i have been considering giving teaching in taiwan a shot. ive done quite a bit of research and have noticed a lot of employers are looking for teachers under the age of 35…i am 35 years old.
am i going to have a problem finding work because i am older than the typical applicant?
Sad to say, but if you look youngish, white and can stand up it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Only if you have a problem with it yourself.
I’m older than you and I could get a job easily,
here. Fifty might be a problem but you’re far
from that.
The typical applicant seems to be about 30.
Your age won’t hurt you, but there are other things that
might. Punctuation, capitalization and punctuality are
several things that come to mind.
Show up, do a good job and take the job, that you do, seriously.
Finding work should be a breeze.
[quote=“Hondu Grease”]I have been considering giving teaching in Taiwan a shot. I’ve done quite a bit of research and have noticed a lot of employers are looking for teachers under the age of 35…I am 35 years old.
am i going to have a problem finding work because I am older than the typical applicant?[/quote]
We just hired two foreign teachers, one is 33, one 35. They are by far the most responsible, reliable and INTO the art that is English teaching newbies than we could have even imagined. 
And 35 ain’t old sonny! :raspberry:
We have a 55 year old man working at one of our schools. If you enjoy your job, and take it seriously, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Too old? LOL I’m 63, have been at the same school for the past 7 years and everybody (including parents who wait in line to get their kids in my classes or refuse to accept a new teacher when schedules change) loves Ye-Ye!
I came to Taiwan when I was 55 and left the first school after a one year contract for where I am now. The second school (the best know in our city) hired me after a 15 minute interview.
You’re 35 and worried about age? Ha!
Just make sure you wipe your mummy’s milk off your top lip before you go in to interview, sprout. 
I know one guy who is in his 60’s and almost senile but he seems to do OK!
Are you talking about me, Panda???
Kenneth
oops… Didn’t know you were on this site.
[quote=“Ramblin Rube”]Too old? LOL I’m 63, have been at the same school for the past 7 years and everybody (including parents who wait in line to get their kids in my classes or refuse to accept a new teacher when schedules change) loves Ye-Ye!
I came to Taiwan when I was 55 and left the first school after a one year contract for where I am now. The second school (the best know in our city) hired me after a 15 minute interview.
You’re 35 and worried about age? Ha![/quote]
You just made my day. 
[quote=“wipt”]Only if you have a problem with it yourself.
I’m older than you and I could get a job easily,
here. Fifty might be a problem but you’re far
from that.
The typical applicant seems to be about 30.
Your age won’t hurt you, but there are other things that
might. Punctuation, capitalization and punctuality are
several things that come to mind.
Show up, do a good job and take the job, that you do, seriously.
Finding work should be a breeze.[/quote]
And don’t forget to count your vowels… You can get a job looking like this up here in the mountains… no problems
The age limit listed on many ads is arbitrary and discriminatory. You’ll find that these practices aren’t limited to local bosses. Some Western buxiban owners also have the temerity to add this ridiculous condition to their employment ads. I think they should be spammed mercilessly and given atomic wedgies by rugby players.
I wonder if the mods will consider removing ads for English teachers which contain age discriminatory requirements? Tell these owners to go away, develop a social conscience, then come back again when they’ve developed a sense of fairness and logic. There should be no tolerance for such tripe.
Having said that, you’ll find that there are plenty of jobs available for those over 35. You will even be able to talk some of the noone-over-35 dolts into hiring you, assuming you’d want to work for someone like that.
Respectfully,
Tomas (age 36)
It’s the same thing as schools that refuse foreign-born (or raised) Asians or other non-white teachers. If they are so ignorant that they select teachers solely on how they will look in their brochures or ads (notice no black or older teachers in Hess ads, btw), then they probably aren’t the kind of schools that actually care what their kids learn. Fortunately, being black, I was involuntarily given the opportunity to weed out these kinds of schools and landed a job at the one I have been working at for the last four years.
Consider yourself lucky to be turned down by these schools. You might have become a “glorified babysitter/clown” if they weren’t so ignorant.
[quote=“Tomas”]
…Tomas (age 36)[/quote]
Hmm, I remember two years saying:
“Hmm, I remember a year ago saying:”
“Hmm, you said last year you were 36.” 
[quote=“Muzha Man”][quote=“Tomas”]
…Tomas (age 36)[/quote]
Hmm, I remember two years saying:
“Hmm, I remember a year ago saying:”
“Hmm, you said last year you were 36.” [/quote]
Now that’s just mean! Good to see you back Tomas. Did you just forget your Geritol or is there another reason you haven’t posted for so long?
[quote=“Tomas”]The age limit listed on many ads is arbitrary and discriminatory. You’ll find that these practices aren’t limited to local bosses. Some Western buxiban owners also have the temerity to add this ridiculous condition to their employment ads. I think they should be spammed mercilessly and given atomic wedgies by rugby players.
I wonder if the mods will consider removing ads for English teachers which contain age discriminatory requirements? Tell these owners to go away, develop a social conscience, then come back again when they’ve developed a sense of fairness and logic. There should be no tolerance for such tripe.
[/quote]
Tomas,
I have brought this point up before, but apparently not enough people feel that “age-ism” is as discriminatory as racism or other -isms, so no one thought the posts should be pulled or the posters warned or asked to change their ads.
I agree that it is as ridiculous to specify an age cutoff as it is to specify, for example, “Canadian only” if the post relates only to English teaching (nothing Canada-specific like university consulting or something). Surely one could specify things like “energetic”, “enthusiastic” and so forth – in fact it would be more precise than “young” which at times can also include things like “irresponsible”, “flighty”, “undecided about a career” and other lovely attributes not particularly attractive to employers. “Native speaking” is a legitimate attribute for language teaching (although native speakers are not the only competent teachers); nationality, age, sexual orientation, etc. are not, in my view.
[quote=“Muzha Man”][quote=“Tomas”]
…Tomas (age 36)[/quote]
Hmm, I remember two years saying:
“Hmm, I remember a year ago saying:”
“Hmm, you said last year you were 36.” [/quote]
I am almost certain that I am 36, though I can no longer see the birthdate on my driver’s license very clearly. Where the hell are my bifocals?
[quote=“ironlady”][quote=“Tomas”]The age limit listed on many ads is arbitrary and discriminatory. You’ll find that these practices aren’t limited to local bosses. Some Western buxiban owners also have the temerity to add this ridiculous condition to their employment ads. I think they should be spammed mercilessly and given atomic wedgies by rugby players.
I wonder if the mods will consider removing ads for English teachers which contain age discriminatory requirements? Tell these owners to go away, develop a social conscience, then come back again when they’ve developed a sense of fairness and logic. There should be no tolerance for such tripe.
[/quote]
Tomas,
I have brought this point up before, but apparently not enough people feel that “age-ism” is as discriminatory as racism or other -isms, so no one thought the posts should be pulled or the posters warned or asked to change their ads.
I agree that it is as ridiculous to specify an age cutoff as it is to specify, for example, “Canadian only” if the post relates only to English teaching (nothing Canada-specific like university consulting or something). Surely one could specify things like “energetic”, “enthusiastic” and so forth – in fact it would be more precise than “young” which at times can also include things like “irresponsible”, “flighty”, “undecided about a career” and other lovely attributes not particularly attractive to employers. “Native speaking” is a legitimate attribute for language teaching (although native speakers are not the only competent teachers); nationality, age, sexual orientation, etc. are not, in my view.[/quote]
Thank you for this, ironlady.
Mods, can we at least post rules on the job listings board that specify zero tolerance for discrimination? I know you don’t have time to police all of the ads, and I don’t want to scare away reasonable employers, but these bozos who perpetuate discrimination of any kind need to know that at least on forumosa, it will not be tolerated.
[quote=“sandman”][quote=“Muzha Man”][quote=“Tomas”]
…Tomas (age 36)[/quote]
Hmm, I remember two years saying:
“Hmm, I remember a year ago saying:”
“Hmm, you said last year you were 36.” [/quote]
Now that’s just mean! Good to see you back Tomas. Did you just forget your Geritol or is there another reason you haven’t posted for so long?[/quote]
Nah, I moved back to the U.S., and figured I had to go cold turkey in order to adjust to life back home. It was easier than I thought. I don’t miss Taiwan, but have a definite fondness for a good many of the people I met while living there.