Thanks for writing this. This is not just a Silicon Valley problem. From my experience, it’s also an issue here in Israel, the Startup Nation.

Last year, Cisco terminated my employment as part of what they describe as limited restructuring. Previous to this I worked at the company they acquired for 13 years. After another two years working for Cisco, I was happy to leave; mainly because I wanted to switch from a support role and into full time development. But, since I was a month away from my fourth eighth birthday, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly didn’t include my birthday on my CV, and would only reveal my age if asked directly.

Luckily, I found work within that month, but along the way I did experience some blatant ageism. In one notable example, one interviewer asked me how I would feel to be managed by someone younger than myself. I said it wasn’t an issue, but he wasn’t convinced.

Soon after this incident I started working for a small software company as a front end and mobile developer. Ironically, I am the oldest person in the office. The next oldest person is 40, and the owner is 37. I share a room with a 30 year old. The IT guy across the hall is 27.

Since my background is somewhat unusual, I have been brought new ideas and perspectives to our project. The younger members of the team are more conservative in outlook.

One final point, just before I accepted my current job, I meet a 19 year old serial entrepreneur on an inter city bus. He overheard a phone interview I had with a prospective employer, and asked for my resume. If this would have worked out, I would not only have been the oldest in his startup, all my coworkers would have been more than half my age.