Three drivers apply for the same job,one aged 28,one 38 and one 48.They all have identical experience and qualifications.The only thing that separates them is their ages,nothing else,who gets the job and why ? I ask because I can’t get an interview for love nor money and I need to know why.I don’t want to disclose my age at the moment because I don’t want to prejudice any answers,I am just trying to understand what I’m up against.
Deathstar:
Three drivers apply for the same job,one aged 28,one 38 and one 48.They all have identical experience and qualifications.The only thing that separates them is their ages,nothing else,who gets the job and why ?
I would say it depands on how well they do at the interview which can be ‘I like your face’
If the job had a physical aspect to it then the younger driver is more likely to be the fittest choice
The CV may also have an influence
I would also say it depends what job is applied for. I run a removal company and if I have 3 drivers of the ages you mention I would employ either the one of 28 or 38. I have found that if you employ someone very young, they can be unreliable. If they are still living at home with no responsibilities then if they have a day off it doesn’t effect them that badly.
If they are late 20’s early 30’s, they normally have their own place and their own bills which mean they have to be more responsible in their own life and this reflects in the way they are at work. In other words they are less likely to have a day off on a whim. That said, this is not a hard and fast rule and there are many exceptions, a lot comes down to the interview and the attitude they show during it.
jdc:
I would also say it depends what job is applied for. I run a removal company and if I have 3 drivers of the ages you mention I would employ either the one of 28 or 38. I have found that if you employ someone very young, they can be unreliable. If they are still living at home with no responsibilities then if they have a day off it doesn’t effect them that badly.If they are late 20’s early 30’s, they normally have their own place and their own bills which mean they have to be more responsible in their own life and this reflects in the way they are at work. In other words they are less likely to have a day off on a whim. That said, this is not a hard and fast rule and there are many exceptions, a lot comes down to the interview and the attitude they show during it.
Just to reiterate,they are identical in every respect,health,physical strength,similar work experience,they all equally likeable and all came across well at interview,it’s interesting that you don’t mention the 48 year old,why is this ? You anticipate the younger ones are less likely to take time off because of their bills to pay etc,but I put it to you that they are still more likely to want time off particularly if they are parents because of the problems kids bring.
I would say same as Rog if they are all the same apart from age, it would boil down to the interview, how you come across how keen you sound, your presentation and how well you answer the interviewers questions 
Deathstar:
They all have identical experience
From a driving point of view this could be true but for overall work experience it can’t possibly be as the 48 year old has 20 years, spent in another career, more experience than the 28 year old. It could be another thing against the older driver (?)
From a driving point of view this could be true but for overall work experience it can’t possibly be as the 48 year old has 20 years, spent in another career, more experience than the 28 year old. It could be another thing against the older driver (?)
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Why would it be something “against” the older driver ?
Deathstar:
From a driving point of view this could be true but for overall work experience it can’t possibly be as the 48 year old has 20 years, spent in another career, more experience than the 28 year old. It could be another thing against the older driver (?)
Why would it be something “against” the older driver ?
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Because the younger driver may only be qualified to drive LGV’s whereas the older driver could be “overqualified” (depending on their previous career) which is off putting to some employers.
the amount of working life left in you isnt the same at 48 as it is at 28 or 38, im 46 btw.
Deathstar:
jdc:
I would also say it depends what job is applied for. I run a removal company and if I have 3 drivers of the ages you mention I would employ either the one of 28 or 38. I have found that if you employ someone very young, they can be unreliable. If they are still living at home with no responsibilities then if they have a day off it doesn’t effect them that badly.If they are late 20’s early 30’s, they normally have their own place and their own bills which mean they have to be more responsible in their own life and this reflects in the way they are at work. In other words they are less likely to have a day off on a whim. That said, this is not a hard and fast rule and there are many exceptions, a lot comes down to the interview and the attitude they show during it.
Just to reiterate,they are identical in every respect,health,physical strength,similar work experience,they all equally likeable and all came across well at interview,it’s interesting that you don’t mention the 48 year old,why is this ? You anticipate the younger ones are less likely to take time off because of their bills to pay etc,but I put it to you that they are still more likely to want time off particularly if they are parents because of the problems kids bring.
There was no particular reason why I didn’t mention the 48 year old. If none of the applicants have removal experience, then I would go for the younger ones purely because it is a hard job and the younger ones would normally be in a better position to cope with it.
That said, if the 48 year old had removals experience I would probably employ him. He knows what the job is about and having done it his health and fitness levels are at the required standard. I have no problem with age, but removals is inherantly a ‘young mans game’
There are always exceptions to this rule. Several years ago I was contacted by a 65 year old who had done removals all his life and had just retired. He wanted a couple of days a week for beer money. I employed him mainly as a packer/export wrapper but he would still run rings round many of the 20 year olds. What he didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing. It just goes to show that it all depends on the interview and what I, as the employer think each candidate can offer the company. I’d like to say there is a hard and fast rule, but unfortunately, there ain’t!
I don’t think age makes a huge difference other than for insurance and the type of job applied for, we have recently had two passes one a 21 year old the other 57 we helped both get jobs within one week of passing, one with a large national company the other with a small local company.