Reply to: Can you be discriminated against because of experience?

[gdm]

completely incompetent arses

....what he said.

[suityou01]

However, you would think that my 8 years of experience in agile would tell you that I can think in new ways, but we all know that most recruiters are not smart enough to really understand most of the job specs they advertise.

completely incompetent arses

[gdm]

IME when you get knobbish stipulations like that they are not worth working for. I suspect the manager will prolly be 28 (21 out of uni + 7 years experience) with a huge inferiority complex.

Think about it. You need a contractwhore to come in and do a job, and you have 6 cvs all around the same day rate all equally qualified, but one has yards more experience. It'd kind of be rude not to give him at least an interview.

UNLESS of course this manager is a "hands on" type and likes to be the go to guy on all technical matters.

You know what? That totally makes sense. I've worked with the type before, but thankfully not someone who was my boss.

The only other thing that makes sense to me is that maybe they are super keen on agile and feel that older types like me are adept enough to make the change (waterfall -> agile is a pretty big leap).

However, you would think that my 8 years of experience in agile would tell you that I can think in new ways, but we all know that most recruiters are not smart enough to really understand most of the job specs they advertise.

[realityhack]

As it is for the beeb, I say, thank your lucky stars and run like fck


not for worldwide by any chance ?

Interested to know why you say this.

I've considered working at the Beeb before and have good contacts there.
For those who've contracted there, why was it a bad experience? Inefficient? Public Sector-esque? PC?

[suityou01]

IME when you get knobbish stipulations like that they are not worth working for. I suspect the manager will prolly be 28 (21 out of uni + 7 years experience) with a huge inferiority complex.

Think about it. You need a contractwhore to come in and do a job, and you have 6 cvs all around the same day rate all equally qualified, but one has yards more experience. It'd kind of be rude not to give him at least an interview.

UNLESS of course this manager is a "hands on" type and likes to be the go to guy on all technical matters.

[ASB]

I think it is a case of disguised ageism.

Result. I think that means I'm only 95% as old as I thought I was. I can keep the 5% back for extra years later.

[threaded]

I think it is a case of disguised ageism.

[Sockpuppet]

Technically your discriminated on every (both good and bad) time you apply for a contract. How else do you think people choose who they want.

[ASB]

Permy or Contract role?

There is no discrimination legislation for business to business contracts.

If it's a permy role - wrong forum.

Well actually it's not as straight forward as that. The legislation uses the term "worker". That does not equate to "employee".

If the OP was of non british origin and the propspective user said "sorry mate no ethnics" would you still hold the same view?

[Alf W]

Permy or Contract role?

There is no discrimination legislation for business to business contracts.

If it's a permy role - wrong forum.

[HairyArsedBloke]

....that the relevant requirements could never be met by a one legged muslim irish lesbian ....

only

This is the BBC after all.

[ASB]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I've looked as well and the legislation doesn't mention a thing about experience, just age. I suppose it would be tough to prove.

Just annoying as f*** that a role I am qualified and happy to do is out of my reach because of some arbitrary limitation set by a tax-funded body....

Heck I'm only 36, I suppose this will only get worse from here on out!

Thje more beliigernt amongst us might submit a slighlty different - but still accurate CV that magically lost a few years of experience and age.

[gdm]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I've looked as well and the legislation doesn't mention a thing about experience, just age. I suppose it would be tough to prove.

Just annoying as f*** that a role I am qualified and happy to do is out of my reach because of some arbitrary limitation set by a tax-funded body....

Heck I'm only 36, I suppose this will only get worse from here on out!

[CheeseSlice]

The beeb have a whole website/area dedicated to freelancers going either direct or via an agency. Have you looked at the information there regarding policies etc?

Would like to think a public corporation funded by mandatory license fees has some kind of equal opportunities / tendering policy.

[Platypus]

Could you apply through another agency with a suitably doctored CV showing only 6.5 years experience?

P.S. sounds like age discrimination to me but impossible to prove. According to a Despatches documentary I saw "too much experience / too senior / over qualified" are all code words for "too old"