The trials of a seasoned contractor

[ruasonid]

I have to say, during my career I've noticed very little correlation between age and ability.

Have you noticed any correlation between age and cultural fit?

[edison]

I have to say, during my career I've noticed very little correlation between age and ability.

Have you noticed any correlation between age and cultural fit?

I'd say there's more correlation between age and cultural fit compared to age and ability though it might be sector specific.

I've worked in the holiday, retail fashion and health and beauty sectors and they are all more orientated towards younger people and have a very fun, laid back culture. Few staff are over 50. This was very different compared to some sectors I've worked in like banking and life sciences which were quite dull in comparison and had an older staff demographic. If you're a 50 something bloke in those sectors, it's much harder (but not impossible) to fit in so well culturally.

[SandyD]

By dull you mean professional behavior, focusing on your relatively more complex work than you'd get in the hip sector??

A friend of mind, barely thirties worked for years at a big bank, she decided to move to a hip company, well known... almost everyone was a bit younger or same age... she naively organised an team evening (unfortunately included some free drinks for the team), but had to work late on production issue, by the time she arrived at the venue, she was horrified to see the team totally drunk, some are snogging, others are having a big fist fight (got banned from the venue) .... that's hip cultural fitness for you

[NotAllThere]

Have you noticed any correlation between age and cultural fit?

Yep. Less experienced people find it harder to be truly inclusive.

[Hobosapien]

I think there's some merit in getting a personal makeover if you're struggling to age gracefully.

For example, the jeans and suit jacket. Looks naff on Clarkson and Cowell, looks great on Ray Donovan. Though his tall slim physique has something to do with it. So get rid of the beer gut and get some decent style cues in your wardrobe.

At my last onsite contract the gang I worked with daily assumed I was around their age group despite being a good 5-10 years older than most of them.

I'm even tempted to do the Ray Donovan style approach to interviews as I hate the whole suit and tie bollox, especially when the clients are rarely that formally dressed. I may have to get a baseball bat to go the full Ray Donovan for any interviewers that turn their nose up.

[edison]

By dull you mean professional behavior, focusing on your relatively more complex work than you'd get in the hip sector??

A friend of mind, barely thirties worked for years at a big bank, she decided to move to a hip company, well known... almost everyone was a bit younger or same age... she naively organised an team evening (unfortunately included some free drinks for the team), but had to work late on production issue, by the time she arrived at the venue, she was horrified to see the team totally drunk, some are snogging, others are having a big fist fight (got banned from the venue) .... that's hip cultural fitness for you

It's fair to say there was a lot more friendly 'mingling' amongst the younger staff in those 'hip sectors'

However, they were much faster paced sectors than banking or life sciences where it was so dull working in IT because of the very high level of compliance driven work. Considering how awful much banking IT seems to be (at least the consumer facing bit of it), I'd say the IT in those other sectors was typically as good if not better and sometimes just as complex e.g. having one of the biggest e-commerce websites in the UK with millions of customers.

[NotAllThere]

Yep. Less experienced people find it harder to be truly inclusive.

To be fair, at client site there's a fair mix, and we get on pretty well. The oldsters are techies and so called "architects". The youngsters are all data scientists. But no hipsters, thankfully.

[ContractorHardman]

by the time she arrived at the venue, she was horrified to see the team totally drunk, some are snogging, others are having a big fist fight (got banned from the venue) .... that's hip cultural fitness for you

I once had one of the recent early 20's joiner at a bank tell me he was going to knock me clean out on a night out for celebrating the opposing football teams goal. I told him if he wanted to keep his job and his career in the morning he would keep quiet before I land the real knock out blow.

He was very apologetic in the morning and bought me breakfast as an apology. I sat him down and basically talked to him about it saying he was young, stupid and needs to conduct himself better. I laugh though, its just stupid things these kids learn not to do on a night out.

[quackhandle]

Always remember working at Barclays Radbroke 2008 and how stuffy the attitude was, had to wear suit/tie etc. Anyone laughing, well, that was a no-no.

Then going back 4 years later and totally different atmosphere, all mainframe guys pensioned off, staff mostly young graduates, all soya lattes and the latest skunkworks project. Very odd.

I'll be 45 next birthday so a few years to work out what the latest long player is popular in the hit parade.

qh

[northernladuk]

Always remember working at Barclays Radbroke 2008 and how stuffy the attitude was, had to wear suit/tie etc. Anyone laughing, well, that was a no-no.

qh

Yes I remember that. Last gig I ever wore a tie to that.