Subj : Re: Software Job Market Myths To : comp.programming,comp.software-eng From : Chris Hills Date : Mon Aug 15 2005 09:47 am In article <42FFF0A7.F50E9B8F@comcast.net>, Charles Richmond writes >"Peter K." wrote: >> >> Chris Hills writes: >> >> > It gives no idea of age, qualifications companies worked for etc. >> ^^^ >> >> Age is not a valid piece of information for hiring people in many >> parts of the world. At least, an employer can't use it as a deciding >> factor when hiring. >> >> Qualifications and companies worked for are certainly valid! >> >Age is *not* a valid criteron for employment...but in the U.S., >companies use it anyway. They just do *not* use it overtly. On a CV age is VERY valid. The CV in question "starts" in 2001 with no indication of what was before. If this person is 50 and has 5 years experience what were they doing for the previous 30 odd years. If they are 25 with 5 years experience it is a different kettle of fish. One person I knew had a strange CV that started with self taught bits and nothing before .... later I discover he had been in prison for 5 years where he took up computing. The CV is something that should make the employer feel comfortable about hiring you. In any event employers will discriminate between candidates on many criteria not just the technical ones. A person has to fit in to a team and or company. Age, sense of humour, dress sense, sex, political views may well all be a part of it though probably not overtly. The employer may not even realise when they chose one candidate over another with similar technical skills. AFAIK the British Antarctic Survey group, who have postings to the polar research centre for two year stretches, do a full range of psychometric tests. The final test is the candidate goes to the pub (bar) with a couple of the people who have actually spent the 2 years down there. They get a veto purely on weather they get on or not. -- \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills Staffs England /\/\/\/\/ /\/\/ chris@phaedsys.org www.phaedsys.org \/\/\ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ .