Ageism - The Reality Exposed

Ageism is REAL and unfortunately very prominent in the world and in particular the Job Market, but firstly "Why" and secondly "What" can we do about it?

So, lets understand "Why" it exists and "Why" it is still very prominent in a world where Diversity Equality and Inclusion is at the forefront of everything we do.

The harsh reality, is that "Old Age" in the workplace, is perceived to mean that people are "Old Fashioned", "Out Of Touch", "Over The Hill", "Passed It", "Stuck In Their Ways", "Unable To Learn", "Unable To Adapt", "Unaware Of The Latest Trends Or Tech".

In some cases, this may be true! But not because of ignorance, but because these individuals have spent a career building up certain skills and abilities that are difficult to change within an instant, but overtime, can certainly be taught.

Experienced people have built "Muscle Memory" and this is developed and honed over years of working and experiencing certain things, but also learning from people and environments and of course, cultures and demographics.

In a lot of cases, experience is valued and respected, as such with elders of tribes or families, as these individuals are seen as wise and cultured and seen as sources of advice and guidance, yet in the working environment, there is this perception that it means something else and in a lot of cases, the complete opposite.

Now, there is a reality here, which is that people need to adapt and they need to stay current, otherwise they get left behind and that is the case in life and not just in work or business.

Its the same when it comes to fashion, food, culture, arts, entertainment etc...if you don't adapt and adjust, you don't move forward and you don't learn, so there is absolutely a sense of evolution that is required if you are to continue working into the latter part of your life and you have to keep an open mind to continued learning and education to ensure you stay relevant, but this is what we do as humans and what we have always done.

But, people have prejudice and bias when it comes to areas like age and people make judgements, incorrectly based on stigma and perception, and also stereotypes and we aren't going to change everyone, but we can certainly try!

Now, as we have covered, people see experience and age as a risk, or a potential flaw/weakness, but it can also be seen as a threat, especially if the individual isn't looking for a leadership/senior role, but essentially as a worker, or a mid level employee. This is where another judgement comes in to play, in particular if the hiring manager is younger, less experienced that the candidate.

The hiring manager will consciously or subconsciously start to feel threated, or concerned that this individual may know more than them, they may "show them up", or they may even attempt to take their role. There is a concern that their authority could be undermined, or respect lost, across the team or with colleagues.

This is again a human trait that is hard to remove and is more about the individual hiring manager than it is about the candidate, or the company or job market as a whole.

So, despite the challenges and the obstacles, there is hope and there are strategies to implement to ensure you are judged based on your value add and not your age or perceived weaknesses.

First and foremost, you need to have the mindset that you will keep adapting and learning and educating yourself, to stay current and relevant within your field and that you are continuously improving and training to ensure your skills remain sharp.

Secondly, you need to remove any potential indicator for bias, or prejudice from your LinkedIn, Social Media and Resume/CV, this included dates, career history, date of birth etc etc.

You only need to show the last 10 years of career history and you can always state, "additional experience upon request".

The Resume/CV is your foot in the door, its your "Elevator Pitch", its not going to get you the job, you are going to get the job and your experience and value is what will secure you the role.

So the Resume/CV needs to be a highlight reel, demonstrating value and solutions to problems, none of this needs to indicate age or any other form of potential bias or discrimination.

Once you get your foot in the door, its then on you to articulate your value proposition and to remove any concern or perceived threat or weakness and this is done in your approach, your energy and your presentation of value add.

Equally, you need to ensure you position yourself as an ally, if you aren't looking for a senior role, remember that will experience comes reliability, dependability and credibility. You are a safe and trusted pair of hands, someone that your manager doesn't have to worry about, as you know what you are doing and you certainly wont be a drain on their time and resources.

Age isnt a weakness or a reason to be discriminated against, its a strength, its a superpower of experience, credibility and proven success, you just need to ensure you are putting yourself in the position to present this!

For more on how to do this and how to articulate you and your value proposition, plus how to remove any potential Bias or Prejudice, join The Hub and start moving your Job Search forward today.

www.thehub.app

We will help you overcome all of these challenges and get you employed quicker and easier!