Is age a factor?

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Ok, Iv been looking for an IT job (or indeed any job) for a year now and things are getting extremly desperate. Luckily I have family who can support me as far as roof over my head goes but I canot go antoehr year without a job.

I have an opertunity for an 11 month contract with this outdoors adventure sport place for kids as an instructor (think PGL) HOWEVER im worried that if I take it and go back to the IT market in 2011 I will have shot myself in the foot because By that time I will be 23 and still with no IT experiance.

BUT, if I turn downt he job theres no garantee that ill find an IT job so I could still find myself in 2011 no better off.

I guess my main question is this - the older I get, do my chances of landing an entry level job decrease? Would an employer look more favourably apon some 18 year old with no experiance or would it really make no difference?

Also, climate wise do you think things will be any easier next year or much like this one has been?

 

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So, you are 22 and already thinking that you're too old

If that is the case, then what hope is there for the rest of mankind?

 

I've known people in their 50s who have gotten their first IT job.

At 22/23, you're still very young. I got my first "real" IT job at age 28 (after having messed around with computers for 18 years).

All that said... another 11 months out of IT is another 11 months you're not building the experience that IT employers desire.

 

On the flipside, any income is better than no income. For both your financial situation, and your cv.

Whilst I would encourage you to find an IT position sooner than later (just because its easier to start moving once you get in). I would strongly suggest that you take any job you can get to get yourself into a financial position. The exception to this would be if you had other positions you had interviewed for, that you felt comfortable with and wanted to wait for the outcome.

Being unemployed doesnt look good on your CV, whereas having any job is likely to help boost your chances of getting into an IT position. Ultimately its better to get onto your feet and having your own income, than languishing around the home moping because you cant get the IT job.

Thousands of people in the UK do just that. They set their sights on a particular job, and close their mind to all other possibilities, so find it impossible to get a job elsewhere. Even if they get an interview, they will turn up with a negative attitude towards the "non-ideal" job that will turn employers away.

Whilst setting your sights on a specific set or roles is a good thing, when you are unemployed you can only afford to do that for so long. Eventually you need to suck it up, and take a job doing anything to support yourself (stack shelves if its all you can get). It keeps you with an income, helps the CV, etc. If you are determined to get into IT, use the time to further develop your suitability for IT jobs: take courses/sit certifications (as appropriate for the level you are aiming at. CF can help guide you here); volunteer to help a charity with their IT; and so on.

Often, what you do when you arent in IT will define your suitability for an IT position.

Ultimately though, only you can decide on the jobs presented to you. Can you afford to wait it out for the possibility that an IT job will appear on the horizon? Its a risk, and one you have to weigh up for yourself.

 

thats cool - I guess I was just worrying overly much, It just freaked me out a bit having been out of uni over a year and achieved nothing :P I just assumed the older you got the less likley your chances were against people who had just finished their education but I guess thats just paranoia

 

Exactly right. Repped.

 

No, not really. Older people have usually gotten the "playing" out of their system and, as a result, they tend to be more responsible and reliable. Plus, they've got life experiences to draw from.

 

I would take the job to get some income and keep plugging away at getting a job in IT. Maybe with this job if they have any PC's you could help out with them as it's always good to put on your CV and make this job work for you.

 

What are you struggling with? finding jobs to apply for? gettnig an interview? Might be worth looking into why you can't get a job so you can start to try and get past that.

 

Firstly, congratulations on being offered a job, albeit not in IT. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

I would take the job, it sounds like fun and I don't think you would have applied for it if it did not hold a little interest for you. It will guarantee you an income and as it is a contact affords you the flexibility to keep your eyes peeled for IT jobs.

I’m 29 and my age was a cause for concern but reading this tread has eased my anxiety and I would hope it has done the same for you.

Secondly, as a graduate this should help open a few doors. What was your degree in, is it IT related? If it's not related, this is not meant to be loaded question, just to see if you have transferable skills you can use in IT. A degree is a degree and is a mark that you can learn and stick at somthing.

Best of luck mate.

 

Well, my degree is in archaeology. As far as transferable skills go the main thing i can think of is data analysis and presentation etc - im sure iv thought of other stuff but to be fair "transferable skills" dont seem to interest interviewers much, they just ask why "whats with the degree?" and move on.

Ironically the degree has actually closed more doors than its opened as I cant get any kind of high street retail/bar or manual labour work despite having loads of experiance in all 3. Some of them give me an interview out of politeness but thtas about it :P


As for the trouble getting the job....I think my main problem is finding them. Every time I see an entry level job advertised they allways ask for at least a year of experiance and strong sills in a list of databases, procedures and other stuff I have never encountered. In the odd occasion when I do meet minimum requirements I still rarely get an interview allthough I have had a few, interestingly enough for the 2 latest were for very big companies but in the end they chose someone else, so I guess my interview technique is a bit poor? but I dont see how, I might just be up against far better competition

 

PMSL....

 

At your age I wouldn't worry about this greatly providing that your CV and your discussions with recruitment agencies and prospective employers addess the issue.

I spent several years working with a bank. I'd do a little IT work but mainly it was administrative work and about 2 years ago ( at the age of 30 ) I just canned it. I took a few months out and got my first job in IT last September. A year later I'm doing 2nd Line work with a real career path in front of me.

Turn your weaknesses to your advantage. I do this by telling employers "When you take on a younger person you run the risk that, like me at that age, they've fallen into a job rather then chosen a career. With me you get someone who has made the mistakes, made a real choice and am now working so much harder because I have no more time to waste." It usually goes down well.

Remember, that the people who make decisions about who to employ are not the 20 year olds ( Yes I accept it does happen from time to time ). The people who employ people are generally older, the directors are usually more senior when it comes to age so you'll do yourself a disservice by referring to yourself as old. After all, if you're too old what are you saying about the 50 year old director?

With all that said, it is always better to be working then not. Employers don't like unexplained periods of no work ( even in today's economy ) and you're better off doing almost anything else. Not only that but it pays better then not working.

Take what you can but never stop looking for something else. As soon as you stop looking for a better job you've accepted that you aren't ever going to move on.

 

If there aren't many jobs, have you considered moving? Have you had your CV reviewed by anyone? Did you ask for feedback from anywhere you had an interview? What about trying to get feedback from application you make but don't get an interview for? Did you follow up your applications with an email?

 

That could be because of your degree. Some companies won't take a risk on hiring you because you look overqualified - meaning, they think you'll jump at the first good opportunity that comes along. And you would. I would.

That said, my degree is in Chemistry, and it hasn't hurt me in my career.

If they require experience, then by definition, it's not an entry-level job. Entry-level jobs are jobs in which you can ENTER the career field without any prior experience.

If the job involves servers, databases, or high-end network equipment, it's probably not an entry-level job.

It's a dog-eat-dog world at the bottom, because right now, in this economy, everyone thinks that IT is the career field to jump to. And while I don't disagree that IT is a good career field, if everyone is going after those jobs, competition is going to be fierce.

You're going to go to interviews where you're not the absolute best candidate for the job. It happens. Don't let it get you down. Be persistent and have faith that some employer IS going to see you as the best logical fit for their company. If you don't have that confidence, it'll show in the interview... and that will certainly decrease your chances of getting the job.

 

Hi

Just to reiterate what others have said, take the PGL type job, and enjoy it, it sounds like a good gig.

Come back to your IT career in a years time, not a year older, but a year wiser. Early 20s is no way too old to be starting out in IT, and to be honest, I'd take a slightly older person on over a younger person, if their experience, skills and qualifications matched any day. The youngster is more likely to lack the maturity required to look after what is an essential business resource, whereas someone with a bit of life experience, especially in a responsible job like the one you described, is more likely to give the job the respect it requires.

Maria

 

22 is nothing... I'm ten years more than this and trust me, there's a lot more in my life I haven't achieved than you not having an IT job.

You ç%*& lucky young 'uns ;)

 

You think someone under 25 is not mature enough to work in IT?