Being told you're too old for a job sounds very insulting. I think employers do that because they consider potential illness and retirement. For example, take a 55 year old man who is applying for jobs. A company knows that the retirement age is 65. That means, disregarding any potential illnesses, the employee would have on average 10 more years on the job and then the company would have to account for his retirement benefits which costs the company money depending on their retirement package or benefits or pension etc...so they would rather hire a 35 year old as opposed to a 55 year old to be on the "safer" side. It's cut throat and horrible but that's business for ya.