Here’s a question especially for you SafetyXChange members who are 45 or older. Did you ever feel that your current company or a company you’d like to work for denied you an opportunity because of your age?  If so, you’re not alone.

Age Discrimination in the Job Market

Sadly, unlike some other forms of discrimination, age discrimination has endured and even grown as a problem. “While age discrimination doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves, particularly during periods of economic growth, it’s a problem that nearly every professional will inevitably face in their career,” says my boss Dave Opton, CEO and Founder of ExecuNet. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that an executive under the age of 40 will typically have twice as many interviews as an executive over the age of 50.”

Let’s talk a little about how to handle this problem. I don’t mean the legal options. I want to examine the psychological dimension. I want to offer you grounds for hope and optimism.

A Typical Case of Age-Based Frustration

I was inspired to write this piece by an exchange that recently took place in the ExecuNet Forum. The Forum is the part of our service in which members pose questions on the web and experts from around the country provide direct answers. The other day, this question showed up on the Forum:

Q: “I am 60 years old and was recently laid off from a job that I had for five years (and thought I would be able to retire from). I didn't see it coming and the reason I was given for being let go was poor sales although I am pretty certain that my age was a factor in whom they decided to cut.

“I have signed on with a number of job websites and sent my resume to a number of positions that I am perfect for -- at least ones that they should consider interviewing me for. I don't even get responses. I obviously do not list all of my jobs on my resume and it starts with 1980 so my resume shows at least 25 years of work experience. I look much younger, have energy, a youthful personality. I'm feeling terribly frustrated and quite nervous. Am I dreaming that I will be able to find a decent paying job at 60?”

The Expert’s Response: Don’t Get Hung Up on Ageism

The expert who fielded this question is New York City-based career coach and consultant Michele LoBianco (malobianco@earthlink.net). As one who focuses on professionals making a transition to new careers, Michele spends a lot of time working with business professionals in their 40s, 50s and 60s. So she knows the mindset the questioner was feeling. Here’s how she responded to his question:

A: “I work with many people, who like you, were displaced from their organizations. Most of them, quite naturally, feel as you do that their age was a factor in their being let go. My job is to help displaced employees shift their attitudes about themselves and their situation by empowering them to come from a powerful place going forward in their career. Having been part of a layoff myself, back in 1999, I understand first-hand the impact on one’s self-confidence such a situation can evoke.

“The first thing I encourage you to do is to not ‘buy-into’ the ‘ageism’ issue yourself, as it will cause you to come from an uncertain and fearful place, rather than a place of confidence and strength. If we think something is an issue ourselves, then others will as well, so a shift in our ‘own’ attitude is first required.

“On the practical side, a big part of the problem is that you are using the online job banks as a barometer for whether you are marketable or not, and that is a critical mistake, and one that many job seekers often make. Statistics show that job banks are the least effective way to find and secure a job, and do not in any way provide a complete view of the jobs available in the market place. You might be interested to know that candidates of all ages experience the same non-responsiveness as you have when posting resumes to job banks or employee websites, even when they were sure they were an exact fit. The message is, it is not you it is the medium you are using.”

An Example Offers Inspiration

Michele’s response continues:

“In the way of real life examples, a 60 year 'young' colleague of mine recently secured a 'phenomenal' (his exact words) full time position with a hospital right near his home, in an area where he does not have a direct 'in'. How did he get the job? He had been working for the hospital on a one-day- a-week basis for the last year and had developed a  positive professional relationship with the hiring manager and staff. When the position came up, the hiring manager immediately thought of him and the terrific work he had been doing. He was given the opportunity to go through a rigorous interview process and he beat out all outside candidates, including those younger than him and got offered the position!

“The message I hope you take away is that while it is unfortunate and true that age discrimination does exist in our culture,  there are also just as many examples of situations where that is not the case. Which experience you encounter out there in the job market (positive or negative) is more in your control than you realize. Our age is truly just a number, and what really matters most is our 'energy', and energy can be missing or present at any age.”

Conclusion

If you’re at the age where the term “at the age” becomes relevant to your career prospects, I hope Michele’s message will make you feel better about things. I urge you to take Michele’s words to heart. Yes, age discrimination is a problem. But keep in mind that more often than not, you have the power to overcome the barrier by not letting it discourage you and competing full throttle for the rewards you feel you deserve.

Wishing you career success and equal opportunity!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

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