Article
December 2012
Those are pretty compelling numbers, and study after study continues to show empirical evidence that ageist attitudes are prevalent in American society.
But why? Let’s look at why age discrimination might originate in the hiring process:
- Hiring managers may wonder if older job applicants “have enough gas in the tank.”
- If you have been working for 30 years or more, hiring managers question the likelihood of you suddenly doing more than you’ve done in the past. In other words, at an older age, you “are who you are.”
- It is believed that the older you are, the less potential you possess.
- Hiring managers probably think you’ll want to earn a higher salary.
- Employers might expect you’ll have more impact on health care costs.
- Prospective managers might think you’ll have an issue working for a younger boss.
- It might be believed that your technical skills are out of date.
Those are some heavy reasons. So what can older employees do to offset them? Here are a few suggestions:
- Focus on your present skillset
- Address unspoken biases directly
- Tailor your resume to what employers want. For example, collect job postings for your target job (i.e., “financial analyst”) and find one job requirement that’s common to all the postings with that title. Next, find a requirement that’s common to most of them.
- Now, you’ve got a template that tells you when employers are hiring financial analysts, this is how they prioritize their needs and these are the words they use to describe the job. At that point, you can tailor your work history and pull out the experiences that show you can do that job using their language.
- Fight the fear and be confident in what you have to offer. Determine your unique selling points and sell them.
- Look the part. Wear a contemporary hairstyle and clothing to show you are not “behind the times.”
- Keep up to date with technology and trends in your function and industry
Ageism is almost certainly a factor in hiring, but you don’t have to take it lying down. For candidates, consider consulting opportunities that can keep your skills sharp and showcase your ability to quickly add value. For employers, our experience is that a seasoned candidates and consultants can bring a higher level of maturity and knowledge to a role and add significant value to the organization if given the opportunity.