Re: Ageism

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 09:39:24 +0100, "Andy Bridle"
<andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

An old codger writes:

Has anyone else noticed how the job sites (eg JobServe) now make Date of
Birth a mandatory field on their on-line application forms? How does this
sit with the forthcoming (October, I think) EU regulations on age
discrimination?

I do, as "un homme d'un certain age", have something at stake here. I'm
wondering whether my difficulty in finding a contract is because either the
agents are using this info to filter the CVs they submit to clients, or
whether they pass this info on to the clients who then apply their own
discrimination.

Andy B (now qualified for a free bus pass, but surely experience counts for
something)


Well, I'm in the same age bracket as you (61 next month). My programming
skills are entirely up-to-date (OO .net XML/XSL Ajax etc etc. although
my base skill was Delphi , which has taken a big knock.

I decided that after 30 years of contracting I would look for a nice
straightforward permanent job. I wrote to anyone local to me advertising
for junior programmers, and said "I want a technical job, these are my
skills". I got three interviews, and simultaneously got a contract which
exactly fitted the time it took me to nail one of those jobs. I was also
offered one of the others. 6 weeks after I started there the firm I'd
done the contract for rang me up and tried to poach me to go and work
for them.

So I've now got a pretty good job (35 hour week, 12 minutes from home)
with a view from my desk of the river Wharfe, doing what I like -
designing/coding, and I've already been sent on two training courses.

My story, for what it's worth. I think one thing a lifetime of
contracting ought to do is give you consumate interview skills :-)

And BTW, it's great to be rid of the hassle of the Ltd Co, and have a
regular income...



--
Jim
a Yorkshire polymoth
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Ageism
    ... Andy B (now qualified for a free bus pass, ... skills are entirely up-to-date (OO .net XML/XSL Ajax etc etc. although ... done the contract for rang me up and tried to poach me to go and work ... Unfortunately, in NW Wales where I live, programming vacancies of ...
    (uk.consultants)
  • Re: Ageism
    ... On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 11:36:44 GMT, Jim Lawton wrote: ... I do, as "un homme d'un certain age", have something at stake here. ... wondering whether my difficulty in finding a contract is because either the ... skills are entirely up-to-date (OO .net XML/XSL Ajax etc etc. although ...
    (uk.consultants)
  • Re: Hanging
    ... >> Actually, it would probably be cheaper, faster and better to contract ... >> somebody with Linux skills to troubleshoot this. ... I'm 1) the only person they can afford. ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • AS400--JDE--XE--MULTIPLE OPENINGS--NC
    ... A major manufacturer located in the greater Raleigh area is implementing ... JD Edwards XE and is looking for the following skills. ... contract and contract-to-hire. ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.as400.misc)
  • Re: Ultimate efficiency using INITIALIZE statement in COBOL
    ... Skills: COBOL Assembler BAL ... And, despite age ... Remember, the response above is not a "nag", it is in response to the ... I see that as a pathetic waste of skill and talent. ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)