they will never hire someone who is, meaning, they will never hire someone older than them, meaning as long as the systems of which they are a part cater to their well-justified insecurities, we all suffer.
This blog is by a middle-aged white woman for any/everyone. Because it is written by a MAWW, of course, everything is seen through the eyes of a MAWW. This doesn't mean it's right, it's wrong. This is just how I see things as a MAWW just like someone who is different sees things from THEIR perspective. Demanding that everyone be the same (impossible anyway) is not fostering equality. It is fostering egotism and division. Recognizing that everyone is different and celebrating this IS equality.
So I blog to vent, 99% of it, but also to provide a window into what the "average American middle aged white woman" is thinking. Beats jumping off a bridge, at least for now.
Back to the topic--many MAWW's I know, including myself, are looking for employment, at the worst, because they did a shitty job of planning their financial life and really need money, at best, because even though they have plenty of money, they are bored and want 'something to do' or want a little 'spending money'. Within my ever dwindling circle of MAWW friends, we share the same experience: the interview with the 27 year old who we could devour in 30 seconds with our intelligence, life experience, education, and wisdom, and they know this, so the interview is mostly them stemming their terror that they will be outed as the babies they are, for some reason society coddling them from facing any real knowledge about themselves, such as, you're 27, what in the hell do you know about Human Resource issues? Or what in the hell do you know about relationship conflict? Raising children? Driving a 4-wheel drive?
Well, they know pretty much next to nothing. So, you, the super cool, highly qualified MAWW, maybe with a long career behind you, a few kids you raised, likely a divorce (or two), a few dead friends/parents (so you know loss and grief), the clear best choice for the job, are rejected so the 27 year old, who would be terrified to be your boss in fact, can hire the 26 year old, who next to her, she looks pretty damn smart.
What kind of nation puts its least qualified in power? Say, Donald Trump as President? What kind of nation rejects its most experienced, educated, wise in the workplace? A pathetic idiotic nation that then has the audacity to hold itself up as the shining beacon for others...? Then again, do you want to work for an employer who rejects the most experienced for the empty 27 year old? Is this the kind of company you want to work for? Hell no.
So, yes, the age discrimination is blatant but it only reflects back on the companies engaging in it, companies you don't want to work for anyway because you are too smart, too experienced, you would go nuts...
The next time you have an interview and the "manager" is at least 15-20 years younger than you, quietly, deliberately get up and leave. Decline the "interview". They are terrified of you anyway, what you know, and if you can, the remedy to getting a job at our age? Start your own business knowing if you need employees, there are thousands of incredibly well-qualified middle-aged people to select from which will insure your success.
