[tyingq]

Good for him. I had a similar experience. Had to slog it out at low wages long enough to have a real work history with recognizable clients.

He seems a little more bitter about it than I was. Trust is part of the game, and people just naturally, and subconsciously look for signals that you're the real deal.

[Baeocystin]

I think he would benefit from putting a little more thought in to why people might judge someone very young as being responsible enough/capable enough/etc. It is not just, or even mostly, prejudice.