20 Sep 2011
I understand the disappointment expressed by C Davies (A 10-year quest for an IT job). It is unfortunate that when he/she was advised to pursue an IT career back in 1999 IT jobs were plentiful, with an abundance of lucrative Y2K projects on offer. After 2000 there was a decline in IT funding and even those with many years’ experience were finding it difficult to secure their next job, so it’s hardly surprising that C Davies was unsuccessful given all the experienced competition they were up against.
I wouldn’t advise C Davies to give up just yet, though, because the ability to gain all those qualifications proves a terrific ability to learn new things. However, complaining about ageism is pointless, because we all get old and there has always been ageism in IT, just as there is in sport, show business and many other professions.
Most IT jobs require knowledge of the latest technology and even if you were a world expert in some earlier gizmo it would probably be considered of little value today in such a fast-moving industry. The trick is to accept it and look for a job where qualities other than transient technical skills are valued.
I was in a similar situation in 2002, having taken a redundancy package at the age of 52 after 30 years in the IT industry. I experienced difficulties securing my next post, but once I accepted the age situation I took a job as a trainer at the local council. Now I find my age to be an asset as it lends weight to my lessons. A new career has opened up to me, and even though I’m more than twice as old as many of my colleagues and managers, if the job demands maturity, reliability and stability, it’s me who the young high-flyers have to compete with.
John McGhee
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