In the world of Internet technology, the MTV-generation lifestyle defines office protocol and youth is the ticket to a gainful career. My managers are all young, cool and fun to hang out with. Indeed, green and malleable seems to be the mix that the Bay Area's dot-com recruiters troll for.
Some recruiters say they have no choice.
Older candidates haven't grown up with the Internet and don't understand the lingo and culture of e-business. We had the Internet in college. And because young professionals move in the same circles, getting a position at a start-up can be as easy as having a friend in the right place. Other high-tech companies say the labor shortage is what's behind the trend in hiring younger employees. Silicon Valley Joint Venture, a local think tank, found that the current demand for labor exceeds the local labor supply by 31 to 37 per cent.