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5 Things You Should Know About Age Discrimination and What To Do About It

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Age Discrimination: What to Know & Do About It
Photo: Klaus Hausmann

An older worker is considered anyone in their 40s and above. Although it’s not a guarantee, as we get older, there’s potential to find that age may be a hindrance to landing the job we want or moving up the corporate ladder in the job we have. A 2017 survey by the AARP found that almost two thirds of workers age 55-64 feel their age is a barrier to getting a job. Although it seems that more law suits are brought up in the work realm over gender or race discrimination, age bias is still an important topic any mature worker should be mindful of each time they’re in a job search. But before I dive into a checklist of helpful tips, let’s look at why and how discrimination happens and what the law says.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) states that, “…it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his/her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training.” This applies to companies with 20+ employees and their job postings, pre-employment inquiries, apprenticeships, and benefits. The ADEA also makes it illegal to retaliate against someone who opposes or files a charge against discriminatory employment practices, testifies to such, and/or is involved in the investigation/litigation process in such a case.

WHY WOULD A HIRING MANAGER BE AGE-BIASED?

Well, with the ADEA in place we’re safe, right? Not necessarily, which I’ll go into shortly. So what would make an employer discriminate against an older worker?

  • They’re concerned an older worker may not be as up on their technical skills/training, current events, technology, and/or industry trends. In many places, there’s a perception that older workers may not have the tech savvy that younger ones possess.
  • Some could assume that an older worker will want a large salary and thus feel like they can hire in someone younger for a lower salary.
  • They might feel an older worker may not fit in with the current staff, particularly in small startup companies or those with a primarily young team.
  • Other assumptions still persist such as, “Older workers get exhausted by their work or neglect their health,” or that mature job seekers are looking to coast toward retirement.
  • Some hiring managers may have an idea of what the “best” employee age is for a team, and some may straight up think you are too old for the job.
  • Not all companies have implemented such initiatives as bias awareness training and employment auditing and/or rid their applications of identifying characteristic questions.

HOW ARE THEY GETTING AWAY WITH IT?

If bias—unconscious or not—is happening in the hiring process, how, you may ask, are companies getting away with it?

Some employers’ online applications contain questions (such as graduation dates) that can lead to age bias. Some go so far as to ask for an applicant’s date of birth, which is illegal at this stage of the candidate soliciting process.

If pushed when an applicant follows up (or if ever brought up in court), a hiring manager could use excuses like, “You’re overqualified,” “We don’t think you’d be happy…,” or “You won’t be a good fit for our team,” when the underlying decision was in reality age-biased.

Unfortunately for applicants, workers already on the job are in a better position (and probably more likely) to bring up a complaint about age discrimination vs. someone who’s job hunting. So let’s look at several things you can do to increase your chances of securing rewarding fairly compensated work.

SIDEBAR: How do say, bars, clubs, or Abercrombie stores get away with picking and choosing the young attractive applicants? They are most likely getting away with this by saying they need to hire workers that can help the company relate and appeal to their target customers—or that younger folks may work for the pay they can offer moreso than older candidates.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

A.) The Application

The most crucial place age discrimination could come in, since the hiring manager will see you in person during a webcam or personal interview, is the application process. Do your best to omit dates of graduation and military service, and don’t list your birthday.

For companies who have a mandatory date blank for degrees earned, if possible, enter “9999” there in order to satisfy that field and move on. When there’s something you don’t feel comfortable answering on an application, try entering “flexible” or “will discuss” as the field allows.

B.) Your Resume & LinkedIn Profile

  • Omit the dates mentioned above in the previous section.
  • In order to show you’re involved beyond your time at work and on top of industry trends, you could list any professional associations, meet up or networking groups, and industry groups in which you’re involved.
  • Avoid statements like 25+ years of experience, and just say, “more than 10 (or 15) years of experience…”
  • Exclude all clues to your age in the syntax of the email address you use (e.g., janesmith1962@aol.com) or your website (www.bobjones1975.com/resume.html).
  • Omit any obsolete software with which you worked. Instead, be sure to include any current critical software you’ve learned that pertains to the job at hand. Definitely include any relevant new skills and recent training you’ve completed.
  • Don’t list or give references until asked, and of course, make sure the contact info for your references is up to date. If you feel like you might get the job, be sure to send them a quick text or email letting them know to expect a call and what the job is so they can be a little more ready to speak to your qualifications.
  • Freshen up the formatting of your resume. Make sure there’s some white space, and feel free to punctuate certain sections with some color or underlining. Try another professional font, like Calibri. Include either your last 10 years of work history or your last 3 jobs. If you have a varied job history, use a functional or combination instead of a chronological style resume, and reference your latest 3 or 4 jobs that mirror the requirements of the one for which you’re applying.
  • If needed, find a good photographer experienced with taking headshots. With a flattering hair style, sharp clothing, and the right lighting and background anyone can look up to date and professional. Use the new photo at your LinkedIn profile.

C.) Your Skills

Whether you’re competing with someone in their 20s or 50s, you need to be on top of keeping your skills current and competitive. Stay in the know on trends in your industry and current events—especially those relevant to your field. Have an online presence. If you feel like there’s training you need or software you should learn, seek out a source. If you’re employed, start by asking your supervisor. Who knows; maybe the company will cover the cost of the training or allow you to train during work hours!

D.) The Company/The Interview

Age discrimination can also factor into the interviewing process as well as the final decision. If you’ve typically or recently worked in a large company, you could seek out smaller or growing businesses where your experience will be needed and valued. You can use seniorjobbank.org, aarp.org/work, retirementjobs.com/search, grandparents.com/money-and-work/career/jobs-people-over-50, and retirementliving.com/retirement-jobs to research companies that are older-applicant friendly.

Don’t go too far and dye your hair jet black. And if the style of dress is casual, don’t show up to the interview in a 3-piece suit. Find a fashion savvy friend you trust to give you a few pointers on your wardrobe, hair, etc. with the goal of being able to compete with the sharpness of younger applicants while still maintaining the authenticity of who you are. Go contemporary and professional while being age appropriate.

As you interact with the interviewer, show energy, enthusiasm, and your knowledge of the industry and the company. If you feel your age may be an issue, be proactive and mention the skills and experience you bring to the job and that you’re willing to put in extra hours as needed. Talk about a time when you brought a team together when things got tough and/or stress that you’ll use your skills to help the company maintain and increase profits.

E.) Other Tips

Networking – Mature workers should have a large network of contacts. Start there, and draw upon those you know as you begin your job search. These folks know you and have a sense of how you are as a person (and most likely what kind of employee you are), and may be able to get your foot in the door at their company or one where they have a colleague. Some companies’ HR departments are in the “hire younger/inexperienced workers at a lower pay rate” mindset and may be searching in that manner. Networking may help you bypass typical HR screening.

Career shift – Some job seekers may want or need to move in the direction of creating their own job or business, which could be partly linked to their career path, interests, or network. You could offer to work on a consulting or project basis for companies on your target list—or present on topics.

Physical fitness – Get and stay in the best physical shape you can. Come up with a fitness routine; at a minimum, try to walk for 30 minutes 4 times a week. Allow yourself some relax and de-stress time, reading, watching some TV, and spending time with friends and family.

HOPE

Keep at your job search. Even if you feel your age has been a hindrance, slowing down or letting a bummed out attitude take over won’t help you.

The statistics show that employers are softening on skewing toward a preference for younger workers. In October of 2016, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) found that by 2019 it’s projected that over 40% of Americans age 55+ will be employed, making up over 25% of the US labor force.

This is up from 13% in 2000 and 22.2% in July 2014! Further, a study by London Business School researchers found most negative assumptions about older workers to be untrue.

Employers rate mature workers high on characteristics such as punctuality, judgment, attention to quality, and attendance. Mature workers may stay on the job longer than millennials and be more focused. Research shows that Americans age 55 and up adapt to new technology successfully, take fewer sick days, and are more loyal than 30-something aged employees.

With older employees, a company has the benefit of their wisdom and can utilize them as a mentorship resource. They’re also quite a value: Employers can hire someone with a wealth of knowledge at the budget they have since many older workers are not trying to continue to climb the corporate ladder like someone in their 30s or increase their salary with each successive position.

Wherever you are in your job search, if you really need an extra dose of hope, purpose, and encouragement, check out the Epilogue in my book Here Today, Hired Tomorrow.

So while it may feel like aging is a detriment to your career in your later years, know that there are many things you can do to get the job you want and vie for moving up. Older employees who keep their knowledge and skills current and know how to present themselves are not only valuable but putting themselves in the best position to give the competition a run for their money—and youth!

Additional info from AARP Magazine 2018: “3 in 5 older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. 1 in 4 have been subjected to negative comments about their age from a supervisor or coworker. 44% of older workers who’d applied for a job recently were asked for birth date or other age-related info, and 91% of older workers surveyed support strengthening US age discrimination law. –from “The Value of Experience: Age Discrimination Against Older Workers Persists.” Download the report.

Resources for Mature Job Seekers:
• Learn more about AARP’s fight against age discrimination, plus tips for navigating age in your job search & at work.
• AARP’s Work Reimagined site – is a great place for older workers looking to change work paths.
• Email AARP if you think an employer is discriminating against older workers.
• AARP Job Board – includes FT, PT, telework & flex job opportunities.
• Fifty Forward
• NCOA

Sources:
• Thanks to Guin Tyus and Clay Faircloth at the Nashville Career Advancement Center.
• American Job Center’s “Helpful Hints for the Mature Job Seeker” workshop participant guide; www.ncacworkforce.org
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law_in_the_United_States
• https://www.seattletimes.com/nwshowcase/careers/the-middle-aged-resume-what-to-leave-in-what-to-leave-out
• https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T012-C000-S004-battling-age-bias-when-job-hunting.html
• https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/age-discrimination-five-ways-older-workers-can-overcome_us_5934cd36e4b062a6ac0ad13f
• http://www.precisionstaffing.net/2017/10/13/biased-not-avoiding-bias-hiring-process
• https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/age-discrimination-five-ways-older-workers-can-overcome_us_5934cd36e4b062a6ac0ad13f
• http://college.monster.com/training/articles/1415-hr-says-is-this-interview-question-legal

Have you ever encountered age discrimination in your search or at your job, and if so what did you do about it? Comment in the “Start the Discussion” blank below.

 

Looking for a new job? Want to get what you want fast? Check out my book, Here Today, Hired Tomorrow (kurtkirton.com/hthtbook), and subscribe to my blog (kurtkirton.com) for free advice on your job search.

4 Important Things You Should Do to Land Your First Job (Guest Post)

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4 Tips for New Grads
Photo: pexels.com

Graduation is a time to celebrate, but also a time of uncertainty for new graduates  anticipating their future and looking for their first job. For your average employee, landing a job is already no walk in the park. Consider how much more challenging it is for fresh-out graduates who have little to no experience on their resumes? In their case, it’s easy to be left behind, dwarfed by the competition from experienced job seekers.

Fortunately, there are still ways for new grads to increase the chances of landing a first job they’d prefer. Follow the tips below, and ready yourself to enter the workplace.

 Your CV (Curriculum Vitae) or Resume

Here’s how you can write an effective CV:

  • Make sure to include the basics – Personal and contact information, education and qualifications, work history and experience (if you already have some), relevant interests and hobbies, and references.
  • Be clear and concise – As much as you can, always keep your CV short yet relevant. Research shows that “a short and concise CV that is no longer than one page is the preferred format for the majority of employers (42.5%).”
  • Customize your CV for a specific job – Generalized CVs typically won’t get you the interview. Upon identifying a great job that you feel confident and qualified to apply for, construct a CV specifically for that position playing up how you can meet the requirements.
  • Ensure that your CV is free of errors – A survey shows that 59% of recruiters will reject a candidate because of poor grammar or a spelling error. Furthermore, before sending it, check your CV over a few times to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes.

Research

Being a new graduate, the research skills you developed in college will be vital to your job search. Researching the industry you want to go into is something that will greatly benefit you. Reflect on your motivation for seeking a specific career path and your long-term view of the industry and your goals. Modify your cover letter to incorporate relevant research you’ve done to show that you’re the ideal candidate. Never arrive at an interview without looking first into the company’s history, what it is they actually do, and the image they are trying to project.

Networking

Often it’s about who you know and leveraging your connections to an advantage. Make use of Twitter and LinkedIn to demonstrate your interests and begin discussions about them. An ever-increasing number of recruiters and/or hiring managers are turning in to social media to find prospective employees. You never know who you may meet and what you may get into. Also, you might meet someone via social media in your industry that may offer some priceless tips on how to land a first job in that field.

Use social media to stay up on the latest industry news, and don’t post anything that may be off-putting to a future employer since they may well look you up online before offering an interview for a job. Keep your abilities and experiences up to date on your LinkedIn profile.

Internships

Many of us have been there, working our hearts out at an unpaid internship, long days and small jobs that no one else wants to do (all in the hopes the company will offer us something more secure at the end of it). But take advantage of your university’s link to valuable internships in your city relevant to your industry of choice. Even if the company at which you intern cannot offer you a full time position upon completion of the internship, you can make some valuable connections during this time—especially if you show initiative and do outstanding work during your time at the company.

As long as you keep your head in the game, you will be fine in your first job search. Know that a lot of the best roles may mean moving from where you to a different city or state, but keep in mind that the first job you’ll have doesn’t mean it’s for life. Many things can still happen and can lead you somewhere else, so don’t be afraid to face change. Like your post-graduation transition, use change as an opportunity to accomplish further achievements.

Once you land your first job, stick with the experience. Go into your new role willing to listen and learn, even if you find yourself doing tasks that don’t seem to utilize your degree. You never know the positive outcomes that any one role will lead to. Learning continues even after schooling.

About the Author: Michelle Dutcher is a social media manager with four years of related experience based in Quebec City, Canada. She furnishes quality content for her clients’ social media platforms to better engage their consumers. Michelle loves challenges and setbacks, using them to further fuel her drive. During her down time, she serves as an essayist for paperchoice.org.

What is your opinion of internships? Share about one that was valuable to jump starting your career. Comment in the “Start the Discussion” blank below.

 

Looking for a new job? Want to get what you want fast? Check out my book, Here Today, Hired Tomorrow (kurtkirton.com/hthtbook), and subscribe to my blog (kurtkirton.com) for free advice on your job search.

8 Ways to Perfect People Skills That Will Help You Keep Your Job

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people skills at work
photo by Stephen Caissie

You worked so hard to get your new job. Now, in addition to the many details you’re learning in order to be proficient in your position, you should also be mindful of things you can do to help you keep it. Paying attention to the corporate culture and making an effort to fit in is crucial as a new employee. Let’s look at eight things in the realm of people skills you should be mindful of to help you integrate into the new company.

1) Flowcharting – Fitting in and building respect and a good reputation are important early on. One of my former supervisors used to flowchart out the positions and divisions in each company he worked for soon after he began. This initiative can aid your understanding of the company and who you could approach if you have an issue or need beyond the scope of your department. If you’re just not sure how to track this information down, your supervisor may have done this flowcharting already or be able to help you with the process.

2) Internal Networking – Have a brief “elevator speech” for what you do in your position. You can use this as you meet your fellow employees. Starting in your area, meet as many people as you can, even if they’re outside your department or not on your floor (the aforementioned flowchart will help.) This will help you develop good relationships with coworkers and build goodwill. Cultivate a network of relationships with coworkers at many levels. Higher-ups can help give you perspective from a management point of view; those at your level can answer questions and help you become more effective in your work. Avoid spending much time with those you find to be complainers and negative Nellie’s.

3) Excellence and Communication – Communicate clearly with vendors and coworkers alike, and really listen during your training. Show energy, enthusiasm, and excellence in your work, and strive to be visible.

4) Tooting Your Horn – Especially as you near performance appraisal time, find little ways to subtly point out your value and what you’ve accomplished since the last appraisal. Most supervisors are pretty overwhelmed, and it doesn’t hurt to work what you’ve recently accomplished into a conversation. Think about things like great customer feedback, compliments on your work from coworkers and higher-ups, meeting deadlines ahead of schedule, and positive facts or figures like sales achievements or how much you just saved the company.

5) Effective Collaboration – Making valuable contributions to projects can showcase you as a standout collaborator. Big projects need collaborative teams to carry them out. Perfect your persuasion skills, and if you’re not really a detail person, cultivate an eye for detail. Identify the positives and benefits of the thing in question; solicit feedback from friends, colleagues, and coworkers; then match the communication style of those you need to persuade when presenting. For example, if the members of the project team are big picture people, don’t get too deep into details. Use hot button words, lingo, and language they’re familiar with.

Further, think beyond just planning to implementation. While planning is important, employees who can create, revise, administrate, and execute ideas are setting themselves up for recognition and advancement.

6) Teaching Others – Obviously as you move up the ladder at your company, you’ll have picked up a lot of things. Or perhaps you bring to the table quite a bit of valuable knowledge from a long, rich career. Teach, and share what you know. There’s definitely opportunity for this with new employees. Help others gain wisdom, experience, and insight.

7) Avoiding Burnout – Years of service in the same position can sometimes make one stagnant in thinking or lead to frayed attitudes with coworkers or customers. When the phone rings or that next customer approaches you, stay positive and think “opportunity” not “obligation.” Don’t let your attitude get worn down, and be mindful of burnout. If you feel you’re getting burned out (or overloaded) but want to stay in your current position, work with your supervisor to come up with some changes that will make your work more pleasant and manageable. Or you could seek a position in a different department.

8) Being Persistent Not Pesky – The Marketing Director at one record label for which I worked liked my go-get-’em style and called me The Bulldog. In nearly every position, your work and your success rate in meeting deadlines will (unfortunately) depend on input from other people. When you follow up, don’t be such a bulldog that you tick people off or get branded as a nag.

After waiting for a reasonable time, and based on the urgency of the project, you’re your move to remind those who are holding you up. A good sequence of touch points is: request, log, remind by email, then finally—if need be—call or drop by the lagger’s office.

My Stephen Minister gave me some wise advice once, “Attitude and mood trump ability every time.” In other words, keeping your interactions and responses pleasant and professional is more important than mowing people down to meet deadlines to avoid anyone thinking you’re incompetent. And I’ve found that to be true most of the time.

What tips would you give others as far as people skills to develop that will help them fit in and keep their jobs?

 

Looking for a new job? Want to get what you want fast? Check out my book, Here Today, Hired Tomorrow, and subscribe to my blog (kurtkirton.com) for free advice on your job search.