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
but he isn't. If he was really a friend or cared about you in that job he would stand up for you and speak to someone above the person who is "unhappy" with you.
My best friend was in the same position as you, 21 years old, a unix admin, a new boss came in and wanted him gone. 6 months later they had a short list of stupid reasons to fire him and did so, even though they are the kind of things everyone does, sucha s coming in late 5 minutes once or twice.
Discrimination is a systemic problem.
A friend of mine worked as a trader in various places, and finance is an area where your merit is proved quite objectively -- by how much money YOU make for the company.
He was fired from 3 different jobs at MAJOR international and national banks, in large downsizings, even though he consistently made more money than everybody else in his department.
State-mandated, systemic, global solutions are needed. They involve rules, coercion, force, and surveillance of the free market. Capitalism says that merit is the only way to hire and promote, if one wants the most competitive edge. Unfortunately, major decisionmakers tend to choose racism every time over more profits.
Goat sex free since 2001
1) My friend is a black male and is intimidatingly smart.
2) He has tried suing, especially in the 2nd firing, but lawyers won't take many race discrimination cases because most of the money is in sexual harrassment cases. Women who prove harassment tend to get the big damages.
Goat sex free since 2001
The first thing to do is give them no negative reasons to fire you. Show up a little early, go home a little late, take a shorter lunchbreak, care for your appearance and personal hygiene, that kind of stuff.
The second thing is document everything. Plan what you do and get the plan signed by your boss. Review what you do with him, and keep a record of that too. As well as covering your behind, these plans/reviews will help you improve your performance and demonstrate what you have contributed.
Once you've got the tangible things in place, remember the intangible stuff. You might benefit from improving your interpersonal skills. People who do not meet the white-middle class-middle aged - male norm which dominates companies have to manage their personal interactions very carefully. The key to this is to take the time to listen to others: give them your total attention. This is especially true when you know they are wrong.
And finally, make sure you perform so well that they would be insane to fire you. Ability is great, but nothing builds job security like solid performance.
Good luck!
"Well, put a stake in my heart and drag me into sunlight."
I got my first paying job as a computer technician when I was 14. They only paid me something like $3/hr and no more than about 10 hours a week but it was a real job and I gained a lot of experience from it. Figuring out how to network ancient Apple, PC, Amiga, Atari, and TI machines together was incredibly tricky. The job also included some programming (I won an award in a state contest for one of the programs). I've been working on computers sense that time and I know all about living with discremination because of your age or lack of a degree. Even now that I'm 23 a lot of companies act like they can treat me like a kid even if their whole business relies on me to keep running.
Finding a job in the current economy is a nightmare too. Submit a resume like mine to Burger King and they think I'm insane.. submit it anywhere that hires more advanced employees and they take a look at me and trash it. I almost never get interviews but I've been hired by almost every company that has ever interviewed me even once.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
What's the deal here? Nobody behind the scenes at slashdot is literate? It's YOU'RE, damnit. Why is it impossible to read the news on slashdot without being subjected to sub-3rd grade level writing?