My experience in scratching around the unemployment world shows me that our employment is secured by how our supervisors and peers see us, certainly not just in terms of appearance (although being an outlier might not help) but more in terms of what you can contribute that helps them. The age factor comes into play somewhat strangely.
With the new millenium employee workforce it's all about them more than ever before. Hiring someone and actually having them show up is an accomplishment. During the 27-year gig I hired numerous people for good compensation and benefits who simply did not show up. There were more who started but left within a short time. My favorite was a guy who simply left a Post-It Note on his desk saying "I'm not coming back." We found that on a Thursday, two days after he left the note.
With the exception of the executive hire which is all bound up with options and contracts you really don't hire anyone with the expectation that they will spend their life at that job and if they stay two or three years that's a success.
Given the short tenure of the current or new-age employee it's been interesting to be 63 and 64 and looking at employment options. It seems that employers use criteria from long ago (hire for life and long tenure) and quickly determine that you might drop dead at any moment. That's a possibility.
The employment consultants encourage you to stress your relevant experience (not length), your reliability and your interpersonal skills and they also indicate that the market, while not hot, is good for quality "senior" workers. Most employment counselors have a tough job, are focused on keeping you with a positive attitude and give you good tools and encourage extensive networking.
As an executive you spend your time looking at others, guiding and mentoring your charges, keeping them from the distractions of corporate life. For me it's a bit of a 180 degree change. I don't think I ever passed on a hire because of age and I did make some great hires of people with tongue studs and lots of ink.
I'm probably fine for some short term project management gigs. Not that I'm not an executive I can skip the politics and budget hassles and focus on innovative, on-time project delivery. Generally speaking people have enjoyed and benefited working with me.
Microsoft asks questions of candidates to evaluate their creativity and thinking. Often the questions are not about applications or coding. A past question was "why are manholes round?"
If I am ever in a hiring position again I'll ask "would you lean your child against a screen window or encourage the to lean against a screen window?" I expect that someone will say "Of course not. There are warning labels on window screens." I will not hire that person.
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