If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know that age discrimination is a topic I care deeply about. It’s also a serious concern for my clients, the members of ExecuNet. And if you’re 45 or over, you’re bound to encounter the phenomenon at some point in your career—if you haven’t already. Today, I’d like to focus on age discrimination trends, both statistical and psychological.

Age Discrimination Is Trending Up. . .

Basing employment decisions on a job applicant or employee’s age is illegal. (See Glenn’s piece below for an overview of the U.S. Age Discrimination in Employment Act.) But it happens all the time. And despite increased awareness and federal protection, statistically, the problem seems to be getting worse.

The recent age discrimination complaint numbers from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) aren’t pretty. In fiscal year 2008, the EEOC logged more than 24,000 charges of age discrimination, as compared to 19,103 in 2007. Recoveries also rose sharply in 2008 from $66.8 million to $82.8 million.

Not surprisingly, the anxiety level among the 45 and over population is also rising. In a recent ExecuNet survey, 44% of senior level executives strongly agreed that age would affect their ability to land their next position—up a whopping 33% from last year.

. . . But Psychology May Be Shifting

The good news is that ExecuNet sees evidence of shifting attitudes. First, here’s a compilation of data from search firms and consultants:

There’s also anecdotal evidence of a shift in attitudes. We recently held a roundtable in which senior executives discussed their fears and strategies for coping with age discrimination. Participants agreed that while being above 45 can be a problem, it also offers advantages. “There’s a push in our favor,” according to one participant. “We’re regarded as the knowledge base from which the next level will grow.” The key to taking advantage of this perception is to target companies that value experience. "

Conclusion

Another way to deal with age discrimination is to realize that it’s often less about personal biases than economics. The objective of the hiring process is to hire the best talent at the lowest cost. The perception is that younger individuals cost less than experienced ones. Of course, this isn’t always true. And even when it is, the extra costs of hiring senior employees may be more than outweighed by the value of the additional experience they bring to the table. If you’re a senior employee, your challenge is to demonstrate that you can deliver that value.

Wishing all of you career success regardless of age!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

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