but that is little comfort for job seekers over the age of 45 or who aren't Dutch. One possible reason why there are so many job vacancies: employers are far more concerned about hiring the "wrong" employees than making sure they have the human resources to meet business needs.

By Q | November 15, 2007 12:41 PM

Your article: Discrimination in job hunting is real. This can explain as well so many job vacancies.

By Nari | November 15, 2007 7:13 PM

I don't believe there is discrimination against minorites. A lot of businesses are very open to anyone willing to work. I know plenty of miniorties that would rather collect a monthly uitkering than work.

Age discrimination is more believable. Unfortunately, this type of discrimination is not limited to the Netherlands. It is all over Europe with the exception of Sweden that is very open to hiring people over 45 in almost all business related jobs or the medical field.

By Sandra | November 16, 2007 6:03 AM

Hundreds of millions of baby boomers are about to retire over the next few years, which will leave a huge gap in the professional job market. Add this to the fact that educational institutes are not educating people in a way that is useful to many companies and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that there will be a severe skills shortage problem for many countries.

Now look again at baby boomers. They are healthier, richer and more knowledgeable than any age sector in history. Yet hardly anyone pays attention to them. Certainly not advertisers or companies looking to hire. Yet they possess tremendous untapped wealth in both money and knowledge terms. Their disposable income is staggering.

Yet I have not seen a single ad all year that is remotely targeted at this group. I have not seen a single job targeted at this group. What is the root cause of this? For myself it is a lack of imagination and the inability to make the connection to the untapped potential of this age group.

And a blinkered society overly obsessed with youth. I am 58 and a big Apple and Nike fan. Yet I have never felt that any of their advertising resonated with me. I feel distinctly alienated with Apple messaging, which seems wholly aimed at school kids, despite millions of people like myself who have gown up with the brand.

As for employment, anyone over 45 is seen as a financial liability rather than an intellectual asset. It is time we created a whole service industry and brand culture aimed at baby boomers. There are more of us than young people, we have the most disposable income and we are useful to employers in ways that takes years and years to develop. We are low hanging fruit, there to be picked. Yet we are ignored by employers and advertisers. Why? We are not young. Therefore, we don't exist.

I'm a big fan of young people and their energy and enthusiasm. Mix this with the wisdom and insight of baby boomers and you have a killer company. But as accountants rule the business world, paying a little extra for experience seems so...well...costly. Yet, if you continue to ignore us, you will have missed one of the biggest financial and marketing opportunities ever presented in history.

By John Richardson | November 17, 2007 10:27 AM

It is true that the Dutch job market is awash with discrimination.I am from Africa and was educated entirely in English up to university level and have been sending a lot job application but only get a telephone call(response) when the vacancy has been filled.

It is obvious that I write and speak far much better English language that most Dutch people but get preference because of home town decisions

By College Maphosa | November 17, 2007 4:37 PM

I applied to many web and multimedia job postings in the Netherlands. I get good portfolio reviews and nice compliments on my ten year work history.

Conversations soured upon noticing I am from America. The employers did not want to sponsor a work permit.

By Jason | November 17, 2007 8:32 PM