DEALING WITH AGE DISCRIMINATION AT THE INTERVIEW
Age discrimination has been prevalent in recruitment even with current regulations set in place to prevent employers from profiling job applicants based on age. With the cost of compensation rising, a lot of companies lean toward employing younger people. Aside from lower labor costs, younger workers are perceived to be healthier, more energetic and easier to train. But the fact is people tend to live longer these days and therefore there are a lot of older people still in the workforce and still job hunting. As early as 45 years of age, some workers have already experienced age discrimination with younger people having a higher chance of getting a call back.
It is true that depending on the position and nature of the job, it is sometimes better to hire a younger person. But for many jobs an older employee can perform just as well and may bring in added benefits. Studies show that older workers are healthy. Aside from bringing the wisdom and soft skills of their years of experience, they also have a strong work ethic and are loyal to their employers. Also because of their age, they also are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs compared to their younger counterparts.
If age discrimination is something you’ve encountered while job hunting or at your workplace, there are a few things you can do to make your age a non-issue. .
Put your energy at the center instead of your years of experience
Putting emphasis on the length of your experience might have the unintended effect of distancing yourself from or intimidating your interviewer or appearing like a know-it-all. So instead lead with energy and excitement for the opportunity and the work you will be doing. Show your enthusiasm with statements like “This is the work I love to do.” Or “This is the work that I do best.”
Approach your interviews with a consulting mindset
Be curious and open to learning. Just as you would in consulting conversations, be engaged in listening and ask open-ended questions, to have a deeper understanding of the company and the challenges so you can identify where and how you can best add value. This not only shows your confidence but will shift the interviewer’s perception of you from an applicant wanting or needing a job to you knowing what the company needs and having the solution or know-how.
Be humble and show a non hierarchical approach
In discussing your experiences, speak of them as collaborations and your ability to work with and support teams as opposed to running teams. Remember to give credit to the people who also did the work. Especially if the person interviewing you is younger, a hierarchical work-style might signal a red flag where teams might be generally younger. Along this line, show your ability to work well with diverse groups of people. This will demonstrate you ability to collaborate with younger people with a different set of experiences without calling attention to your age.
Connect with your interviewer
Warmth and stepping in with a smile is a simple way to be disarming and to open the interview. In the course of the interview, use references that the interviewer can connect with instead of dated references that only you can relate too. Humor is also a great way to connect with your interviewer and show that you are enjoyable to work with but avoid self-deprecating humor.
Connect with your interviewer
Warmth and stepping in with a smile is a simple way to be disarming and to open the interview. In the course of the interview, use references that the interviewer can connect with instead of dated references that only you can relate too. Humor is also a great way to connect with your interviewer and show that you are enjoyable to work with but avoid self-deprecating humor.
Reframe inappropriate questions and comments
If asked about being ok with late-night parties and drinking, you can say something brief like “I love to celebrate success with my team.” Or when comments like the company is looking for “younger minds”, you can say something like “If you are looking for innovative thinking, I’d be happy to share my ideas to help achieve a higher impact.” Keep your responses to these age-related questions short then refocus the conversation elsewhere. If you aren’t sure about how to respond, you can ask the interviewer to tell you more about the question so you can address their underlying concern more adequately.
Look the part
You don’t need to don hoodies and sneakers, but wearing something that’s more consistent with the company’s culture but still comfortable for you is helpful in letting the interviewer see you as part of the organization. Adding something to refresh your outfit and accessories would be enough. Get help from a 20-something to make you look more the part.
Age discrimination is here and not going away completely any time soon. So in the meantime, just focus on elements you can control and practice the strategies above. This combination can help take attention away from your age and put the spotlight on why you are a fit for the job.
