RJ asks:
"I would like to get some advice from others that may be going through the same situation I am. I am currently 19 and will be turning 20 in 1 week. I have held my current job, as Systems-Network Administrator, for almost a year now in very good standing according to my direct boss, the IT Manager. I have 5 years industry experience and a few certifications, yet I am more then qualified for my current position according to previous employers (and my work history/experience). It has recently come to my attention that our IT Director is trying to either find a way to get rid of me or transfer me into a miserable job position, all because of my age. My Boss explained to me he thinks it has to do with a bit of jealousy. Everyone I work with is over the age of 30 and the IT director is in his mid 40's." Either your too old, or your too young, or it's racial issues, sexual preference, and sometimes it can even be religion. Despite the fact that it's the
21st century discrimination still exists and many of us have had to face it in our careers. For most, it basically amounts to a career roadblock, while for others, it can also turn into an extremely humiliating and terrible experience. What options exist for those who experience it in any of the many forms it can take in the workplace?
"The IT Director has never approached me about any of this and treats me fine to my face, but seems to talk bad about me around my Boss, though my boss does his best to defend me. I have had no work problems (documented or not) and have a clean HR record. It's to the point I can't trust anyone at work anymore. Everywhere I work people like me but as soon as they learn my age they automatically hate me, become jealous, or try to find ways to get rid of me. I have learned to deal with this problem as I figured it went with the territory.
However, I also have a new baby daughter and a new wife to support
and I can't lose my job, especially in this economy. Needless to say
I am polishing up the resume and starting to look for a new job, but can anyone offer any sound advice, or legal actions which I can take if I do get fired, or even suggest employers in the industry that are friendly to my age bracket?"
Slashdot Mirror
I know exactly how you feel..a lot of the same stuff happens to me with different jobs and people. There's really not much you can do about it..and people usually aren't willing to help you out :(
He could have interned ... I knew a guy who was a network engineer for 3 years at earthlink before he came to college at the age of 18 ...
I would like to know, if the gentlemen lives on the west coast or the east cost? I've noticed that the east cost tends towards discriminating against the *young*, whereas on the west coast (read: california) companies don't want to hire anyone *older*.
Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley
While in high school, I was a in-store geek at Best Buy for over 2 years. Then I worked for a mom-n-pop networking shop. Now, with ~ 4 years experience, I'm -the- IT guy for a $150 million dollar construction company.
I was 16 when I was professionally hired (and finally quit my paper route!!!). The poster of the story is now 20, that would put him at 15. So he started one year earlier then I did - I don't find that hard to believe.
There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
I can easily believe what he is saying about his experience. I'm currently 22 and started my own company when I was 15. Before that I did work for friends and I think all of that counts at industry experience. Granted it's small potatos to the kind of things most of us do now but it is still experience.
- Brian
Real World Job Experience. Is the concept that hard to understand?
whois: handle cf21
If you know anything about internic handles that should help "date" me a little and perhaps answer some of your questions about my experience.
--- I do not moderate.