5 Quick Tips for Fighting Age Discrimination

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice •


As you begin your job search, your focus should be on crafting a professional resume and cover letter, building your network of industry contacts, and wowing the hiring managers at every interview you attend. The last stressor you want to face in your job hunt is age discrimination. If you feel your age is becoming an issue during your job search, follow these five tips for fighting age discrimination.

1. Don't Reveal Your Age

Remember that you never have to share your age with an interviewer. Make sure your resume or cover letter does not state your age or birthday. Do include your educational experience on your resume, but remove the graduation dates so the hiring manager can't do the math. List only the relevant jobs you've held within the last 10 years, and remove any hobbies, such as knitting or antiquing, that could lead an interviewer to surmise your age.

2. Address Unspoken Concerns

If you're concerned that a hiring manager may overlook you for a position because of your age, combat the age discrimination before it even occurs. If you're applying for a marketing job that requires knowledge of the current trends, for example, focus your resume and cover letter on your previous work experience in the fashion industry to show that your skills are relevant.

3. Don't Apologize

Never go into an interview feeling ashamed of your age, and never apologize for it. Your attitude about your age may shape the interviewer's opinion on the matter, so don't automatically expect him to take issue. Act positively, and have confidence in your past work experience and ability to perform the job duties successfully. Rather than focusing on your age, steer the conversation toward your achievements and qualifications that make you an ideal candidate for the position, so you can turn your age into a positive for the hiring organization.

4. Update Your Look

Don't let your age define you when you walk into an interview. Make sure your wardrobe is current, and exude confidence in yourself, your experience and your abilities. Show your enthusiasm for the job, and demonstrate that you have a high energy level.

5. Take a Stand

If you suspect or know that you're a victim of age discrimination, fight back against the offending employer. Talk with a career counselor or human resources expert to find out what your rights are. Meet with a lawyer to obtain legal advice on how to take action, if necessary.

As an older job seeker, you may find yourself dealing with age discrimination during the job hunt. If you're sending out stacks of resumes or going on interview after interview to no avail and suspect that age discrimination may be a factor, don't get discouraged. Focus on your strengths, find ways to make yourself more marketable to potential employers, and just keep plugging away until you get that coveted job offer.


Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Fenton Heirtzler thanks for your comment. Even if you didn't get the answer that you were hoping for, kudos to you for contacting the EEO office! Truly understand what you are saying, though. It's tough to ask for feedback but we can at least try. The worst they can say is no. As for a recruiter, I did a quick search and came up with many options such as 23.html/">http://www.sequencestaffing.com/chemist23.html/ It is true that some of our best accomplishments and recommendations are older than ten years because - well, maybe we have been unable to find a position in our field and have worked trivial jobs, in comparison, for the past several years. The reason that we are always told to only include the past ten years is because companies figure that anything older than ten years is going to be obsolete. That may not be true in all fields. You would need to include applicable work experience and then would have to explain why you have not been working in your field. You could cover that in a sentence or two in your cover letter. And finally, it is true that the company had planned, right from the start, to hire from within but they are required to post a position before they can offer it to the internal candidate. All we can do is keep searching and keep applying. If you do get an interview, don't forget to send that thank you note. Sounds trivial but, from personal experience, sending a hand-written thank you note through the mail has gotten me several positions over the years. When I would ask why I was chosen, the thank you card was the catalyst. So what can it hurt to try that. All the best.

  • Fenton Heirtzler
    Fenton Heirtzler •

    I appreciate this article, as opposed to ones which feature cartoons of stereotyped “older” workers (looking like idealized grandparents).

    While these are good tips, they are not necessarily applicable: (1) Asking for feedback? Good luck, the only thing which I’ve heard is ‘we don’t have the time to provide feedback on individual candidates’ or ‘we hire the best candidate’….that’s assuming you can find a person to talk to. (2) Career councilor? For chemists, finding one who is willing to take on your case is not trivial. (3) leaving out your past ten years of experience? What happens if your best achievements and recommendations date back past that time, and your most recent ones a crippled by unemployment (chicken or egg).

    One annecdote relates to my recent application where I suspected that a “strong internal candidate has already been identified”. Mind you, stating this in an advertisement is not illegal. But I still didn’t wish to waste my time applying for a fixed job. I called the HR department to ask about internal candidates. They refused to provide any information. So I then called the employer’s EEO office. It seems that the people there have a lot of time on their hands. I also poited out that the standart EEO statements which follow the text to job adverts are nothing more than “lip service”. I also insisted that if one were to survey the ages of entry-level employees with a company, then it would not reflect on the EEO law. The person with whom I spoke “got on it”, and inquired about whether the advertisement was a sham or not. At least no one with whom she spoke would admit it.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Matthew Keever thanks for your comment. Have you maybe tried to find a recruiter to present you to a company first? You have a lot of experience and it needs to be presented in the right light. A recruiter might be able to do that for you. Then, once you get your foot in the door, you can sell yourself the rest of the way. You didn't mention if you have gotten any interviews yet which is why the recommendation of a recruiter. Do you think that coloring your hair will get you in the door? If you think that is what is causing you not to get interviews, try removing your photo from all of your social media and see if you get any responses. I still think that finding a recruiter would be very helpful for you. @Marilyn D so sorry that happened to you. Did you make any attempt to find out why? Did you receive severance or be offered assistance in finding a new position? If you think that you were discriminated against due to age, you might want to consider hiring a lawyer and taking your case to court. Yes, remaining positive is the best strategy for helping you to find your next great adventure. I wish you both all the best.

  • Matthew Keever
    Matthew Keever •

    Helpful. I am 53 and having massive trouble even getting interviews. I am doing all of the right things...networking in person and online, connecting with people inside the companies I am targeting, focusing my resume to specific opportunities, following up, volunteering, etc. I do not reveal my age on my resume, public profiles, etc., I have listed only my past 15 years of experience, yet have only been able to get two interviews in the past 9 months of applying to over 160 jobs. I've was told to color my hair dark to see if that would help. ...Any advice?

  • Marilyn D.
    Marilyn D. •

    Vert helpful, I'm having a tough time finding work because of my age. I have many years of warehouse and retail experience. I was walked out of a big Corp(FGL) and was not given a reason why this happened. I just remain positive and don't let my age hold me back because my experience is valuable.

  • Wes R.
    Wes R. •

    Yes

  • Raheem C.
    Raheem C. •

    Thank you very much

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Francesca thanks for your comment. It can be tough, as we get older, to find that job. I would suggest that you find a recruiter who specializes in your field and let them do the introduction for you. It can be difficult dealing with a recruiter but it might be your best bet. That recruiter will know if the company is seeking "younger" employees so as not to waste your time. Are you attending any job fairs? What about networking? Are you attending any networking affairs. Many places have after work networking events where you can meet with both job seekers and employers in a more relaxed setting. @Bob thanks for your great feedback. It's sad to see that an article that is 13 years old is still valid today.

  • Bob Henry
    Bob Henry •

    “Why You Can’t Get A Job … Recruiting Explained By The Numbers” by Dr. John Sullivan, Professor of Management at San Francisco State. Link: https://www.eremedia.com/ere/why-you-cant-get-a-job-recruiting-explained-by-the-numbers/

  • Bob Henry
    Bob Henry •

    Back in 2003, The Wall Street Journal job prospecting column “The Jungle” ran an article advising applicants to seek “feedback” on their unsuccessful candidacy.

    The accompanying sidebar exhibit titled “Taking the Initiative” suggested these questions to "frame" the conversation.

    [Sorry, no link available.]

    (Preface:) You didn’t get the job, but here are some questions to ask the interviewer that might help with your continuing job search:

    •“What were the deciding factors in choosing another candidate?”

    •“What might I do better during the interview process for a position like this one?”

    •“Are there other openings now or in the near future for which you would recommend me?”

    •“What job search advice can you generally provide me with?”

    •“If you are selecting someone from inside the company, how will you fill the position that person is leaving?”

    •“Could you tell me the names of other people at your level in the company who might need someone with my qualifications now or in the future?”

    •“Would you like for me to stay in touch with you in some systematic fashion, such as every six months or so?”

    Source for article: Career coaches D.J. Mitsch, Cary, N.C. and Linda Matias, Smithtown, N.Y.

  • Bob Henry
    Bob Henry •

    From The Wall Street Journal ("Marketplace" Section, June 4, 2013, page unknown): "Didn't Get the Job? You'll Never Know Why" Link: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324423904578523683173841190

  • Francesca L.
    Francesca L. •

    I'm finding out that age is very relevant in my job search. It seems no employer will say, (or imply), that my age is the reason why I wasn't hired. The reason is because they don't have to disclose the reason. What do I do now?? My wardrobe is very current. My attitude is great. My experience and skills go beyond the employer's expectations, yet, I'm not getting the jobs. What to do?? What to do???

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