Hi all.

Has anyone come across something similar:

- job posting for a "senior network engineer" with salary range I am looking for
- I meet all of the job requirements listed
- get a call from recruiter asking cofirmation to be submitted to the hiring manager for the role - I give it
- get a call back from recruiter saying that then hiring manager thinks I am "too senior" and recruiter feels it might also be because manager is around same age as me

What I don't understand is why any manager would not even consider an applicant who meets or exceeds all requirements as long as he is in budget - regardless of age (within reason...ex. not looking to retire in the near future)

Is this a "Swiss culture" thing I just don't understand or am I missing something?

Gosh,
have to say , you dont look 40. it seems that people over a certain age say 25 are just too expensive to employ- worldwide phenomena , but probably just catching on in mainland europe.


good luck with job search.

Because said manager is weak-willed and afraid of you.
S/he wants someone they can boss around...

Not considering for a job is one thing, but I dont think you are allowed to give age as an excuse. There are laws now against descrimination based on age.

You dont even have to specify your age/DOB on your resume's anymore.

Yeah, but this is CH. I thought the old rules still applied (i.e. anything goes...)

For Sequoia Capital, most of us in this forum are too old... way too old:
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2010/01/0...quoia-capital/

Yikes!!! I am "almost" 24 and was thinking about looking for a new job at some point and wanting to stay in CH for good few years. Doesnt look promising at all

Old rules should only apply, if you are allowed to smoke on your desk

Becuase he feels threatened that you might be seen to be better than him.
I actually don't usually find this a problem in Switzerland but more of a problem in the UK.

That's only in traditional CH companies, the multinats have gone "California"

I have been told recently that I was too senior and experienced for a job , and I am 26.

Don't you know? The ideal candidate for any Swiss job has between 15-20 years experience, and is between 28-32 years old.

And preferably Swiss?

After finishing their PhD aged 35

Oh, poor you! Were the experiments painful??

(Sorry, couldnt resist it!)

was the job with Credit Suisse by any chance? At CS in Switzerland, "Senior" appears to be code for Assistant Vice President level, which is typically someone with 5-7 years professional experience.

It may be a Swiss culture thing or it may not be.

Anyone who hires though has to make a choice and that choice is sometimes based on something altogether different then just meeting the job requirements.

Often the candidate will never know what exactly it was that tipped the balance to one side or the other.

So they, manager/whoever will formulate an excuse in the most professional way possible and that's that.

It can be quite cruel at times.

When they are born, they've already done their GCSE's and A-levels... and are awarded CH equivalent of A level certificate along with their Birth certificates

It is a swiss thing

Did you compose that yourself?
Are you taking English lessons?

Surprisingly impressive, I must say

... and don't forget their birth cirtificate is translated into 5 languages - they sure are busy during those 9 months...

Is that why they don't start school 'til 7 years?