Although age is only a number, it might influence your job search from time to time. If you wish to learn how to fight ageism in your job application, understand these tips and tricks.
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People aged 55 and above are expected to make up a quarter of the US workforce by 2026, making them the fastest-growing employed age group. But if you are looking to change jobs when you are over 50, it is quite likely that you will run into a recruiter who holds ageist attitudes.
How can you battle age discrimination before a hiring manager, recruiter, or HR professional rejects your application because of your age?
Let us look at ten ways for addressing ageism even before you sit across the table for a job interview.
Ten Tips To Fight Ageism
You may engage in several actions as a job seeker to help remove potential age bias from employers and recruiters. At the same time, businesses are responsible for adhering to applicable anti-discrimination legislation and regularly monitoring their recruitment methods.
1. Allow your name to be the first thing that people see
Perhaps you set up an email account with your birth date, high school graduation date, or another memorable date or year as the email address at some point in your life.
While job seeking, use the firstname.lastname@xxx.com address rather than johndoe1967@ hotmail.com to make your professional profile age-neutral so that employers do not reject you before even meeting with you.
2. Don’t put your graduation year on your resume
The year you finished your graduate or post-graduate studies should be provided only during background checks. You should obtain an interview regardless of when you graduated since you have a degree and maybe a better level of study.
To solve the issue, remove the dates of your college/school pass out from your resume.
3. Resumes are marketing tools, not autobiographies
The dates of employment on your resume cannot (and should not) be removed since doing so would raise red flags with the hiring manager.
However, if you want, you can consider not including all of your past job experience on your resume.
Instead, you may try the following alternatives:
- Only consider the preceding 15 years. More likely than not, that experience is going to the most relevant to your new job.
- Demonstrate knowledge of current trends and themes in the industry.
- Make a list of your most recent qualifications.
- Demonstrate how you rose to the position of leader in your profession.
4. Demonstrate your adaptability
Many businesses, especially those in the creative and marketing areas, are searching for employees who can work under pressure, alter priorities quickly, and adapt to changing job requirements.
Unfortunately, age discrimination is an issue because many hiring managers believe that older workers cannot be flexible. Provide instances of how you’ve adapted in the past to illustrate your capacity to adjust on the job.
5. Continue to look for new ways to advance your career
Demonstrating your ability to stay up to date on the latest advances in your area will show potential employers that you’re adaptive and willing to learn new things.
Accept the concept of being a lifelong learner; continue reading, attending conferences, and looking for training opportunities!
6. Network! Network! Network!
Networking should be on the top of your professional list of things to do. I bet you have heard the saying “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” The same goes with networking.
Meet people professionally. Add value to their work. Show up at industry conferences and don’t be a wallflower. Use professional networking platforms like Linkedin.
When it comes to networking, you may have an advantage over your younger coworkers. You’ve probably encountered a diverse spectrum of individuals from many walks of life during your employment. One of these people may introduce you to a new work opportunity ideal for you!
7. Tell them what you know
The more you share your knowledge, the more likely you will be regarded as an industry expert. Therefore, take measures to position yourself as an expert in your industry and search for opportunities.
- Participating at local gatherings.
- Take part as a guest blogger.
- Make yourself available to younger workers in your sector as a mentor.
- Conduct some research.
- Publish articles on Linkedin.
8. Believe that your expertise is an asset rather than a liability
Are you older than most job applicants for your coveted job role? So what?
You’ve been here for a long time! Your age and experience can be a formidable arrow in your quiver if you know how to utilize your skills efficiently.
Use your experience to show prospective employers how you can be the department’s go-to expert, leader, and mentor. You can show your value to their team while also exhibiting your versatility, flexibility, and ability to master new skills.
9. Finding the ideal company to work with
If you’re searching for work, you undoubtedly have a list of things you won’t compromise on, such as corporate values, remuneration, benefits, and management style. These are good ways to limit your job search to opportunities that fit your abilities and expertise.
In addition, if you are a mature job seeker, consider age diversity tolerance as an extra trait to search for. In other words, an organization formed and maintained to assist, employ, and advance individuals of all ages.
Paying close attention to the language used by employers throughout the recruitment process, starting with the job post, is one method for doing this during the job search phase.
For example, the terms ‘high energy,’ ‘overqualified,’ ‘guru,’ and ‘ninja’ are all warning flags. If you discover wording like this in a job description, it may imply that the company or culture isn’t supportive and inclusive. Try to avoid applying to such companies.
10. Take part in online communities
The term “wired generation” refers to those born between 1980 and 2000 with internet access. In today’s business environment, social media usage for marketing and consumer interaction is nearly omnipresent.
Being unfamiliar with anything is the easiest way to seem aged. If you have a child, grandchild, or colleague who can mentor you, take advantage of the opportunity. After you’ve mastered a new skill, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment in demonstrating your competence.
Wrap Up
No one can dispute the existence of ageism in the workplace. Whatever your confidence level in your job search talents, it never hurts to double-check your work to boost your chances of success.
Is it time to revise your resume before putting it out there for a job search? Remember that there is no reason for your career to slow down if you don’t want it to!
We hope you liked this compendium of tips on how to avoid ageism in your job search. If you liked the ideas presented here, do feel free to share them to your friends or colleagues who are in need of this advice. And if you have comments or queries about these ideas, feel free to drop us a word and we promise that we will get back to you as quickly as we can!
