Cristian
Does age affect your chances of getting hired or not and if so, what can i do about it?
Im a chemical engineering student in my senior year. My major requires a lot of units and time, therefore, when i graduate I'm going to be 23. It seems that companies want someone older because they may be more responsible. That is why i want to know if age does matter and what can i do about. #engineering #engineer #job #interviews #hire #age
4 answers
Eva Chu
Eva’s Answer
I'd say it's less about age than experience. They want to know what level of support/training they will need to provide or how well you can hit the ground running. It's also typical for a more experienced person to have a better understanding of the industry, what they know, and what their strengths and weaknesses are with regards to the particular job.
Syed Mohiuddin Ahmed
Syed’s Answer
As an employer , i would certainly consider age & experience as one of the factor of selection, as i would want him to spend as less time as possible getting started on his role and at the same time bring his past experience to my company. However on the other hand companies do also prefer to have young blood/fresh mind into the organization as they will be easier to teach and brings lot of energy.
So if i were you i would not be bothered about the age factor, as i can't do much about it :)
However i will provide enough reasons to the employer to hire me.
So prepare well for an interview and do not allow employer to use age as an excuse for not hiring you.
Laura Song
Laura’s Answer
I was just a little younger than you when I got hired into my current position. I was also a Chemical Engineer in College, so I understand the credits and not having time. A lot of employers really enjoy and want younger individuals in their work force, and many want older more experienced individuals. It comes down to what kind of jobs you are applying to. A lot of entry level engineering positions are looking for recent college graduates, while more technical positions might require more years in a specific field. My advice would to be let your talents speak for themselves and show passion for what you want to do!
Hi Laura! Thank you for the amazing advice that you gave Cristian above! I actually had a few follow up questions I wanted to ask:
1. Since you got your current job right out of college, do you have any tips for recruiting as a college grad in general?
2. If one is applying to a job that attracts an older and more experienced crowd, what advice do you have for trying to stand out in that type of applicant pool? Are there any next steps one can take right now to prepare?
Thanks so much in advance!
-David
David Ohta
COACH
1 Attend your local career fair or even career fairs by other universities and keep your options open. When I was looking for jobs, I tried to not let my major tie me down. Yes, we are looking for major specific jobs but don't think those are the only jobs you can apply for. Apply for the jobs you want to be in and feel like you would be happy and passionate about; it will show to the employer that you enjoy it.
2. It depends on why they are trying to apply to a more experienced job; is it that they have the experience required for those jobs? If that is the case, I would have your experiences speak for themselves. If that is the job they are looking to obtain the future, I would reach out to the employer and ask where they can start to begin gaining those experiences and show initiative.
Laura Song
Miriam Alonso
Miriam’s Answer
Hello Cristian,
I would highly encourage you to take advantage of the period that you are living, educate yourself and make yourself valuable for companies where you would like to work. Save money always, you never know what might happen. I think the age factor depends on the career you pursue, in some fields age is a positive factor.