Age and the Job market

Record high jobless rates and new college graduates hitting the job market makes finding a job so much harder for those who have been laid off or can illustrate a “long and varied list of work experience.” Struggling through both time and financial constraints to earn a degree and acquiring “extensive training” in areas of specialties that normally would have guaranteed them a foot in the door, it has become harder to find a job at 50 plus. Seeking to compete with the younger, the techno knowledge of the internet and the more vibrant group coming out of college with no experience, their chances are slim of being hired.

However, there may be a hidden fact that impacts such action as many well qualified people over 50 and looking for a job have engaged in what we call a “self-fulfilling prophecy” or a self demise of their own confidence and ability to compete with others and maintaining the edge to compete. Thinking too much about your age can hamper your chances thus showing even the slightest about how your age applies to the job you seek your own words or actions may put the nail in the coffin to terminate your opportunities to be successful. Employers will never reveal the reason for the not-hire decision as they are most aware of federal discrimination laws and its impact on their business if suspected. However, it may be the applicant who directs themselves to such a decision based on their own concerns about age and the ability to compete in a particular market or job assignment.

Self-promoting of your experience and willingness to pass on that experience to others in an organization can in fact provide an effective management tool if recognized. Many employers have mentor programs that can benefit from such an approach and if used wisely, it could in fact be a growth factor for successful career development for others who may lack the experience or are novice but identified as being potential great employees with mentoring and training.

Talking to a career expert and proper preparation for future interviews should be considered if you are lacking the self-confidence to implement this approach on your own. Selling your own experience and wisdom can in fact be recognized as you forget about age discrimination and allow your creativity and energy to remain positive and pass this on to the future. Finally, as for age discrimination in the hiring process I am sure it does exist or happen but as career specialties will tell you “if you walk in the door believing that's what's going to happen, that's what's going to happen and it's not because of age. You are going to be discriminated against because you are not presenting yourself as the professional they are looking to hire."