Ageism is real. Here are some tips to fight back.

Older adults often write to me about the challenges they face in the job market. Many say they’re not hearing back from employers after submitting their applications. Or, if they do hear back, some say they noticed hints of age bias, such as concerns being raised that they have too much experience or that they’re overqualified.

More than 7,000 of you responded to a poll I posted about ageism, with 93% saying age has at least some influence during the hiring process. Additionally, one in 10 baby boomers recently said that ageism is the biggest obstacle they face during their job search, according to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Index. The only factors that ranked higher were people saying that not enough jobs meet their criteria or that they don’t face obstacles.

Data confirm the concerns and experiences of older adults. And the pandemic may have even increased those challenges. Unemployment among older workers jumped more during the pandemic than the rate for mid-career workers. The trend is opposite from previous recessions.

“What we’re seeing in the current recession is that older workers don’t have the lowest unemployment,” said Owen Davis, who is a graduate student and researcher at The New School’s Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. “Mid-career workers have been the most protected.”

People ages 55 years and older had an unemployment rate of 3.3% in March 2020. The wave of pandemic-induced layoffs increased unemployment among that age group to 13.6% in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for people ages 25 to 54 years increased 9.2 percentage points from 3.6% in March 2020 to 12.8% in April.

Unemployment among older workers has decreased to 5.3% as of January, but newer research from Davis and his colleagues found that the rate is — at least partially — falling for the wrong reason. Specifically, many older workers gave up looking for work and are not counted in unemployment data.

The older individuals who stay in the job market face a challenging road back to work.

Americans ages 55 to 64 years were unemployed for an average of roughly 31 weeks as of January, compared to about 23 weeks for people ages 25 to 34 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. People ages 65 years and older were spending an average of roughly 30 weeks unemployed. (Chart by LinkedIn's Greg Lee)

“In general, it is the case that older workers tend to take more time to find a new job when they’re unemployed and they tend to take a bigger pay cut,” said Davis, who is among the researchers who publish their findings in the Older Workers Report.

The recovery of jobs for many older workers appears to have stalled, too. Conor Sen recently highlighted in Bloomberg Opinion that the U.S. added back about 2.7 million jobs since August for people under age 55 years. The number is only 28,000 among people over age 55 years.

Why is the job market more difficult for older people?

A number of reasons can explain why the job market is more challenging for older people, but experts generally agree that ageism plays a large role.

“People give a lot of lip service that age bias doesn’t exist in their company, but ageism is really pervasive and embedded in our society,” said Kerry Hannon, who is a career management expert with a special focus on older people. 

Often, stereotypes of older workers play a role in that bias, said Hannon, who is the author of Great Pajama Jobs: Your Complete Guide to Working from Home. Those include perceptions that they are technologically inept, they won’t be in the job long before retirement, they’re unwilling to learn and they won’t get along with younger workers or bosses. 

“Of course, none of those things are true for everyone,” she said. “Some of those things are true for some people.” 

Hannon said that older workers bring a lot of benefits to companies. They have a wealth of experience and tend to be less reactionary during a crisis. Retention among older workers is usually higher than their younger peers, too.

“There are these really great benefits of having someone 50-plus in the workplace,” she added.

What can people do to combat ageism?

While companies and industries should work to fix ageism within the hiring process and workplace, there are some steps people can take to fight back against it during their job search.

“Do that soul searching about where you want to work,” Hannon said. “What companies do you admire? For most people I talk to it’s not the job itself, it’s the mission of the company, the product or the service. It’s the pride in what the company is.”

Additionally, she said people need to realize that getting hired is ultimately about the needs of employers. “You’ve got to feel strongly about why you want to work there and how you can solve their problems.”

People who are looking for work should also spend time taking care of themselves to help recharge their proverbial batteries. People are drawn to those who exude energy. Taking time to focus on yourself can help do that in interviews and other conversations.

Lastly, she said it’s important to seek out a support system, which can include a group of other job seekers or a career coach.

“Job seeking can be extremely hard on your self-esteem,” said Hannon. “Be kind to yourself. It can take longer than you ever expected to find the right job. You have to believe in yourself.”

What’s your advice for older adults navigating the job market? Join the conversation.

? Want even more #GetHired?

I go live each Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET from the LinkedIn News page to discuss important issues affecting job seekers and to answer your questions about looking for work. I spoke with Emily Liou, who is the founder of CultiVitae, on the most recent episode. You can watch it below or by clicking here.

Coming up...

By popular demand, BJ Fogg, who is director of Stanford’s Behavior Design Lab and the author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, will be back on #GetHired Live on Friday, March 12 at noon ET. Click here to RSVP and submit your questions.

? The follow-up

Many people’s lives were upended over the past year. In some cases, people lost jobs or structure to their days. In those difficult times, hobbies and passion projects can help distract the mind and bring people joy. LinkedIn members offered their suggestions in the last edition of #GetHired about the process of finding hobbies. They suggest picking an activity each month to try. Also, people can try taking some online classes. Another approach is to listen to your inner child and revisit interests from your youth. The bottom line is to be open to new experiences, however. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

Some cities are faring better than others. New surveys looking at employment, cost of living, food and housing security found that live during the pandemic has been hardest in Houston, Los Angeles and Detroit, according to Bloomberg. Where has life been the easiest? Seattle, Boston and San Francisco make the list. Here’s what people are saying about the findings.

What’s the cost of a $15 miminum wage in the U.S.? Gradually increasing the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15 by 2025 would reduce employment by 1.4 million workers but also bring 900,000 people out of poverty, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. President Biden has proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 over four years to help the lowest paid workers climb out of poverty. The new CBO report estimates that increasing the minimum wage would also increase the federal budget deficit by $54 billion between 2021 and 2031 due to higher prices for goods and services. Here’s what people are saying about the report.

Some areas of the economy are working overtime. New data show that manufacturers are moving at the fastest pace in three years as they work to meet demand. Despite the speed, a measure of unfulfilled orders hit a nearly 17-year high and delivery times have slowed to the second-longest since 1979, reports Bloomberg. They add that manufacturers are running into issues due to the rising cost of materials, higher shipping costs and labor market disruption. Here’s what people are saying about the data.

? Up next:

Amazon’s Beth Galetti oversees one of the largest workforces on the globe. As senior vice president of human resources for the company, she helps oversee the hiring and careers of everyone from the people who deliver packages to doorsteps to those who are launching satellites into space. In the next edition of #GetHired, we’ll have a Q&A with Galetti about how Amazon hires.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.