Veteran Chief

shootcam

Active member
My opinion....Employers are looking for chiefs that are 20 years old with 40 years experience.

We all know this is not possible so why is a 60 year old chief with 30 years experience having such a hard time trying to become reemployed? Lots of answers have I received to this question, some logical some not so. Not looking for a huge discussion on the subject, just putting it out there so you may see into your future as a chief or camera person. Good luck to all photogs who have the ability to never have birthdays....
 

cyndygreen1

Well-known member
Age is perceived as a liability. I run into that occasionally and probably more than I know since it is one of those "unwrittens." Just keep moving forward. One word of advice I read on a job board is to remove all references to dates in your education and edit judiciously your experience. Don't show more than 20-25 years of experience. Hide those clues so they can't read between the lines and eliminate you early on.

Once they check your reel and experience and decide they like you they MAY overlook your grey hairs. Or not. Of course if you are looking in a market you already worked in/live in this won't work.

Good luck.

Oh - and don't reminisce about U-matic or film until AFTER you're hired.
 
As a former chief with nine years in management and 20+ years in news, I've been told "we can't afford you" (No numbers had been mentioned yet at this top 20 station) and "you'd never move here because you have a family".

*sigh*
 

Lensmith

Member
Frankly, I used to run into the same thing.

Young managers who, for a variety of personal reasons on their part, would rather supervise people younger than themselves.

The incorrect perception that older people have no computer skills or are unable to adapt to the "new" technology.

The idea that since you are older, you will want more time off for your family responsibilities than someone who is younger and unmarried.

These are a few I've seen. The frustration of dealing with managers who have this mindset are what finally convinced me a local news staff position was not something I wanted...or needed. ;)
 

C St. SW

Well-known member
One word of advice I read on a job board is to remove all references to dates in your education and edit judiciously your experience. Don't show more than 20-25 years of experience. Hide those clues so they can't read between the lines and eliminate you early on.
Amazing....and sad. What a pendulum swing! A career when you start out being told that only experience will get you the job....and now we've gone full tilt telling those same guys 30 years later that experience is no longer needed, it's not even wanted.

I am SO glad I got out!!
 

cyndygreen1

Well-known member
Much as I hate to admit it, I've gotten more calls since I deleted about ten years of experience and "lost" my college graduation year.
 
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