Age limitation has become a serious problem to the graduates today in securing jobs in our country today. I seems no reason why most organizations usually look for either fresh graduates or graduates with age not more (<=28) to occupy vacant posts in their various establishments.

Come to think of it, there are a lot of graduates these days that finished long time ago (=> 5yrs) and as at the time of graduation, they're already 28-30yrs but are yet to secure job. Should people of this nature remain jobless forever? Alternatively, those that are looking for experienced staff still limited the age bracket to 28-30yrs, how possible is this when you could not secure job immediately after NYSC or as a result of ASUU Strike could not finish up their education at the right time?

Only very few graduates (<10%) are usually very lucky. I would like my people in the house to kindly contribute to this subject matter. Presently am thinking of writing a publication on this topic to be published in some of our dailies and some of your points can as well be included to buttress my point. Till I hear from you all, I wish you all a blessed weekend. Cheers!

You know whats funny about the whole thing? They request for young graduates of not more than 28yrs but they still ak for between 1-5yrs experience. I just believe this are all ways to limit the number of applications they recieve and ultimately process. God help us and help them too.

I thinks it really unfair on older applicants cos with the current ASUU problems in the country, how on earth for goodness sake do those employers think a applicant can graduate at the stipulated time.

Take for instance, after WAEC (if you are luck to make in at a sitting) the JAMB thing comes up (thanks to the post-Jamb test) so no long legs will be required to an extent. Finally, you get into school and you are faced with ASUU strike today ASUU strike tomorrow.

I am currently running a part-time programme, (i took it up with the thoughts that the programme will not be affected by the ASUU strike but alas!) and have been on the programme (from 200 level) since 2003 (we were actually supposed to resume for the programme in 2002 but a 6 month ASUU strike kept us till 2003)

I personally thing prospective employers should give applicants equal opportunities to let them show the stuffs they've got rather that putting limitations such as age and experience.

@Poster, I commend you for starting such a thread.

Actually this issue has given me a lot of concern recently.  Employers are making things too diff these days, moreover job openings are not coming from the government either.  The age issue is too discouraging and has resulted to manupulation of age by some many pple.  Yes, man must survive!

Come to think of it, the Nigerian Economy is getting bad everyday.  Some families can hardly afford two square meals per day.  If, in that family one of the children  decides to attend higher institutions it will definitely not be easy for them.  So a prospective student from such a family might go into trading or some sort of meagre job to raise some money to train himself/herself.  There is this hope that when he/she graduates and gets job, things will be better in the family. This might take some years to achieve thereby adding to the person's age.  It is too disheartening that at the end, such a person might to secure a good job due to age discrimination by Employers. WHAT A SHATTERED DREAM!

I know of one girl who got admission into a polytechnic, she was been trained by her elder brother. After her ND1, the man died and there was no other person in the family that could afford to assist her.  She had to drop out of school and picked a job as Sales Girl, she has an aged mother whom she is also taking care of.  Its three years now, things hasnt been easy for her and she still intends to go back to School.  3 yrs added to her age too!

Apart from the above and other similar cases like that, examination is not the true test of knowledge, some pple may not make there papers on time.  Also, getting admission in our Nigerian Universities these days, is no longer easy and some many other factors.

Therefore, in my own opinion Employers should re-consider the age limit they put in their job adverts for the sack of humanity.  AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

I REALLY COMMEND U ALL 4 UR CONTRIBUTION, I JUS HOPE EMPLOYYERS WHO VIEW DIS FORUM WILL CHANGE THEIR WAYS, LIKE SOM1 SAID, AGE IS JUS A NUMBER, YEA I MUST TELL U I AM 29 TODAY BUT IF I TELL U I AM 23, U WILL NOT DOUBT DAT because I AM FAR YOUNGER THAN MY AGE, SOME PEOPLE SEEM NOT TO BELIV ME UNTIL WHEN THEY SEE MY DOCUMENTS

DONCNN

MY GUY, YA TALK NA TRUE O! IF YOU ASK ME, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT SOME OF THIS PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO RPOMOTE AGE CHEATING. HOW ELSE DO YOU APPLY FOR A JOB YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR AND YOU ARE LIMITED IN AGE WITHOUT CHEATING?
GO ON SOUN! WRITE THE ARTICLE. I THINK WE SHOULD FORM A FORUM AND LET THE GOVERNMENT KNOW WHAT WE ARE PASSING THRU.

true talk jare.

Hi Guys,this is subject that calls for concern.But according to professional resume writers,some information in your CV can innocently send your CV to the ''Not Needed" file.Such infomation include your Age,State of origin,Religion and Sex.So,it is generally adviseable to exclude those info from your CV , EXCEPT when the advertiser specifically ask you to include them.Also,you can include such info( e.g state of origin) when you are applying for a job has a bias for people from your state.So Guys,be wise beacuse it is said that ", Just as the hunter has learn to shoot without missing;so the birds have learn to fly without perching"

this is a wonderful topic for discussion d issue is absurd they ask for not more than 27 years yet they want years of experience. when did u get into the unversity finish and did ur youth service plsssssssssss tell them to stop

On a very serious note, the peeps with the age problem should seriously consider entrepreneurship and seek serious finanacial freedom. we're in an age where info is the key. if u've an idea that is worth sellin, market it. u'll be surprised at what may come out of it. banks are now interested in financing people with killer ideas but no dough. u don't have to knot a tie everyday to make it. try readin the rich dad poor dad series.

banks are now interested in financing people with killer ideas but no dough

Really? Which banks specifically?

It is really shameful and I think the government should do something about it.

If employers don't want to employ old people, I am sure they have their reasons.
Go and start your own business, and you will soon discover why. You'll do exactly the same thing, I'm sure.

@ Seun may be you enlighten us more

By the way,what's the meaning of your signature

It is a really sad situation because even though i finished university education at a rather young age considering the strikes and all, I know a lot of very brilliant colleagues and friends who cant make the age cut.so what happens to them
IMAGINE THE WASTE OF HUMAN RESOURCES BY COMPANIES WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER
GOD help this country

I really wish employers of labour have time to read and feel the tears we shed. I have a friend a 2.1 graduate of Economics from University of Ife. When he was invited for aptitude tests from Ecobank, Access and Firstbank, he passed all with flying colours. He was subsequently called for interviews and he passes the interviews but he has never been called for appointment because according to them, " he is too old". Is competence and performance basically on age? We really have talents wasting because of this thier age barrier. Please employers of labour reconsider. My friend is still at home till today.

that is very unfair ,inview of all the ASNU strike's and all the delays in the academic system that we run in this country.people should be assesed on the basis of what they can do and not by the time they were born

it is really bad, the government should do something about it.

write a petition to musa

Makes no sense to me, its probably just nigerian factor.
I hear banks also ask single girls not to start a family until a nuber of years after joining the bank. I dont know how far this is true.

Single employees tend to put in more hours, because they have no families to take care of. They also demand less money, for the same reason. Some companies also prefer young employees because they tend to be fast and eager learners. Others because their managers are young!

While it's a pity that a few older people who are young at heart are harmed by this discrimination, it is not always worth the added time cost of interviewing more candidates? No. Don't forget that time is money.

Why don't you complain when companies demand a first degree? Can't you be a good employee without a degree?

I still want to comment on this age stuff. Its marvelled me that Nigerian or companies decide to treat graduates this way.
By the way i am a part time student of Lasu, i just need a part time job to help me out. i mean the job i could be closing by atleast 4pm Monday through Friday, then can work fully on Saturday. Pls someone to help with this. kindly email me at ekarika7@yahoo.com for any job/advert available. May God Help Us

Well, its actually a serious issue. Nigeria has really began to produce young graduates now. For example, i am 25 yrs old and an MSc graduate, so u see, it just has to take God and favor.

some people are lucky to be graduated @ very reasonable age without these factors:
1) WAEC
2)jamb
3) ASUU
4) Carry-overs
5) financial problems etc

I think most times, laws/rules created in Nigeria are extremely baseless.Laws are meant to enhance order and minimise chaos, and not done without thought for the general populace.
This particular corporate jargon is becoming the norm and its totaly unfair considering the nigerian academic environment and other factors already mentioned.

Its actually a form of discrimination including ethnic and tribal discrimination that also takes place in the work environment, and that is why in the UK,the government has legalised the age discrimination act which prevents employers from requesting for your age, sex, etc.
So all that crap we put on nigerian Cvs doesnt obtain here.

Conclusively,i think thats where associations like the Nigerian union of students should come in,they should try to lobby for laws that favour youths and students alike.
Age is obviously not a determinant of ones ability to do the job.

Age is a factor that affects your ability to do your job, if the job requires a lot of physical stamina or beauty.

Badero, thank God that u had written about the issue of age limit on job applications! I thought i was the only one worried about that, cos i had some experiences myself, that if it had not been that i knew some influential people within the society i would never had gotten the opportunity i had to work (even though i am no longer working because of the organization's setup, where i used to work, i had to resign)

I dont believe that it is only the younger generation that can be of better service to any organization, i believe that everyone should be given a fair chance to prove himself or herself that they are capable of doing the job as is required, even better. each individual is unique, we all have our qualities, so an elderly person may be blessed with certain things that a younger one may not and vice versa. So why is it that once a person passes over the age limit that is usually advertised in the papers, he or she is no longer qualified to apply for the job.

And do u know that by so doing, companies are loosing out on the best possible candidates for the kind of job they are advertizing 4? There should be no age limit, everyone should be interviewed and then can be disregarded or not based on performance. They will be suprised at the amount of talent they may find in this other group of people thay are rejecting without even giving a chance.

By the way, i am 44 years of age, and i believe that i have so much to offer to this country, be it in the private sector or government, i just need to be given a chance. I am undergoing my MBA at the moment in Finance and Accounting, which isnt an easy subject, and for me to be doing this at this age, i must be serious and willing to make something out of my life, i am not studying for nothing.

PLEASE PEOPLE, GIVE ALL A CHANCE, U MAY REALISE THAT U HAVE WASTED SO MANY YEARS AND HUMAN RESOURCE BY NOT RECRUITING ANYONE THAT IS CAPABLE, IRRESPECTIVE OF AGE!!!!!

U know what? Pls do leave an email add or no wher i can reach u so that we can discuss this further, cos i am interested in the article u want write on this issue, i want to chip in my contributions.

Seun, it isnt every job that we all see tha we would want to apply for, so for the one that requires strength, definately, if i feel i will not be up to the task, why should i make a fool of myself and even apply? As for beauty, if it is physical beauty the want then it must be some cosmetic job, because, who says an ugly peson cannot work in organizations that have beautiful people? Think of the fashion industry, it's not the face they are after4 all the time, but the body, so here, an ugly person facially may posses a more baeutiful body than the one with a pretty face, and be paid much higher even. Some adverts dont even show the face u know!

Pls dont be biased, Seun. Maybe, u have been privileged, so let others have their chances too.

This is a garmine issues that called for a critical look. The whole system is worst and in the light of this, i think the only thing we can do now is to let the Human rights group act on it. If NLC and TUC want to be sincere, this is their war that they must fight.

Also, There are lots of  ungodly acts ranging from Casualisation/contractalisation which is nothing but a bloody mirrage that I can describe as Neo-colonialism meaning slavary in our father land which most employers are trading today. My people this may not stop untill we unanimously fight this, we cannot continue to be ravaging in the ocean of an ignorance.

No doubt, it is really saddened and it is high time we fought for our right in order to curb this unwarranted descrimination.

Please go on.  let us all go on and report them to the whole world. The lord is our strenght.

One love!!

Make God open our eyes so that we can see beyond

We are all potential employer and employee

like someone said above, 'age is not a determinant of our ability to work'

I think instead of just looking for a job, work on improving yourself and proving the fact that ur more than just a company-look-for and this will attract the attention of companies. They will come scrambling for you.

Prizeless!,that is easier siad than done.It is really sad cos there are very few jobs out there & you find people that have graduated long ago without jobs & are over the age limit.
Also, the issue of staring a busines, you need to see what young entrepreneures are going thru just to get a business started ,the bank s are not helping neither is PHCN.my broda,no be small thing o!!!!!its a jungle out there & its becoming more & more fierce everyday.