5 Quick Tips For Fighting Age Discrimination

Sounds like good advice against age discrimination.

Thanks again for the comments. @Rick so sorry that you encountered ageism. Of course if you took them to task, they would have a reason other than age that kept them from hiring you. But at least you got a response, even if it wasn't the one that you wanted. Most job seekers don't even get that. @Pamela maybe Ron is right. When you went into the interview, did you bring that energy, that vibe? Or did you walk in and see that everyone was young and fit and you told yourself that they would never hire you? You have to bring that energy to the interview - to any part of the hiring process. @Eric Y yes employers can find out how old we are just by checking us out on social media. But, we still have to try to inject that youth vibe in our resumes, in the interview and so on. A lot of it comes from our attitudes. A hiring manager can spot a defeatist attitude a mile away. Have you followed up on your resumes? How about coming into a company from a different direction such as through a temp agency or a recruiter? This way they can present your resume and handle any age issues before you get scheduled for an interview. All the best to all of you.

I totally agree with Eric Y...Age discrimination is alive and going on in today's work place no matter what people say...I have 24 years of Steel mill experience and tested and interviewed for a major Steel company. I was told in the interview, that I had the most experience of all the applicants that they interviewed and that I would be a great asset to their company... had to fill out an application which asked for a graduation date...got an email the next week saying other applicants fit the position better...

Pamela, that comment was difficult to read. Age may be less of an issue when communication skills are lacking. The energy you bring to an interview is the most critical factor, followed by verbal and possibly written communication skills.

Pamela W. • Delete • Today
I went to an doctors off where the average clerical & nursing staff was 24 & looked like they worked out 4 each day the office mgr who interviewed me was 31 and she couldn't even fake seeming interested in interview although I'm a nurse of 25+ years at age 51 it's devastating

This is Nonsense...employers have found a way around age discrimination by asking what is thought to be non-threatening questions like; what year did you graduate, when did you serve in the military and more...they never ask your age, they compute your estimated age...I have a stellar resume and cannot even get an interview given my age.

Thanks for all of the great comments and your stories. Believe me, it helps others. It can get extremely frustrating and scary when you apply and never hear anything back. Personally, I feel that, as a more mature job seeker, using a temp agency or a recruiter is your best bet. Find a recruiter who is going to work for you - going to find a real position with a livable wage and let them present you to the company. That way, @Mike W, you will know that your resume is not going into the shredder. Companies like to use recruiters because they know that the recruiter has already interviewed you and maybe even done a cursory background check on you. They know, walking into the interview, that you are prepped on their company and they can just take the time to get to know you better. @mary d thanks for your story. It gives all of us hope that we can find a great position even though the hairs on our head are gray. @Martin K - thank you for that. Great thank you note to send. And it proves, once again, that it's worth taking the time to send those thank you notes. Many people scoff when I tell them to write a thank you note, but you are living proof that it works.

I feel she discriminated many times its unprovable they will think of another issue. Unfortunately answering questions dates of graduation dates of employment all give your age full disclosure

Thank you so much for the needed information on Age discrimination. I am a well seasoned LMT for over 30yrs! Excited, enthusiastic and totally grateful for my position at on jobs looking too hire experienced employees. Feeling confident really makes the environment in the Spa. Now expected duties required for every staff member such as greeting clients and giving the best service along with the importance treating everyone with Respect! I I find seniority on the job influences how much my salary, benefits, commission should be allocated. Overall being apart of a Team that is willing too learn new mixed with maturity from leadership skills: 💙working smarter for A Wellness Touch💙!

sorry, I didn't mean to end the prior comment. I had not chosen well for that job; after a few years I really wanted to leave and eventually I decided I wanted to work outside the government. I dug up the interview books I had used when I was looking for a job 6 years ago, I got my resume professionally done (no dates prior to 1991, only because I was at that place until 2010), and started looking at job boards. I was really much more nervous this time since I was almost 62. I interviewed by phone, then in person for one job back in September. I was offered the job the next day but it didn't "feel" right. I applied for another job and was interviewed by the recruiter over the phone just after Thanksgiving. It was then I found out it wasn't enough hours for me to make the salary I needed. But after the holidays the recruiter called me back and increased the hours to what I had asked for. It took awhile for me to be able to interview in person (I was having a horrible time scheduling time off where I was working, then got sick) but I finally had the in-person interview (I was offered over the phone but I feel - despite my age - I do better in person). The person who would be my boss was half my age. But I got the call soon for the next interview. And I got hired and so far I am so happy. It IS hard to find a job at 62 but I did have very good experience (though not the preferred education), a well put-together professional resume that I had tweaked for this job, I researched the company, practiced some questions and answers (which by the way never got asked at the in-person interview but during the recruiter interview) and I did my best to appear confident and friendly. And sent thank you notes the next day. It CAN happen. Good luck!!!!

I got laid off in 2010 after more than 15 years with a company I thought I would spend the rest of my life with at the age of 56. I was terrified. I was lucky in a way to be single and able to move to another area, but I was really nervous because I needed a job. I was also lucky enough to get a severance that I figured should last me 6 months. I had read that the government, especially the VA, was a good place for older workers to look. Within a couple of months, I had 2 interviews scheduled. They wanted to do phone interviews but I had offered to make the drive for in-person interviews. I was offered both jobs.

All very good advice provided you can get to the interview. But when HR is reading a resume it is very easy to guess the approximate age of the individual based upon their experience. How does someone over 55 prevent their resume from ending up in the shredder?

Thanks for the comments. @Susan F I totally agree! If they don't want me, then I don't want to be there, either. We have to remember that a large part of our life is spent at work so it has to be something that we can live with. @Christine so sorry you went through that. It is quite typical, however, for a recruiter to make modifications to your resume. Remember, that recruiter only gets paid when the candidate is hired so it's in their best interest to make you look as good as possible. But boy oh boy it sounds like it was blatant age discrimination on that one. Unfortunately, if you tried to call them out on it, they would just say that your salary range was out of reach for them or you were totally overqualified for the position and they didn't want to take a chance on hiring you only for you to walk. @Frank thanks for your comment, too. We would all support legislation that would prohibit employers from asking our HS graduation date, birthdate, college graduation date, etc. I just don't see that happening anytime soon - at least not for the next four years.

I have good computer and social media skills. I have to, I've worked in media and PR for almost 40 years. And I still got bought out so my employer of 10 years could get a younger model. Almost identical job description to replace mine, but needing only 5 years experience, and paying 30k less a year. I've landed at a place staffed by fellow sexagenarians. Most unusual. Hope I can hang on till Medicare, anyway. I have no tips. But if they don't want me, I sure don't want to be there.

Hiding your age, or really deceiving the reader that you are much younger, has negative consequences in the interview process as well. Recently I discovered that a recruiter submitted my resume for a position, after he edited it himself! He did not use the sequential resume style, so it was a summary of skills and companies I worked for, without any indication of when the work was performed. One of the interviewers complained about the recruiter resume and asked if I had my own copy. He said mine was much better, but the last interviewer looked at me, and then my resume, and said they were looking for someone with ten years experience...and with a grimace she said, and you have twenty. The deceptive resume got me to the interview, but if the hiring manager blatantly wants someone much younger, with much less experience, you can't hide that when you show up. Hey, I look good for my age but not 20 years younger 😉 I believe a lot of it has to do with their own confidence and ego, as a much less experienced worker will not know as much as they do, and will perhaps not challenge them. And often the hiring manager is younger, by about 10 years. A lot of people are uncomfortable with that. I always look on LinkedIn to see who I'll be interviewing with so that I am prepared.

I agree with ms Andersons comments

Then how come almost every employer application website asks when did you graduated from high school? That should be as illegal as asking your age. I would support legislation prohibiting employer to ask when you graduated from school or college as well.

Thanks for all of the great comments. It truly is unfortunate that companies continue to hire the inexperienced because they can get them for less money. Sooner or later this dynamic is going to turn around again and companies will be clamoring for experienced employees. I know I have said this before and have been blasted for it - but this isn't something new. When we were in our 20's and 30's, we never gave a thought to the fact that we were taking jobs from the gray-haired generation. Now we are that gray-haired generation seeing the jobs going to the younger crowd. @Robert Adams maybe it is a joke to try a lawsuit against a company and maybe you would never be able to prove it - never be able to win. But don't you think that it could help to garner attention to the fact that companies are blatantly discriminating against the more senior unemployed? Yes they hire these untried candidates because they can get them for much less. Companies are finding out that maybe they were wrong and that they should hire for experience and skills and not just because they can save a few dollars - or so they think. But are they really saving anything? How long does it take a new employee to learn how to do their job? How much time is being spent in training? So we just have to try to hold on until the dynamic changes. And another thing - this is not anything new. The only difference is that now we have social media and we have sites like this that allow us to comment - something that those senior to us didn't have - didn't have an outlet to express what they are feeling. So true - you can't always hide your age. True that some companies require you to fill out an application and that dates must be included to complete the application. Not much you can do there. However, if they are only requesting a resume, you can leave the dates off of some things like HS and college graduation dates if they are more than 10 years old. Remove any outdated technologies from your resume unless you absolutely need to include them to be qualified for the job. @Demetrius most of us did not grow up with computers that is true. But, we are the generation who created the Internet and a lot of the technology that we use today. If you feel that you are behind the eight-ball here, try to take some classes at your local college or even online. Many places offer free computer training to help you get up to speed on what you need - and it gives you an up-to-date bullet point on your resume. All I can say is keep applying, keep networking and keep trying. The jobs are there and, hopefully, more jobs will be opening up when this new administration gets into the WhiteHouse.

Older people have a profound disadvantage when it comes to skills the internet was not even around when I graduated from college in 1989. Younger people have more energy stamina to work crazy hours and double shifts.......I saw this a lot in my previous job. My skills are too out dated to catch up with the younger the 30 something crowd........but all is not lost because all the 30 year olds are still living at home with mother and father..

Seriously I applied for a job and was told that the main hospital makes the hiring decisions even though I'd not be working there but 80+ miles away at another they own. The doc I would be working with wanted me for the job. I lived the experience that some of the patients go through so I could explain to them. I was then told as an aside that the hiring managers were told only hire fresh out of school and young bc we won't have to pay them as much. Proving someone said it is next to impossible and not worth the stress. I don't want to retire and can't afford to anyway so I have to drive an hour each way to a job and work long hours at home as well. Someday those who hire will be fired and have to deal with the same thing.

It may soon be an advantage to have an abundant skill level in the work place. As I see more and more "younger" people struggle because they flat out do not have the experience. I have personally seen when companies have no choice they need the experience that we "older" workers posses.

This is a good article, but .... when filling out information for a position most likely they ask when did you graduate high school. You may not have to tell your date of birth but the graduation date can be used as a tool to figure out how old you are. I believe this question should not be allowed, since companies need to avoid age discrimination. Am I right?

What good it it to know my rights if I can't get an interview. I've purged my resume of important older experience, I've kept up to date with technology, I have super references, I'm enthusiastic, and I'm positive. And I'm still looking for work.

Lets hope that "what goes around comes around" and the hiring ppl that're discriminating us old fogies get discriminated against when they're 50+.

You are so right Anthony N. and Robert Adams! There is NO way to prove age discrimination. It really is a joke. More than unfair and unjust. There are no "tips" to fight age discrimination and, sorry John Krautzel, you have no idea what you're talking about or writing. Get real.