Ageism in IT?

Embedded Geek writes "It's hardly a new topic, but BBC is running a story about ageism hitting Gen-X, especially in IT. As a 34 year old coder, I was horrified to hear a quote from a *hiring manager*: 'In the IT sector (and coding in particular) younger minds generally work faster -- I would rather employ a keen teenager who code programs computers quickly than an older person.' It didn't help that the person is 32 years old. My kneejerk reaction, the same one anyone else over 30 would have, is that the guy is a buffoon (I'll withhold my preferred, spectacularly vulgar, term). The problem is that I do not believe his idiocy is unique - I have definitely felt the vibe when interviewing. It's frustrating, since Gen-X is finally shedding the media hyped 'slacker' stereotype only to run headlong into this garbage. Have any other Slashdot readers seen this? What is the youngest you can be before some PHB declares you fit for the scrap-heap? Other than stocking up on hair dye and botox, what steps can I take to prepare for the future? Share your war stories here." Ask Slashdot handled this topic over two years ago. Of course, this behavior could be explained away as economic concerns, as the decision to hire younger (and typically cheaper) employees can directly affect the bottom line. However, one has to wonder if the decision to go with less experienced programmers also affects software quality, in the long run. What are your thoughts on this subject?

What's the deal...

[Rorschach1]

With all these old folks posting on Slashdot? Don't they know it's a site for young people? Sheesh, go hang out on cnn.com, grandpa.

Well about...

[TheDredd]

15 years old of course, before they get interested in sex, and start developing a mind of there own

Ageism is definitely there

[wondafucka]

As a respectable web pornographer I would have to say that when we consider subjects for our titalating erotic material, or as the 31337 call it, pr0n, we do choose to go with the younger crowds. Anyone over the age of 30 is typically considered outdated and useless. Unless of course you are visiting one of our spectacular granny sites.

In other news

[stud9920]

Cliff, himself probably around 30, cannot spell the word "hire" correctly, while most teenagers probably can.

hey

[Anonymous Coward]

Get with the times, gramps.

I'm 21 and am pretty lazy

[Agent Deepshit]

I'm 21 and am lazy as fuck. I write a Perl script every six months. Don't hire me. I hope by the time that I'm 30 I'll be writing code much more frequently. But for now stay away and let me mature.

Re:In other news

[Hell O'World]

the decision to higher younger (and typically cheaper) employees

That is so unfair! Younger employees are not always "higher"!

Discrimination against short people!

[haggar]

Of course, this behavior could be explained away as economic concerns, as the decision to higher younger (and typically cheaper) employees can directly affect the bottom line.

I am outraged that the widespread discrimination against short folks has taken another, worrying, twist: even in evaluating programming skills!

Re:What's the deal...

[Cpt_Kirks]

News For Nerds, not zygotes.

Re:What's the deal...

[Surak]

Hell, when I was your age, we didn't HAVE cnn.com. We had 300 baud modems, spewing out text so slow, you could TYPE it faster. And we thought that was FAST compared to 110 baud.

And we didn't have laptops, either! We carried our lunchbox portables [old-computers.com] to school! Up the hill! Both ways! In the snow in the middle of July! Those things weighed 6 kilos let me tell you....

That explains why...

[sobriquet]

...the crystal attached to the palm of my hand keeps blinking red!

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[Anonymous Coward]

Blah blah blah blah 11 year old asian girl yummmmmm. blah blah blah

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[CausticPuppy]

...because no matter how good you are there will always be an 11 year old asian girl who is better than you'll ever be.

Well then she must be destroyed.

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[pascalb3]

I tried to learn the piano, but I was getting errors with #include<mozart.h>.

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[jazman_777]

Graduted from Some High School, 1985

Uh, if you have to list "Graduated from High School" on your resume, that's not a good sign.

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[jazman_777]

The physiological fact of the matter is that cognitive capacity declines after age 35 or so, as neural connections break down and neurons themselves die off, never to be replaced again.

That would explain a lof of things. Uh, what is it we were talking about?

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[Alan Cox]

Computer technology in general ? 2000 notes with extra magic shifts and a dvorak bit sounds more like an emacs optimised keyboard

Re:Depends on the Individual

[Anonymous Coward]

Drum kit - $800.

Drum lessons - $30/week.

Being able to BURN your son at something - priceless.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Beards

[terrymr]

I think a better question is whether a programmers ability is affected by the length of his beard.

Go ahead and say that to me...

[MrPink2U]

... and I will hit you with my cane!

Re: Job opportunity for teenage programmer

[bsdrawkcab]

As a 34 year old coder, I was horrified to hear a quote from a *hiring manager*: 'In the IT sector (and coding in particular) younger minds generally work faster -- I would rather employ a keen teenager who code programs computers quickly than an older person.'

This is an outrage! I demand to know this man's contact information so that I can give him a resu^H^H^H^Hpiece of my mind!

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[muyuubyou]

Pre-emptive strike on Asia is in order.

"... handled this topic over two years ago."

[echucker]

Slowest.
Dupe.
Ever.

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[the_consumer]

Pedophilia ha ha funny...

Re:Do younger minds absorb quicker?

[drinkypoo]

Don't think you are special for it, because no matter how good you are there will always be an 11 year old asian girl who is better than you'll ever be.

Funny, this is what I always said about Tekken, though I was non-gender-specific. Ever notice how you can be pretty good at a game and then some asian kid barely tall enough to reach the joysticks can school you in a hot second?

So a young bull and an old bull were standing ...

[puckhead]

... on a hill overlooking a herd of heifers. The young bull says, "I think I'm going to run down there and fuck one of them." The old bull says, "you go ahead. I'm going to walk down there and fuck'em all."

More often than not, if you tell a young programmer to solve a shipping problem he'll head straight back to his desk and start coding. If you tell an older programmer to solve a shipping problem, he'll head over to shipping and start learning about the problem.