Older Workers, have you experienced age discrimination?
As we all know, age brings with it experience and a level of wisdom. We are involved in the community, in an active life and in the economy of our country. Most of us have embraced technology and have a good understanding of the world around us. Yet still every day people face age discrimination, in the workplace and in life in general.
The unpublished criteria: Don’t be older!
This is never clearer than when an older person applies for a job where the company is actively seeking a younger person in the role. They don’t say that in the job advertisement of course, but they have it as an underlying criteria for the role. It’s devastating for older workers when they encounter this time and again.They wonder if age discrimination is the reason they are not getting the jobs that they want.
Could you be doing something to contribute to your own age discrimination?
Of course not every older worker experiences this problem. But those who undertake a job search without considering the best strategies to use usually do find that their age seems to be a barrier. These are the main mistakes that cause problems for older workers:
- sending out hundreds of resumes in a scattergun approach (“If I send out enough I’ll eventually get an interview”)
- not tailoring their resume to the job they are applying for
- submitting an outdated resumes
- not accessing the hidden job market.
This video is from The Australian Human Rights Commission. It demonstrates, perhaps a bit clumsily in their attempts at humour, that being older has many advantages. “If you are lucky it will happen to you.”
Have you been discriminated against because of your age?
We would love to hear your story on our Facebook page.
Learn How to Prove Age Discrimination in Hiring
Are you an older worker ready to take a new challenge?
Get the job that you want and say no to age discrimination. Reinvent yourself and your career with job search strategies to help you get that job. It’s time for you to get a career coach. Contact me or Career Reno can help you!
