Age discrimination?

44 Comments

1. AnonymousOctober 18,2022 at 11:30PM UTC

   You are not.
   Omygosh, I once had a person I interviewed with call every reference and speak to them 1/2hr, and my references were told me it was like the person did not believe them that they worked with me, that I could not have had that much experience and that I was way to young to have achieved all these things. I was 29/30 at the time. I rescinded that offer...

   Go with your gut

2. Balanced372207April 29,2023 at 6:45PM UTC

   I held a very professional position for 25 years in state government. I met, worked with, and became friends with quite a large number of people, both male and female, cisgendered, LGBTQ, of all races, and many cultures. In my current position, some of these same people have come into my job orbit. The current employer always seems shocked when I can greet people that he or she assume are "way above my pay grade", by first name. And on occasion, have tried to chastise me for doing so. I often wonder if it is because an older, unassuming black woman isn't "supposed" to know any of these individuals on a certain level.

3. AnonymousOctober 19,2022 at 1:10AM UTC

   If you felt disrespected to the point of upsetting you during an interview, regardless of the reason, put your well being first and don’t give the job another thought. You just got a preview of what to expect if you take the job.

4. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 12:15PM UTC

   Trust your gut and move on from this crew. It will just continue. You deserve so much better than working for these a holes.

5. GirlBossanova934974October 20,2022 at 12:39PM UTC

   Just my opinion, I think you are overthinking this but without more detail on why you feel these managers were being condescending or not taking you seriously, it is very hard to make an informed judgement. Saying you spoke "very mature" can mean a lot of things. Frankly, I avoid people who are perpetually walking on eggshells and insist the world around them do the same. I have also worked for some companies under some very very challenging circumstances. Heaven forbid If the you know what hits the proverbial fan and everybody has to be pull together or you'll all sunk, the eggshell mentality isn't going to be of much use.

6. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 3:23PM UTC

   I want to know what company you work for so I can avoid it. No, asking people to treat you decently isn't "walking on eggshells." It's called "I expect and should receive basic human respect." Companies that are garbage to their employees do not deserve good employees.

7. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 8:51PM UTC

   I'm definitely not a person who's easily offended. However from the moment the camera came on in the interview it felt like I had to defend my degrees and 5+years of experience with different softwares. As I'm reflecting their comments and tones already told me that they didn't take me seriously.

8. Balanced372207April 29,2023 at 6:40PM UTC

   It really is annoying when other people who didn't experience what you did (because they weren't there), question your recollection of events. I believe you.

9. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 12:51PM UTC

   Nope, you're not overthinking it at all. That's a big red flag - hard to tell if they're discriminating based on your perceived age, gender, or even both. Their loss!

10. Arielle LOctober 20,2022 at 12:57PM UTC

    I’ve experienced this many times, and have concluded that the ‘right age’ is being a man.

    Women are frequently told that they’re too young or too old - directly or indirectly. Be yourself and keep it professional. Try to find a workplace where women are already in leadership positions. It makes a big difference.

11. AnonymousJanuary 24,2023 at 8:28PM UTC

    Ain’t that the truth. A young guy gets chances young women don’t. Older men get to stay in higher positions and are taken seriously. Older women are either invisible or thought of as feeble and past it. At least when you’re younger, older women *usually* have your back. Can’t say the same is true about younger women having older women’s backs, now that I’m on the other side of the equation. Now that it’s happened to you, hopefully you won’t do the same. Move on from these people and go where you will be valued.

12. Balanced372207April 29,2023 at 6:39PM UTC

    Actually the "right age" is being a white, heterosexual, Christian (non-Catholic) male.

13. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 1:51PM UTC

    You’re probably not overthinking this, I had the same thing happen to me until I got to my mid thirties recently and noticed the shift. Now I no longer look like someone fresh out of school but a late 20/early 30 something.

14. Joycelyn M. SiameOctober 20,2022 at 2:05PM UTC

    I am often told this as well, and though I am not there to witness it, I will definitely side with you on this, as this has happened to me before. Trust me when I say, working for people like this is NOT WORTH IT. It is giving you a precursor of what to expect if you take the job.

15. KathyOctober 20,2022 at 3:05PM UTC

    Run! Keep interviewing. As others said, look for a company with more women in leadership positions and evolved men who take women and their careers seriously.

16. Jennifer WuolletOctober 20,2022 at 3:49PM UTC

    I went grey prematurely, which I covered with hair dye but for whatever reason my face looks 5-7 years younger than my age. I used COVID to grow out my grey and honestly I think it made a difference. My hair says Im 50, my face says Im 33, my birth certificate says Im 40. I feel like I am taken more seriously now than before covid. I would avoid the position though, there is no need to talk down to anyone no matter what the age. They have your resume, they know how much experience you have, that should speak for itself.

17. Kimberly GrahamOctober 20,2022 at 7:19PM UTC

    Trust your gut especially since you mention they are directors/managers of the function you're interviewing for. But look at their comments objectively, too. As a 56 year old woman someone could tell me that I have a ton of experience and I could take that as an age reference but I don't. Embrace your age but pay attention to your gut reaction since you want to work in a healthy environment. Good luck!

18. AnonymousOctober 20,2022 at 8:53PM UTC

    It was definitely a shock because I've never experienced anything like that before.Lol I'm not a person who's easily offended but that comment really did it for me

19. AnonymousOctober 21,2022 at 12:34PM UTC

    Trust your initial feelings and move in. Believe me when I say it doesn’t get better with age.

20. Jocelyn LyonsOctober 21,2022 at 3:27PM UTC

    No, you're probably not overthinking it. Our gut feelings are usually right. I agree with others that if your gut feels off, it's probably best not to pursue the job opportunity.

21. Reb562January 7,2023 at 1:55PM UTC

    Sometimes I feel it's not our age, but the fact that we are women. Double whammy sometimes if you are ethnic. Only because most appreciate the possibility, one can stay a bit more long term at the job if hired young. Just my 2 cents.

22. AnonymousJanuary 21,2023 at 4:19PM UTC

    I am in the exact same situation where my entire life people have thought I am seven years younger and it is awkward in work settings. No, that is not professional. I am also thirty three and two managers told me this week that I look like I am in my mid twenties. And another man this week asked me if I was twelve when I said my birthday was coming up. I said that’s well and fine but I still want to get my promotions. If my work is the best then I want the best promotion. I work in a male dominated industry and I am concerned about not getting due credit for my work, the same opportunities as peers and the best performance ratings because of people making assumptions because I look young and cute. I’ve already had this conversation with my managers to an extent, but I also just got a mentor and I am going to ask her for advice on how to handle it.

23. AnonymousMarch 28,2023 at 10:23PM UTC

    Watch out for the perv that asked if you were turning 12! Just wear eyeliner and concealer. Nothing ages one more than the combo of those two makeup items. And wear a blazer. Maybe glasses (blue light)? And on jeans Friday, wear nice jeans. Always dress one notch nicer if you want to be taken seriously. That’s my GenX advice.

24. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 10:24PM UTC

    I used to work at a company where my age (I was 20 at the time) was always a central (an inappropriate) focus. I even had my manager go so far as to ask what, "My mom would think of my behavior" when I was 2 minutes late one morning. It was not fun. I would just say that if they're rude in the interview, your experience with the company is unlikely to much better.

25. AnonymousMarch 28,2023 at 10:21PM UTC

    My Mom would think that you (boss) are controlling and unable to focus on business outcomes.

26. Catherine SchneiderFebruary 15,2023 at 2:57PM UTC

    There are two major issues now a days.

    Agesism, whether you are are 25 or 50. I can do circles around a 25 year old, who are considered the generation of laziness. Alot of this was due to being confined for almost 3 years.

    The two unbelievable things just happened to me. They ended up giving the job to a 28 year old Vet. No experience, but the company needed the tax write off. Sorry Vets do not take priority. U signed up fir duty, you knew what u were getting into. You do not deserve higher priority in the job selection process.

    2. I was asked on a phone screen by a Millenial, if I would mind working for someone younger than me. First, she had know clue what my age is and 2. That question is against the law. Millenials are a nightmare to deal with. Too young to understand the role and answer questions.

27. Balanced372207April 29,2023 at 6:35PM UTC

    If the interviewer knew your full name, it would be very easy to find out approximately how old you were. Many use https://www.spokeo.com to gather that information.

28. AnonymousFebruary 27,2023 at 7:27PM UTC

    Well men really in some situations need to be taught how to speak to professional women. They just don't know unless you teach them. For the comment a good reply would be to ask what they mean or just simply repeat what they said like a parrot. Sometimes hearing something stupid said back to you makes you realize just how dumb it was. Don't think of yourself as not being taken seriously, instead be the strong powerful woman that you are and stand behind what you say with action and purpose. Yes they were that unprofessional, call them on it behind closed doors and let them know it's not the way to acknowledge your good work.

29. AnonymousAugust 29,2023 at 6:47PM UTC

    There is no way to know if the men were unprofessional. We dont know what was said by the men.

30. Jephanie PanisalesMay 11,2023 at 6:25PM UTC

    That's overthinking, there's no thing such as age discrimination. Sometimes its just your anxiety that is making you think that you are feeling bad about it. If people finds you younger than your age, its not bad at all, hence its a good indication that you are not that stress in life. If you feel that way, don't feel bad about yourself or with them. Maybe they find you good looking, its a good thing. Sometimes people are just challenging you for them to see how would you handle a situation and how would you react. Just be confident with yourself, age doesn't matter as long as you are eager to get something whether its a job or something else. So what if you look younger, there are a lot of young professionals. We need not to react negatively always when people treats you far from what you expect. Be nice and be yourself looks doesn't matter if you are good at heart. Forget about that discrimination thing, we all age anyways regardless how we look. Constructive criticism helps if you will deal with it with a positive mind.

31. AnonymousMay 20,2023 at 8:53AM UTC

    You have to realize that some people just don't know how to do interviews they just tell them all you have to interview the 1st one today they don't. Know what question is. To? Ask they don't know how to interact with people so you could be overtaken it.

32. Kim SavantJuly 20,2023 at 12:27AM UTC

    Come again?

33. AnonymousMay 27,2023 at 3:55PM UTC

    Age discrimination has to be proven. Protected ages, according to the EEOC, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, (ADEA) are ages 40 and older.

34. AnonymousJuly 26,2023 at 5:24AM UTC

    They were likely that unprofessional.

    View this prospective employer with caution.

35. AnonymousAugust 25,2023 at 12:14AM UTC

    Well, you just experienced bro culture. This is when men who don't really know how to communicate with professional women just talk without really thinking about what they are saying. If it were me I would have asked him what he meant by that comment. If he took issue with it then you know he is not someone who you will want to work with unless you plan on spending much of your work time training him on how to speak to adult women. Geez.....

36. AnonymousAugust 29,2023 at 6:28PM UTC

    Really! Who said she was a processional woman? What type of job was she interviewing for? Maybe they did that on purpose to weed her out. She did admit that she looks young, so he complemented her on how mature she sounds based on the way he perceived her youthful look. Im just guessing here and you did in your statement.

37. Jane OstenSeptember 5,2023 at 6:24AM UTC

    Definitely bro culture. They may be subconsciously trying to "work bestie" set you up. Them looking down on you may be in your favor if you'll face challenges they haven't employed the right people to ramp up to you. They'll "have to handle it" which will make you feel like you've been saved and help smooth things out with them. The challenge is that you have to grow out of this support and face the dragons yourself eventually which.... who knows when this happens but it has to happen. When they are preparing you for something more challenging there will probably be more conflict. Some people perform best when they are angry. You can definitely expect them to try to make you angry and do this on purpose. You'll have to navigate how to communicate anger. Sometimes you have to break their "safety rules" in order to accomplish your goals. If you look young they may instinctively feel he need to protect you. Rest assured there will be people that see this and be able to sense your strength. They may communicate this compliment in aggravating ways. Those may be the ones you need to pick your battles with. Or ignore. lol In the moment it's always a follow your gut world. Best of luck!

38. AnonymousSeptember 8,2023 at 12:47PM UTC

    This is an year old post. What is Anonymous doing not. The post needs to be updated by her. Remove it now.

39. AnonymousSeptember 25,2023 at 4:11AM UTC

    Well, I want to remind that there are other examples of ageism, or age discrimination. For example, most companies are happy to hire people only under 25, i.e. young people))

    I often came across job descriptions where age was mandatory (usually under 25-30). It upsets me so much, because one day I will also be 30 years old, and what will I do... I have a feeling that people over 30 are absolutely useless and unnecessary (I don't think so, but the current job postings prove it to me)

40. AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 9:06PM UTC

    OP- Update- I was later notified that theere was layoffs and that team was affected about a month later. I'm now working with a different company who is supportive and welcoming.☺️

41. AnonymousNovember 23,2025 at 5:58PM UTC

    Glad you got rid of the Red Flag company. If they are making comments like that that's clear indiciation there is age discrimination.

    When people say age discrimination, they think of old people who are boomers basicually who put it in the laws to protect their rotten old butts. The younger people can be discrminated against to, but there are the 18-29 year olds that are immature and or get over mentality they think is cute and funny.

    Get a company that will respect you by SKILL and by EXPERIENCE.

42. VielayoApril 17,2025 at 5:57PM UTC
    You're definitely not overthinking it. I'm 34 but regularly get told I look 25, and yeah, it can be frustrating when people assume you're inexperienced just based on looks. One guy even asked if I was an intern… during my third year in a leadership role! It’s subtle, but those micro-comments can feel dismissive. I’ve learned to stay confident and assertive early in the convo. If you ever want to learn more about people before meeting them (especially professionally), I’ve used tools like CheckPeople’s customer service https://checkpeople.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html to vet folks, it helps feel more in control.
43. AnonymousNovember 23,2025 at 5:56PM UTC

    I'm 36 years old and that has happened to me as well too. What you need to do is that you need to let them know that your of age and that you can do to the job. Your mature and your not some 18-29 year old that is fiddling around wanting vacations or not wanting to do things and get paid. That type of 'get over' mentality of over done.

44. Devil LMay 19,2026 at 8:17AM UTC
    unprofessional they are. level devil