I Am 59 Years Old. How Can I Compete With Younger Applicants?
Ageism is real and begins at 40! Mature job seekers, who comprise more than 20% of the workforce, are being overlooked for many jobs by hiring managers that are often younger. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, Americans over 40 are around half as likely to get a job offer as those under 40 when employers can determine an applicant’s age.
Understanding the biases that come with age and strategies to overcome them will help you find employment again. You can spot age discrimination by the age-biased language in the posting designed to deter mature workers from applying.
“Tech-savvy, college student, recent graduates, high energy, able to work long hours, etc.”
Let’s look at some of the unspoken biases from the employer’s perspective. How would you respond to each of the statements below? Try answering them out loud.
- You will only work a few years before you are fully ready to retire.
- Your health may deteriorate, and I won’t get the work I need done in time.
- You do not have the energy or drive my younger workers have.
- You do not understand or use technology as well as younger workers.
- You will not take orders from a younger manager.
- You will only do the minimal work.
- Your skills are not up to date and you may not want to learn new skills.
- I can’t afford you.
To get an interview, you need to control the information in your resume. Your resume is the first tell-tale sign you are an older worker. Untrained mature job seekers tend to list all the jobs they have held over their entire working career. Career coaches suggest limiting your jobs to the most recent 10-15 years and focus your resume on the job requirements posted in the job description. Remember, the resume’s whole purpose is to get you an interview. If it does that, it has done its job.
Next, you need to prepare to answer all the items listed above even if the hiring manager doesn’t ask them, they are most likely thinking them.
You have a great opportunity to overcome their biases and fears when they invite you to “tell me a little about yourself.” Think of the statement as, “tell me a little about yourself—as it applies to this job and helps me overcome my biases.”
Here is a sample answer to demonstrate how to overcome some of the biases mentioned above.
“I read your job description and was really excited to apply. I have 10 years of progressive experience with (mention at least 3 key requirements listed in the job description). I enjoy working long hours and mentoring others on the latest technology. I even write a blog on using Excel. My previous boss was 32 and we had a great working relationship, unfortunately, the pandemic eliminated many jobs at my previous employer. I have an extensive network of influential contacts that can help your organization grow in several key areas. I am excited to discuss my qualifications with you.”
You will find additional tips inside Interview Ready on how to overcome unspoken biases. You should see a change in your interviewer’s demeanor after you put their concerns to rest. Next, you need to be ready to provide rich, detailed examples for each of the situations and tasks listed in the job description.
Interview Ready teaches you how to look beyond the job and identify transferable skills from your education, volunteer work, mentoring and more. Untrained job seekers will most likely struggle to answer the questions.
Anticipation and preparation are the keys to succeeding in your next job interview. Interview Ready provides an extensive database of behavioral interview questions (questions that ask you to provide specific examples of past performance) and follow-up probes to help you pull out critical details and build a strong case for your candidacy.
The more detailed your stories, the more memorable you become and the higher you set the bar for other (younger) candidates. Recalling your stories will help you rebuild your confidence which will help the employer feel confident in extending you a job offer.
Check out AARP’s Job Board to connect with employers that value your experience.
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