Tech Workers Over 35 Facing Career Crisis: Analysis of Age Discrimination in the Industry

Strict recruitment criteria and a fast-paced, unstable tech industry environment have excluded many senior employees aged 35 and over from job opportunities, contributing to the job insecurity and '35-year-old' career crisis for tech workers. According to a report published by China's Maimai Data Research Institute in 2021, the average age of employees at the top 20 internet companies in China is 29.6. The average age at ByteDance and Pinduoduo, the two fastest-growing internet companies in China, is the lowest of all of them – a mere 27.

Ji Yuankui, a 33-year-old testing engineer, is currently facing the issue of career transformation. After experiencing health problems due to high-intensity overtime work in YITU and ByteDance, he returned to his former employer, Trip.com Group Limited, for a more relaxed working environment but faced salary and rank regression. In order to avoid dismissal, he plans to transfer to a testing management position before the age of 35, but faces the risk of job-hopping failure due to the lack of management experience.

'The salary level and vacation benefits for older employees are often better than younger ones. This means that many companies have to pay more to retain an older employee. Therefore, when the tech industry shrinks and cools down, younger people who seems to be more cost-effective and easier to manage will likely become the first choice for companies,' said Ms. Zhao, a senior recruiter. Regarding the problem of re-employment for older employees, she also noted that the actual situation is not as dire as it is portrayed on social media, as many of employees find alternative job opportunities before layoffs occur, such as working in smaller or medium-sized enterprises or abroad.

Eliminating age discrimination in the workplace became a hot topic during the two sessions last year, with some experts calling for revising relevant labor laws and regulations to ensure a certain proportion of employees aged 40 and above in various types of enterprises. Hu Wei, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that middle-aged people are the backbone of national progress and social stability, and should not be excluded from the recruitment range.

However, until such legislation is enacted, personal efforts such as continuous learning and improving professional skills may help older tech workers to overcome career anxiety. It is also suggested to lower excessive career expectations and consider alternative career paths or industries.

Overall, this article provides a detailed analysis of the challenges that older tech workers face in the industry due to strict recruitment criteria and a fast-paced, unstable work environment. The article includes statistics and personal anecdotes that support the claims made in the piece. The inclusion of expert opinions and suggestions for overcoming career anxiety also adds value to the article.

However, the article could benefit from providing more context and analysis on the reasons behind the age discrimination in the tech industry. Additionally, the article could explore more deeply the potential solutions to this issue beyond personal efforts such as continuous learning and considering alternative career paths.

Overall, this article is informative and well-written, but could benefit from further development of its analysis and solutions.