Ageism

Wiseman_Vaughn

Wiseman_Vaughn

Well-known member
....the forgotten discrimination.

Anybody on here feel like they have been victims?

I'm almost 60 and pretty much given up on applying for new jobs. About 5 years ago, I noticed that I was getting fewer and fewer replies, even though I have a lifetime of experience and specifically qualified in specific areas of what I do.
It's pretty demoralisong knowing that you are consigned to the career scrap heap.

It's a difficult one to prove and I'm not sure what can be done.....should anything be done or should the system change to allow earlier retirement???
 
Wiseman_Vaughn said:
....the forgotten discrimination.

Anybody on here feel like they have been victims?

I'm almost 60 and pretty much given up on applying for new jobs. About 5 years ago, I noticed that I was getting fewer and fewer replies, even though I have a lifetime of experience and specifically qualified in specific areas of what I do.
It's pretty demoralisong knowing that you are consigned to the career scrap heap.

It's a difficult one to prove and I'm not sure what can be done.....should anything be done or should the system change to allow earlier retirement???
Click to expand...
I'm mid 60's and still getting job offers, it depends on your job I guess. There's no chance of the retirement age going down in the current state of mind of the country, it's shifting upwards.
 
First thing I’d do is take your age or date of birth off your CV. A former colleague of mine whose 59 was struggling to find work after a redundancy I suggested the same to him and he started getting interviews which at least gave him the chance to sell himself and he found a job.
 
Age is a protected characteristic in all walks of life, not just the job market. What you have to prove is...

direct discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others
indirect discrimination - putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage
harassment - unwanted behaviour linked to a protected characteristic that violates someone’s dignity or creates an offensive environment for them
victimisation - treating someone unfairly because they’ve complained about discrimination or harassment

In the job market, potential for direct discrimination and the employer's liability starts when they receive a CV. Hard to prove though.
 
Muttley said:
Make sure when you send your CV that there are no clues to your age on there. Miss off anything except your recent employment history and relevant qualifications without any dates. Getting yourself through the first filtering where they chuck out the no-hopers get yourself in front of an interviewer and go from there.
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If you have loads of jobs on there then that is an indication of a long career, if you write O-Levels instead of GCSEs then that can be worked out, if you only have 1 job on there but you've been there 30 years then how do you convey experience without indicating age?

It's a difficult one because there is often seen to be a drive to modernise, be dynamic, long-term etc and someone towards the end of their career doesn't fit with people's misconceptions. If the job is "need to be up to speed immediately" vs a "developmental role" then there are probably times when age/experience is what people are looking for so you don't want to hide that on your application.

Discrimination at the application stage would be very hard to prove because you don't know the criteria or the competition.

I don't know how every industry recruits but mine is application form based so working out someone's age and nationality is usually easy even though those things are supposed to be protected characteristics. Leaving everything unanswered and then writing a vague CV into the free text area would be instantly discarded.

I think the best bet would be to go to a recruitment agent that works within the industry and have them sell you to companies instead of ding it independently.
 
There is a presumption that getting older means less "economically active" [Source of profit].
Age means a more measured and circumspect approach to life and, in work - it can mean not jumping in head-first.
It often means not taking orders unquestioningly and having life experience, which trumps youthful enthusiasm.
Sometimes in work, younger staff may feel intimidated by the experience of the older person.
A Manager may find it easier to "boss" younger staff - often because they dont have the confidence or experience to say "no".
Sometimes people, even with the best intent, treat people how they see them - older people are often patronised in the way you might treat a young child.
In a previous job - the Manager preferred recruiting younger people [20`s], but found they couldnt work effectively with the older client-group [50+].
Older people have a lot to give, particularly leadership to younger people - to share knowledge and skills, to give them confidence and offer solutions, not "problems".
"Ageism" - like all the other "isms" means resisting those who want to place a "label on others" [to "box" them].
When I was a lad, we lived in an area of terraced streets, railway lines, corner shops and coal merchants.
There was an older chap who worked in the post-office - who only had his thumb left on his right hand.
I remember asking him what happened to his hand and he told me he had lost his four fingers in the trenches - in the 1st World War.
A German sniper had shot off his trigger finger whilst he held on to his rifle.
I was 6
The point being we all have lots to learn off each other.
(y)
 
Wiseman_Vaughn said:
TBH - It's just really annoying when you want to work, have relevant skills and experience and you suspect that you are being overlooked because of your age or a cheaper option
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Sometimes its worth stepping back and trying something new - even if the money is crap - perhaps a different sector altogether - take all your existing skills with you?
None of us enjoys prostituting ourselves to someone who wants the cheapest employee they can hire.
Its their loss not yours.
It depends on what individuals priorities are.
Its when older people know more than the boss - that`s what worries them.
It means you can do the job better than they can(y)
 
Wiseman_Vaughn said:
....the forgotten discrimination.

Anybody on here feel like they have been victims?

I'm almost 60 and pretty much given up on applying for new jobs. About 5 years ago, I noticed that I was getting fewer and fewer replies, even though I have a lifetime of experience and specifically qualified in specific areas of what I do.
It's pretty demoralisong knowing that you are consigned to the career scrap heap.

It's a difficult one to prove and I'm not sure what can be done.....should anything be done or should the system change to allow earlier retirement???
Click to expand...
I'm 59 too. I'm a chef. I'd like to move into another job as where I am is just too busy for me now. Just had hernia repair surgery 6 weeks ago so still sore etc. But unfortunately no one is interested. I've a wealth of experience to pass on to running a successful kitchen/business. My own fault really as I should've thought about doing it 10-15 years ago.
 
I left the armed forces after 24 years and only one other job. That was 2 years at Morrisons 24 years ago.

I had absolutely no idea what to put in my CV. No real qualifications other than so called 'transferable' skills and in my 40s.

I found through Google that you don't have to and infact shouldn't put age on a CV. Although I'm sure they can work it out when I'd had one job in 24 years and 2 in 26.

I guess it's very much dependent on what role you want? I'm sure that some jobs will benifit from a younger 'model' (physical / genuine hard labour) Yet others need experience (mind / time done etc).

I think it's definitely as much of an issue as sexism and race. Yet definitely not talked about as much.
 
I thought the retail sector was changing its mind about older workers companies like bandq Tesco etc all seem to value the experience and common sense that is acquired with age
 
I got paid 3 years salary to leave when I was 61 .... mmm .... difficult choice ... it was pretty clear I wouldn't be taken on anywhere again.

My boss was on the board. He was 67. He got paid off too. But subsequently has gone onto two $3M+ jobs (first one with another pay off).

Of course, these people need more incentives to keep adding value to our economies. Thank god we have Truss in power.
 
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