Ageism is a problem in the job market and in the workplace and has been for some time. Research has repeatedly found that our chances of getting hired are reduced as we age. One doesn’t have to look far for confirmation.
Workers over 40 were half as likely, or less, to get a job offer
In one example, Marketwatch reported on a 2020 study by professor David Neumark at the University of California, Irvine, which found that workers over age 40 were about half as likely, or less, to get a job offer from an unnamed American restaurant chain than younger workers if employers knew the applicants’ ages.
Fundamental to the study was a change that the company made to its hiring practices in which applicants' ages were no longer visible to hiring managers. Using data from the chain’s database that was adjusted for skills, fit, and availability, the researchers found that when managers could determine an applicant’s age, people over 40 were between 46% and 65% less likely to get a job offer than those under 40. The discrimination was greater for customer-facing jobs than non-customer-facing ones, though significant for both. Under the new system, older workers were more likely to pass the age-blind application process than younger ones because they typically had more experience.
"This set of results is strongly consistent with age discrimination," said Neumark, according to Marketwatch. "Older applicants are more qualified [than younger ones] in terms of applicant characteristics and evaluations used by the company in their online application system."
This is only one study that confirms what people begin to suspect as they age – that the employment landscape is weighted against them.
Four in ten hiring managers admit to reviewing resumes with age bias
Another survey of 61,000 U.S. respondents from Gallup reportedly found that formal employment rates dropped once people entered their 50s, but self-employment and "independent contractor" designations rose dramatically. Older job seekers may turn toward consulting or contract roles or starting their own businesses. Sometimes it’s necessary to take a different path in order to make a living.
More research released in February 2022 found that nearly four in ten hiring managers admit to reviewing resumes with age bias.
The survey of 800 North American hiring managers found that:
- 38% of hiring managers have caught themselves reviewing a resume with age bias.
- 45% know of colleagues who are biased against applicants of a certain age.
- 41% said including a graduation year on your resume makes age bias more likely.
Regarding hiring applicants over age 60, hiring managers reported that their main concerns are that the employee may retire shortly after starting and may not be proficient in the technology needed to do the job. There were also concerns with hiring people under age 25, mainly that younger employees would lack the necessary experience to do the job and be more likely to leave within a short period of time.
The bias against older workers persists despite the fact that research also finds that global employers say their hires aged 45+ perform as well or better than younger employees.
Note that employers in Canada are not allowed to ask your age except under some special circumstances. That being said, it might be very difficult to prove age was a factor in not being hired.
How to combat ageism on the job market and in the workplace
How can workers combat ageism on the job market and in the workplace? It’s not easy, but there are some steps you can take.
Remove evidence of your age from your application materials
Hiding one’s age is definitely not the ideal solution. One should be able to be proud of one’s experience and accomplishments and wear their age proudly. Unfortunately, if you need a job to pay the bills, taking steps to remove your age from application materials might be worth it.
You can avoid age discrimination, at least in the earlier stages of the process, by avoiding giving any indication of your age on your resume – by leaving off your graduation year and only including about 15 years of your most recent work experience, for example.
Some other things that can make you look older in your resume and application materials include:
- 2 phones numbers. Older people are more likely to have a landline. Only include one.
- A Yahoo, Hotmail, or other dated email address. Most people use Gmail now.
- Two spaces after a period. This practice is no longer in use.
- Including an "objective" rather than a summary at the top of your resume. The objective is dated and a bad use of important real estate.
- Old-style references to technology like hyphenating the word "e-mail" and capitalizing "Internet."
Older workers should also avoid listing skills that are presupposed in this day and age. Don’t include basic computer skills like email and Microsoft Word. People assume you can write an email and use a computer.
Younger workers, meanwhile, can create a fuller work section by listing volunteer experience. They should also avoid casual colloquialisms that are less commonly used by older generations, like use of the word "hey" to address someone in writing.
More ways to get past the ageism bias in hiring include the following:
Nurture your self-confidence
No matter how old you are, if you’re feeling self-conscious because you think people are going to judge you on the basis of your age, or for any other reason for that matter, it will affect your chances of getting the job. Confidence is key. Hiring managers want to hire someone who is confident in their abilities and can demonstrate this.
Practice confident body language and learn to appreciate yourself as you are. Focus on your positive attributes and know that you are valuable.
Always be learning
Being a lifelong learner exponentially improves your chances of success. Older people can sometimes think they have nothing left to learn and that they know all they need to know, but this is never true. You can always learn new skills and improve existing ones. Keeping up with tech developments is crucial to maintaining value on the job market. And there is always opportunity to study an entirely new subject. Younger workers can also add to their skillset and to their understanding of their industry or the world to add to their value.
Take online or in-person courses, read, and just keep learning and growing. Hiring managers are always looking for a willingness to learn in new hires of any age group.
Highlight your value
Highlight your accomplishments and achievements. For older workers, this means finding ways to list what you’ve done (“increased sales by 100% year over year”), rather than how long you’ve done it for (“25 years of sales experience”).
Your job is to convince potential employers that you will bring value to their organization and be worth more than you cost to hire, train, and employ. Do this by pointing to past triumphs and finding ways you can bring similar success to a new company.
Work for change
Many people out there are feeling age bias and complaining of age bias. But while there is legislation to protect against it in many jurisdictions, it takes more than legislation to change minds.
If fighting ageism is something you feel strongly about, get involved with doing exactly that. Join an existing campaign or start your own. Educate yourself on the topic (here’s one resource) and learn to talk about it effectively. Start conversations and write articles to post on your social media. If you know people in hiring positions, discuss it with them, and if you have a job and see it at your organization, speak up. If you’re in a position where you can afford to wear your age with pride, do that. We often feel like we are powerless to affect change, but we are not.
