5 Quick Tips For Fighting Age Discrimination

Despite its illegality, age discrimination still occurs during the hiring process, and if you are an older worker, being proactive is the best way to ensure you get fair treatment. It is important to stay positive and focus on your strengths during your job search. Here are five quick tips to ensure age discrimination doesn't keep you from getting the job you deserve.

1. Know Your Rights

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against those age 40 or older when making hiring decisions. Prospective employers cannot ask about your age or for other information that might signal that you are an older worker. Keep an eye out for signs of discrimination, and refuse to answer questions that might make you a target. Take a close look at your resume, and make sure it doesn't include any references to your age or stage of life. If you see open signs of age discrimination at any point during the hiring process, call the organization out, and consult a human resources specialist or lawyer, if necessary, to assert your rights.

2. Focus on the Positive

Although it's good to know your rights regarding age discrimination, it's also a good idea to expect the best. Make sure you present your strengths instead taking a defensive attitude. You need to sell yourself to get hired, so let employers know what a great asset you'd be to their organizations. As an older worker, you likely have maturity and wisdom that younger workers might lack. You have also had more time to acquire knowledge and fine-tune your skills. Feel free to brag a little during your interviews — having years of industry experience is an important selling point.

3. Keep Skills Up to Date

Some age discrimination takes place because employers are worried that older workers lack technology skills. Avoid fitting that stereotype by staying up to date on all the ways technology relates to your industry. Use technology in your day-to-day life. Maintain professional social media accounts. Take a course if necessary to build your competency.

4. Take Advantage of Recommendations

More years of work experience provides more reference possibilities. Take advantage of your longer work history by providing exceptional letters of recommendation that share your strengths. Encourage your references to share your abilities to work well with people of all ages as well as the depth and breadth of your skills and knowledge. This will help dispel any worries potential employers might have about your age.

5. Show Your Enthusiasm

Every organization wants workers who bring enthusiasm and energy to the office each day. Show these traits at job interviews. Just because you have a lot of experience, it doesn't mean that you can't bring excitement to a new position. One of the best ways to fight age discrimination is by simply showing the hiring team your potential and how much you look forward to making a positive contribution to the business after you are hired.

Counter age discrimination during your job search by being aware of your rights, showing off your strengths and keeping your technology skills sharp. Never share your age with prospective employers, and consult professional help if you feel that you have been discriminated against.

Photo courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Kathleen Cordon • Dec 13, 2016

It took many, many years as a non-traditional college grad. I earned an associate in 1993, and bachelor in 2004. I completed a 2yr. certificate just last April 2016. I do only show year of certificate. Who would get the prize in funniest video, when the interviewer(s) see me? How much more do I do to show that I can keep up?

Nancy Anderson • Dec 11, 2016

@David Hutton thanks for your comments. Good for you for saying something to the hiring manager about the graduation date. Obviously your tactic worked since you got an interview. Did you get the job? The company is aware that they ask for the graduation date. More than likely they have a filter in the system that discards any resumes with graduation dates before a certain cut-off. Anytime you have to fill out a form on a company website, they ask for graduation dates. So good for you for challenging the system. Maybe some more of us should do the same thing!

Nancy Anderson • Dec 10, 2016

@Koni R thanks for your comment. So sorry that you had to go through that. But it sounds like you still have a great attitude about the search. @Kenneth White - wow - unbelievable that someone would say that! Did you ask what they meant by outdated? Was it your skills or were they really referring to your age? It really amazes me how these companies just continue to say things like you are outdated or you are old or you are "over-qualified" and get away with it! In our lawsuit happy world today, it surprises me that companies aren't being pulled into court over ageism - whether for the older workers or the younger workers. It truly sounds like the perfect age to be to get a great job is in your 30's. In your 20's you don't have enough experience. In your 40's and above you are overqualified! Anyone else see this happening?

Koni R. • Dec 10, 2016

Kenneth W you are correct be. called outdated IS age discrimination just as much as me being told that I am over qualified. As a master optician with over 40yrs experience I most certainly am better qualified than the staff in the offices I have gone in to but have had to smile and assure the managers I am not after their jobs. Which is true-I am done running the show and would love to stay in more of a support role. The fear level in these young people when the find out that they really don't know that much is amazing.I was speaking to a hiring manager that was also the office optician and new lens designs came up in a discussion between the owner of the practice and myself that was really great=but from that point on the managers tone changed and I knew that job was not to be. She had no clue what her boss,the Doctor and I where talking about.Worse yet she did not care to learn.We are great mentors.

Kenneth White • Dec 9, 2016

Would you consider this statement to be age discrimanation: "You are outdated" I got this answer to a job I recently applied for.

Michael M. • Dec 6, 2016

Thanks

Nancy Anderson • Dec 5, 2016

@David L. thanks for your comments. I totally agree that no company should be allowed to ask the year you graduated. I have tried to fake it out by putting all 9's in it but that hasn't worked for me. Most software is set up so that it has to be an actual date. The same issue with salary. I have tried the 0.00 on several occasions but have not gotten it to work for me, either. I have also tried the 9's in here, too. Needless to say I didn't get any response back. @Mark W. wow is all I can say! How a company would dare to send an email like that! But, on the other hand, you got a response - something that most of us never get! All the best on your searches. The jobs are there - just a matter of finding the right one!

David L. • Dec 5, 2016

As for salary requirements, place $0.00 or 000000 in the answer box. This answer satisfies the software's required answer, allows the applicant to complete the application, and provides a discussion point for an interview.

Applications used to ask if you attended college, which school, your major, and if you earned a degree. Today, applications also ask for the year you graduated. The questions regarding education are required to be answered and the application will not be accepted for submission if not answered. Employers are certainly using the graduation year to approximate the applicant's age and eliminate older applicants. Requiring the graduation year is an intentional circumvention of the law restricting employers ability to learn applicants' age. The law restricting employers from asking an applicant's age must be updated and extended to include any data that may allow an employer to determine an applicant's age. The employer can always find out more about an applicant when they do an agreed to background check, but that is usually performed after the employer has reviewed the applicant's resume and already interviewed the applicant.

Mark W. • Dec 4, 2016

Yes folks, Age Discrimination is alive and well throughout the hiring community.. I do so enjoy the rejection letters i receive.. one of my favorites was the one that started " As you begin a new journey in life..."

Nancy Anderson • Dec 3, 2016

@Virginia thanks for your comment. Totally agree that they should not be allowed to ask for HS graduation date. The salary question is unfair, also, because you could price yourself out of a job without even knowing it. All job seekers are in total agreement with you that both of these questions should not be allowed on a job application. Sadly, companies continue to ask those questions. For salary requirements, I do a check on salary.com or some other site to find out a good range for the position and then I usually choose a midpoint or above- depending upon the position and the requirements. That way I can at least keep my application in there long enough to maybe get an in-person interview. @Mark L thanks for your comment. I had no idea that this was happening within the banking system, also. Sadly, though, banks are going more towards automation which means fewer banking jobs are available. Maybe they feel that older job seekers won't have the technical skills required for the future of banking?

Mark L. • Dec 2, 2016

It seems that a lot of Banks do not like to hire older individuals

Virginia G. • Dec 2, 2016

On online application, most companies ask for the year one graduated from college. And, there's no way of skipping it. Another area of discrimination, is the question about the salary one is looking for. It does not allow you to skip or enter "negotiable." There should be a law against those questions.

Nancy Anderson • Nov 30, 2016

@Ron S thanks for your comment. If your wealth of experience is applicable to the job for which you are applying, it might be worth including it - as long as it is current and up-to-date. It is true that they can figure out our age rather quickly but companies are hiring those of us who are more senior. Just make sure that you are taking the time to cull out the keywords from the job posting and including them in your resume and cover letter. That way you have more of a chance of your resume getting into the hands of the hiring manager. Then he/she can determine if they want to bring you in for an interview. Now, if your experience is not applicable, it's not worth including. The rule of thumb is to only include the past ten years. Honestly, hiring managers aren't stupid. They know how old you are just be perusing your resume. So, if you get called in for an interview, it's a good sign that you could have a job in the very near future.

@Rick P thanks for your comment. Government applications are an exception to the rule. With government applications, you not only have to give your date of birth, you have to disclose your full social security, too. For non-government applications, they are not legally allowed to request your date of birth.

Keith C. • Nov 29, 2016

Age discrimination hits me when I get calls from recruiters, but no return calls from hiring managers (those who perform the actual interviews). Of course, I'm hearing that the job market for my position (IT Project Manager) is a little flat out there right now...

Rick P. • Nov 29, 2016

Don't know why you keep saying that employer's can't ask for your birth date, Nancy...Filled out an online application yesterday, for a government position and that was one of the must responses, in order for the application to be accepted..

Ron S. • Nov 28, 2016

One of the challenges I have recognized is a result of experiences listed on a resume. If you have 20+ years of experience, that in itself is a red flag that the candidate is over 40. So the question becomes... Do I compromise my wealth of experience by abbreviating my work experiences to hide decades of work experience that reveal age range?

Nancy Anderson • Nov 28, 2016

@Jolie K. thanks for your comment. I, too, suffer with fibromyalgia. Sure can be debilitating. You didn't mention what your skills are in or how long it's been since you worked. So first of all, I would probably try to concentrate on getting some of my skills up to date. Then, I would probably suggest a temp agency - let you get your feet wet and see what you might fall into. Or a recruiter that specializes in your skills set. As for your resume, don't even include the graduation date of college since it's been so long. Today, resumes usually only contain the last ten years of applicable employment. If you can, contact your alma mater and schedule an appointment with a career counselor. They can help you with your resume, do mock interviews and possibly even know of a position for which you would be a perfect fit. All the best.

Jolie K. • Nov 28, 2016

When your resume shows the year you graduated high school or college - bingo - that's a dead giveaway regarding your age. I'm 58 but I look much younger yet I started college in '75. What would you suggest to do in addition to showing your fabulous skills and wisdom? I fear it will be impossible to find a good paying job at my age, despite my confidence, skills, and my hard earned doctorate. Also, there's a large gap in my employment history because I chose to stay home and raise my daughter who had multiple developmental delays but due to my keen eye and knowledge of development, I made sure to give her my entire attention until she started regular kindergarten (not special needs!) and that was a great triumph. Now she is newly married and working on her own doctorate! I'm divorced with fibromyalgia and fear I'll be homeless by next year.

Nancy Anderson • Nov 27, 2016

@Francesca Hinkley thanks for your follow-up comment. May I ask, have you tried to use a recruiter? Many times that's the best way to go because they already know what the company wants as well as who you are and your qualifications. They can present you first to see if the company is interested. That way, the hiring company already knows your age as well as your qualifications and still want to interview you. Just a thought. And, as a PS, I strongly recommend the old-fashioned way of sending a hand-written thank you note through the mail. @Lynne W it is true that, should they ask for HS graduation date, then they truly have a good idea of your age. Hard to hide it. All you can do is put your date on there and keep searching. But, if you can use a recruiter or use a temp agency, you may have more chance of finding a position than trying on your own.

Lynne W. • Nov 25, 2016

Have been subject to discrimination due to my age. Over 4 different hiring companies hung up when I told them my age. They didn't directly asked but wanted year on graduation!

Saria C. • Nov 25, 2016

Yes people unfair with me because of thinking i. Speak a different language but i do not.i only speak english.

To treat all people the same not have favoritism and not be prejudices against anybody.

Francesca L. • Nov 23, 2016

@Nancy Anderson.. the hiring managers have no idea how old I am simply because my previous employments only go back 18 years on paper. This is due to the fact that most employers only ask for the last 3 previous employers on the application. With that stated, as far as they are concerned, I am only 38 years old, (give or take a couple of years), until I walk into their office and they see differently. Also, most of the phone interviews are given by an HR manager, or a hiring agency, so there again, they would have no idea of my age. To answer your other questions, yes, (to both). I do contact the employer and ask why, and told, (usually), they have decided to promote from within, or I will get an automated response saying I was not selected to move forward with the hiring process. And yes, I always send an email, thanking them for the opportunity of consideration, and wish them well. I truly believe the reason I am not getting these jobs is my age, as I have gone to some of the establishments where I have applied, only to see a much younger, (20 years or more), in that position. Unfortunately as I stated in my previous comment, employers won't disclose the "real" reason why candidates, (such as myself), aren't chosen.

5 Quick Tips For Fighting Age Discrimination

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