A well known venture capitalist and admitted “old guy” named Vinod
Khosla, (he’s 57 years old) was reported to have said at a conference last year
that "people over 45 basically die in terms of new ideas." (Please
don’t tell my wife, I pretty much bet our house on my ability to start a really
clever new business). This Vinod guy is really smart and he explained that he
did not mean that old folks can’t do clever stuff; they just need to be more
fearless. I guess he’s never seen me in my Super Suit.
I read that quote in an article by Sarah McBride , of Reuters
entitled: Silicon Valley's dirty little secret: age bias
I got a kick out of some examples Ms McBride used to show how apparently
we have to learn to dress more like 20-somethings:
In one case she mentioned a 60 year old guy (I am getting
dangerously close to that milestone) who shaved off his gray hair and traded in
his loafers for a pair of Converse sneakers before heading into an interview.
He got hired. Later in the article, this same guy goes on to say: In
person, older job applicants should carry a backpack, not a briefcase and they
should avoid Blackberries and Dell laptops in favor of Android phones and Apple
products. And above all, steer clear of wristwatches. "The worst would be
a gold Rolex," he says. "Tacky, and old." (If only I could
afford a Rolex – I might be happy to be tacky)
In another example from the article, a 40-something market
researcher (is 40 old?) headed to a boutique popular with young women for
advice on "something to look hip" and "blend in" before
she went to her interview. She ditched her tailored pants and blouses for a
dress, tights, and biker boots. She eventually got the position.
So I am wondering, if
I shave my nearly bald but graying head, buy a dress and some tights and put on
some Converse sneakers, will I be more attractive to venture capitalists? Or do
you think that would be taking it too far? I really could use the money!
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