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Ageism is real
So, I just wanted to make my first post since joining a few months back. And, I just want to say that ageism is REAL.
In my own experience, I have experienced ageism a lot during my career, mostly because I look a lot younger than I am. I'm in my late 30's and I've been told that I look like I'm in the mid-20's. While this is not a bad thing for my personal ego (LOL!), it's been bad for me professionally. I've been passed over for jobs because I've "looked" too young.
On the other hand, my father-n-law (who's retired) wants to return to work and is having the hardest time even getting an interview. In fact, he's applied for at least 20 jobs and has not had a single interview. He knows it's because of his age. (He's in his early 70's.) He is a smart, alert, dependable and a determined individual. All he wants to do is get a part-time job to get out of the house, but no one will hire him. So sad!
People should be hired because of their skills, not because of their age.
So, what say you on the matter? Have you ever experienced ageism in the workplace?
Courtney Klein
Security Professional
688
08/07/19 at 7:19PM UTC
I really appreciate that you touched on ageism against younger individuals as well, as I personally feel like this isn't discussed enough. As a young woman in an older male-dominated field (mostly retired cops with a median age around 65), I often get told that I'm "too young" for this or that. I fully acknowledge that many older people are discriminated against and I feel very deeply for them - even more so now as my mother (a mere 51-years old!) feels like she's having trouble finding a new job because she's "decrepit" (her semi-sarcastic terminology, not mine).
Interestingly enough, today I learned something about age discrimination laws in my area (NYC). Federally, people in the US over the age of 40 are protected against discrimination based on their age (something to keep in mind as far as HR complaints goes), but in NYC this age is dropped AAAAAAAAAALL the way down to 18, so it is illegal for an employer in any of the five boroughs to discriminate against any legal adult based on their age! I think this is wonderful and more states should enact such protections (or, ideally, get this on the federal level). Additionally, I think more people should be educated about whatever protections are in place in their region. It sounds like a lot of people have cases to file a complaint, and the more voices that stand against this kind of bigotry the fewer people will experience it in the long run!
Robyn WickHiEd Professional/PT Fitness Inst
736
08/07/19 at 3:11PM UTC
I wish people were more open minded about age. We have a part-time role in my department. By far the best employees I've had were retired professionals looking to stay mentally and socially active. They are smart, experienced, require very little supervision, and have great decision-making skills.
Kimberly SullivanFormer stock trader now Realtor
188
08/07/19 at 12:44PM UTC
I was interviewing for a short term temp sort of position. I was told by an assitant/junior person that her boss wanted someone closer to “College Age” and that I had “too much experience”. I suggested to her that she not say that to anyone in the future as she would be the one getting in trouble!!!
Lindsey JoeHealthy Eating & Employee Wellness Expert
618
08/07/19 at 11:56AM UTC
YES! I'm in the exact same boat (in my 30's and often mistaken for a H.S./college student) and the judgement from others at times puts me at an immediate disadvantage :(
Anonymous
08/06/19 at 5:11PM UTC
I’ve suffered from reverse agesim my entire career. I am nearly 40 and look closer to 22. It’s nice in theory, but at work it means my experience is not held as high as everyone else’s. As a result I frequently get passed over for positions I am over qualified for since I am female and young looking. It is difficult when recruiters and hiring managers see you and think you look to young for a position. Keep plugging away and find that place where they value you and your skills!
Anonymous
08/06/19 at 12:56PM UTC
I am a mid-career job seeker who currently holds a director level job but I am looking for something new. One of the biggest challenges I am facing is salary expectation, companies will hire someone with 10 years experience to my 25 in order to pay them half of what I want. I don't know that it's age that is my issue as much as expecting to be paid my worth and competing against people with less experience who will take less.
EmpoweredGirl653467
84
08/05/19 at 8:39PM UTC
I want to thank everyone for posting their comments on here. This is definitely a subject that needs discussing. Plus I agree if you are a VO by 30 they think what’s wrong with you. Most of the VP at the local college are in their mid-thirty the new HR person who was just promoted she previously was the admin asst, for HR granted she got her Masters but has zero people skills . I truly feels she is being sit up to fail as she can definitely be control by higher ups since she has zero experience. And I get I look like I’m in my forties but seriously anyone looking at my resume they can see when I got my Bachelors. So yes it’s definitely harder finding a job as you get older. And please do t get my started on the reason the baby boomers on are SS now because they can’t find jobs!
Ella MolnarWife, Mother of 3, Nerd
147
08/06/19 at 2:41PM UTC
So, here's the thing about using a resume to guess age:
I'm 35 this year. I got my relevant Bachelor's in 2015, when I was 31. Using my resume, which shows 9 years of experience, you'd guess that I am in my mid-twenties now.
In 2015, I worked for a man who was attending the same school I had graduated from. He had been in the field for 32 years, with the company for 20+ of that, and now the company were requiring that he get his BS before they would give him the same pay as BS holders with his responsibilities and title but less than half the same years of experience in the field and/or at the company. He was 59 when he got his Bachelor's. Using his resume, you'd probably guess his age fairly accurately, because of 20+ years of experience in the field.
I have a good friend who was in social work for a long time. At age 62, he went back to college for Business Administration. He became enamored with Project Management, and so he switched fields entirely, while using a similar basic skill set. His resume is very short, because "Director of XYZ" in a social work environment is not relevant to the position he wants now. His resume shows he has 3+ years of experience as a PM, and that he got his Bachelor's in 2017 and his PMP in 2018. Using his resume as a guide, you'd guess this guy is maybe pushing 25, definitely not 68. But he gets interviews off his resume, and they ghost him, over and over and over, and we have a gut feeling it's because the interviewer was startled to see him walk in. He's young at heart and his mind is sharper than ever (he went back to school while working a full time social work job at age 62!!!), but he's struggling to find a job b/c interviewers feel cheated, deceived, or uncomfortable with confronting the disproof of their assumptions.
So I hope you find a way to work around the problem, but unfortunately, looking at when you got your Bachelor's isn't reliable, because so many people are going back to school late in life.
Jane Parker
17
08/05/19 at 7:56PM UTC
Ugh. For most of my career, I have been perceived as in the know with all things happening. At 55, I have been told at some point, I will "age out"! I thought retirement happened when I wanted it to, not the other way around. Now an involved grandmother, there is no hiding how old I am. I don't volunteer it as I still feel like I appear more youthful then many my age-pure luck- but it won't last forever. I am sure within a few years I will be looking at a new career, not by choice.
Katie MaloneSocial Media Manager + Mother to two daughter
1.28k
08/05/19 at 5PM UTC
Omg...YES! I have actually been meaning to start a topic about reverse ageism. I have been passed up a few times (for various reasons) for promotions and I constantly hear, "you have plenty of time). I'm also in my mid-30s, but look like I'm in my mid-20s. I do have two kids (which is widely known), but for some reason people think I'm way younger than I look. Again, I do love this personally, but it's been hard professionally. I work in a large corporation where many people are lifers -- started working there straight out of college and continue to work there until retirement. I constantly have to remind upper management and coworkers that not only do I have a master's degree, I also have 15 years of experience outside the corp I work for. I've learned in that last four years that my work does NOT speak for itself and I continually have to advocate for myself.
Anonymous
09/19/19 at 6:08PM UTC
Yes, unfortunately, good work is not enough. You have to be your own champion!
Teresa CuervoI am a freelance translator/transcriber
50
08/05/19 at 3:32PM UTC
I experienced ageism during and interview no less two years ago and by the deliberate questions and comments and they did not hide their discrimination either. Phrases as where do you see yourself in 5 years or when "when you were working back then" were obvious for me. Although the first is a legitimate question and many interviewers ask it, I knew that how it was phrased what they meant and what it was meant to say.
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