Career and Kids

Mothers can’t use computers

by elizabeth on February 28th, 2007

I got all excited when I ran across a Wall Street Journal article about older people returning to the workplace. I read it with anticipation in case any of you had a parent that might want to get back in the workplace.

Imagine my surprise, when I learned that the “older folks” they were referring to were 45-50. Way too close to my age. This would not be a good time to tell me that I am your mother’s age.

According to the article, workers may have dropped out of the workforce to “raise children” and are now returning to work, but, they don’t have the proper computer literacy skills.

While I’m sure this may indeed be the case with some people, the tone is such that I feel like it’s saying that “moms” who have stayed at home don’t know how to use a computer:

With unemployment at a low 4.6% and demand for labor robust in a persistently expanding economy, more and more Americans will be entering the job market in the months ahead. They emphatically include millions of mature people who had dropped out of the labor force for several years — perhaps to raise their children — and have chosen this inviting time to bounce back in.

and

Trouble is, says Don Sutaria, president of career counseling firm CareerQuest in Union, N.J., “A lot of people over the age of 45 or 50 are afraid of the computer, since they didn’t grow up with it.”

For those of you “older” job hunters less sensitive than I am, it’s worth a read.

Otherwise, get me my glasses, and, a broom, and, come over here, sonny. I am going to help you sweep your generalizations, and, then I’m going to format your computer.

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POSTED IN: Career, Technology