Retire in your 60s and China, some tech workers are being pushed out of the industry way sooner than that.

From American Public Media, this is Marketplace Tech. I'm Lily Jamali.

Here in the US, big tech is having a good earning season as companies release their quarterly report cards this week.

This after a year marked by layoffs with many workers at tech firms big and small going through the first industry downturn of their careers.

China's tech industry has been even more exposed. The world's second largest economy is struggling.

Turns out a long resume isn't always helpful to those thrown out of work as a result.

I recently spoke with Marketplace's China correspondent Jennifer Pack, who explained what's being called the Curse of 35.

If you are looking for work and you're 35 or over, then you're likely going to be passed over.

If you're 35 and over and you currently have a job, you're probably going to be pretty worried about getting replaced or pushed out by somebody younger or cheaper.

35 is not exactly geriatric. I understand the draw to find cheaper labor.

But you know, you're throwing away a lot of experience, right? If you're hiring.

You'd think so, but notoriously in the tech sector, they're long work hours.

You work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, or even midday to midnight, seven days a week, and all of the mega tech firms do this.

Plus, you've got 11 million graduates this year alone. So you've got a lot of choices.

And here's how our coder named Nathan explained it to me.

So what he says is companies want fresh chives. What he means is coders and engineers are a dime a dozen here.

And he says young folks have got full batteries. So while people say that you're going to be swept out of the tech sector by 35, nowadays he thinks you're more likely out by the age of 30.

But what he's really referring to there is the economic sluggishness that's happening here.

But if you're saying that the economy isn't doing so well, presumably there's less work. So why do people need to work such long hours?

Well, part of it is because the client wants the project to be finished faster, but a lot of times I've heard it's just for show.

One of the tech workers told us that when he was brought into this mega tech firm, the manager told him, look, if you are finished all of your tasks for the day and it's 9 p.m.

If your coworkers are still sitting there, don't even think about leaving, plant yourself at your desk.

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