Age issues in Japan

[untmdsprt]

Do people really care about your age in Japan? I just turned 40 this year, and you know what? Whoop di do!!! It's just a number, and I certainly don't act or look my age.

I've had numerous managers at potential teaching jobs bring up my age in an interview. I've had to tell them that my current supervisors are 10 - 15 years younger than me, and I treat them with the respect of their title. Age is never an issue for any of us.

I guess I've taken for granted the laws in the US that you can't refuse people based on age. Will this law ever exist in Japan?

[jemstone]

oh you could tell them that you're 29 this year... i remember one of the earlier beginner lessons that in japan, everybody was にじゅきょさい　です heh

i'm not sure abt the age limit in japan, but here in singapore, there IS kindda like a guideline-esque age limit. the effective age limit is 65 (for now), but i think the singapore government is realizing their mistake and they are now encouraging older folks (65 and above) to either keep working (if they are holding current jobs) or start working. they are also encouraging companies to employ older folks.

i'm inclined to think that for a busy efficient business hub like japan, employers probably might not want older folks to work for them because they may think that these folks are less efficient than the younger workforce.

[untmdsprt]

That's not necessarily true, and they may also think women are not as efficient as men since they are 90% likely to be taking care of children.

I myself have tried to keep up with technology. Some is cool, and others are what's the point?

Since I'm making a career change, I expect to start at the bottom no matter what age I am!

[jemstone]

oh yea... i'm all for your view... i've never doubted that a women could be less efficient than a man, unless she has proven that she IS actually less efficient.

i think with a law that says you can't refuse a person based on their age, there's still plenty of holes for employers to crawl through don't you think? unscrupulous ones will just cook up some excuse.

actually i think in the teaching profession, age shouldn't even be considered. don't you think that an older person would have more to teach than a younger one? sure they could put you as a "junior teacher" (if there's such a post) if you're new at teaching, but i don't think they should turn down your application just coz you're "too old". i don't buy that. not in the teaching profession at the very least.

[JonB]

in teaching I would not have thought it an issue but with the senpai/kohai culture and respect for the elder (even if it is junior school to senior school) it can get that way.

I hear that in tradional Japanese companies it is still promotion and respect in terms of years served and there is still an assumption that will be continuous from graduatation...

Things are changing though - all be it slowly. But the same can be true elsewhere. I remember a manager in the UK sending CV's straight to the bin because the candidate was older than him

[untmdsprt]

The recruiter turned it around and said they didn't want me to have a problem with my age and the manager. Love how people twist people's words around!!

Don't have to worry about them because Berlitz scared them off when they were trying to transfer the visa. Just as well, I don't really care to work for a company that brings up peoples' ages when they say it's not an issue for them.

[foxyshez]

yeah i think it is often an issue. In companies in Japan they look for the young bucks as most pay on age not merit. English schools run by Japanese may have the same predjudice. However, some prefer a mature person as they don't want back packers but long term and stable types. Try international schools. Where abouts are you looking to work? do you speak Japanese well?