrimination. I don't mean to scare you, but be prepared, because it's a fact of working life. Consider the following story a reality check.

Have you forgotten? All the great technology innovations were accomplished by young geeks--Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and entrepreneurs like Michael Dell. The good news is you're not alone. In fact, your ranks are increasing dramatically. Yet in the shadow of a swelling army of older workers, age discrimination is alive and thriving. It doesn't matter that it's …

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