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Aging Out in the Tech Industry: Experience Need Not Apply

Aging Out in the Tech Industry: Experience Need Not Apply

We see the stories every day, both explicitly and implicitly: “The tech industry is a young persons game.” But hasn’t it always been so. Back in the 1990s, when the Web was becoming a “thing,” I used to joke that my generation had to invent the Web because all of the good creative and development jobs were already taken by the previous generation. Now, those words come back to haunt me as I see more and more discrimination against perfectly qualified applicants; their only disqualification seems to be that they have years of experience. Too many years.

In this session I will explore the uncomfortable but vital topic of how ageism is an unspoken factor in hiring and advancement in the tech industry, and how it becomes a negative multiplier when combined with sexism and racism, further preventing diversity in a homogeneous profession.

Jason CranfordTeague

September 21, 2017
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  1. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    www.cranfordteague.com
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Experience Need Not Apply

    View Slide

  2. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
    The ADEA prohibits employment discrimination against
    persons 40 years of age or older.
    http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adea.cfm

    View Slide

  3. You are too old.
    — No Recruiter, Ever

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  4. They want someone more junior.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  5. They want someone more junior.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    i.e. You are too old

    View Slide

  6. This is not a good culture fit for you.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  7. This is not a good culture fit for you.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    i.e. You are too old for our young culture.

    View Slide

  8. Your rate is too high.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  9. Your rate is too high.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    i.e. You cost too much because you are too old.

    View Slide

  10. The balance in your workflow is off.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  11. The balance in your workflow is off.
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    i.e. You’ve had too many jobs because you are so old.

    View Slide

  12. You are too much horse power 

    for this job!
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  13. You are too much horse power 

    for this job!
    — Anonymous Recruiter

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    i.e You have too much experience because you are so f***ing old!

    View Slide


  14. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  15. Kids today!
    — Socrates

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  16. The children now love luxury; they
    have bad manners, contempt for
    authority; they show disrespect for
    elders and love chatter in place of
    exercise.
    — Socrates?

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  17. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    How old is “OLD”?

    View Slide

  18. 20 or Over
    30 or Over
    40 or Over
    50 or Over
    60 or Over
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    PREDICTION: Less than ¼ over 40
    Hands Up

    View Slide

  19. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    I am a white male

    View Slide

  20. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Tech industry v. overall private industry (2014)
    0
    0.175
    0.35
    0.525
    0.7
    White Asian Americans African Americans Hispanic
    8%
    7.4%
    14%
    68.5%
    13.9%
    14.4%
    5.8%
    63.5%
    Overall
    Tech
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
    EEOC Diversity In High Tech
    https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/reports/hightech/

    View Slide

  21. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Tech industry v. overall private industry (2014)
    Overall
    Tech
    0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
    36%
    48%
    64%
    52%
    Men
    Woman
    EEOC Diversity In High Tech
    https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/reports/hightech/
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

    View Slide

  22. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    FACT: People like hiring people like themselves.
    I.E. — People they want to hang out with.

    View Slide

  23. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    American Sociological Association
    Employers Often More Interested in Hiring Potential
    Playmates Than the Very Best Candidates
    http://www.asanet.org/documents/press/pdfs/ASR_December2012_Lauren_Rivera_News_Release.pdf

    View Slide

  24. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    I am NOT young

    View Slide

  25. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    EEO-1 reports filed by employers with more
    than 100 employees provide data based on
    race, color, sex and national origin, but do not
    report data on age or disability.
    EEOC Diversity In High Tech
    https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/reports/hightech/
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

    View Slide

  26. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    We are aware that both groups are
    underrepresented in the tech workforce,
    suggesting the need for research to understand
    the causes and potential solutions.
    EEOC Diversity In High Tech
    https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/reports/hightech/
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

    View Slide

  27. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    The average developer is 28
    years old, according to data
    from Stack Overflow:

    View Slide

  28. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  29. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    OVER 40

    View Slide

  30. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    What you want
    to look like 

    after 40…

    View Slide

  31. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    What you
    probably look like
    after 40…

    View Slide

  32. Never trust anyone over 30!
    — Hippies, circa 1968

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  33. Never trust anyone over 25!
    — Corey Doctorow, “Little Brother”

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  34. Never trust anyone 12 or older!
    — Jason Cranford Teague, Age 10

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  35. In the tech world, gray hair and
    experience are really overrated.
    — Brian Halligan, CEO HubSpot

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  36. Young people are just smarter.
    — Mark Zuckerberg, CEO Facebook

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  37. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    HOW IS AGEISM
    RATIONALIZED?
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  38. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Write down 5 things
    you associate with
    older workers.

    View Slide

  39. Old age and treachery
    will always beat
    youth and exuberance.
    — David Mamet

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  40. YOU COST TOO MUCH
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  41. YOU DON’T KNOW THE LATEST TECH
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  42. YOUR SKILLS ARE OUT OF DATE
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  43. YOU WON’T PUT IN THE HOURS
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  44. YOU DON’T KNOW THE “SECRET LANGUAGE”
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  45. YOU CAN’T INNOVATE AT YOUR AGE
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  46. YOU WILL LEAVE WHEN SOMETHING BETTER COMES
    ALONG
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  47. YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY ENOUGH FOR SUCCESS
    AGEISM RATIONALIZATION
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  48. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Anything Else?

    View Slide

  49. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    WHAT IS EXPERIENCE
    WORTH?
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  50. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Write down 5 things
    you associate with
    experience.

    View Slide

  51. Everyone is born creative, but it is
    educated out of us at school.
    — Tham Khai Meng, Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  52. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  53. I would rather entrust the lowering of a 

    life-boat in mid-Atlantic to a sail-trained
    octogenarian than to a young sea
    technician who is competently trained in
    the modern way but has never been
    sprayed by salt water.
    — Lawrence Holt

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  54. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    enterprise, tenacity, and compassion

    View Slide

  55. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/08/heres-why-your-attitude-is-more-important-than-your-intelligence

    View Slide

  56. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Of the 5 things you wrote down, 

    which would you associate with a growth mindset?

    View Slide

  57. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT
    AGEISM?
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  58. Those who can, do.
    Those who CAN’T, teach.
    — George Bernard Shaw

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  59. What an old bastard!
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  60. Those who can, DO.
    Those who can do it well, TEACH!
    Those who can’t, become CRITICS!
    — Me

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  61. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Write down 5 things
    OLDER people 

    could teach 

    YOUNG people.

    View Slide

  62. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Write down 5 things
    YOUNG people 

    could teach 

    OLDER people.

    View Slide

  63. CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Write down 

    5WAYS 

    YOUNGER & OLDER people 

    could teach

    EACH OTHER

    View Slide

  64. Time is an Illusion.
    Lunchtime doubly so.
    — Douglas Adams
    The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY

    View Slide

  65. Thanks
    Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #DIGM233
    CREATIVE CONCEPT DESIGN

    View Slide

  66. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #DIGM233
    CREATIVE CONCEPT DESIGN
    JASON CRANFORD TEAGUE
    [email protected]
    541.600.4422
    @JasonCT | @CranfordTeague

    View Slide

  67. Jason Cranford Teague
    @CranfordTeague | #edui_ageism
    CRANFORDTEAGUE
    www.cranfordteague.com
    AGING OUT IN THE TECH INDUSTRY
    Experience Need Not Apply

    View Slide