Even in a tight labor market, age bias against younger, older workers hasn't stopped
The "lose-lose situation" continues as employers' assumptions cause them to miss out on talented candidates both young and old.
Despite the ongoing labor shortage, nearly four in 10 hiring managers admit that age is a consideration when reviewing resumes.
“Yes, there is age bias in hiring,” said Lori Rassas, an author, attorney and HR consultant. “The good news is that we are making some progress in this regard, but the bad news is that it continues to be a lose-lose situation as older candidates are being denied opportunities and employers are missing out on a pool of dedicated and talented candidates.”
In a survey of more than 800 U.S. hiring managers, Resume Builder found that age bias affects both young and experienced applicants:
- Thirty-eight percent of hiring managers have caught themselves reviewing a resume with age bias.
- Nearly half know of colleagues who are biased against applicants of a certain age
- Forty-one percent say including a graduation year on a resume makes age bias more likely.
- More than eight in 10 have concerns with applicants who are 60 or older or 25 or younger.
For applicants aged 60 and older, hiring managers say their main concerns are that the employee may retire not long after starting and that they may not be proficient in the technology needed to do the job.
The main issues respondents are worried about with younger employees are that they may be likely to leave the job within a short period of time and may lack the necessary experience to do the job well.
Hiring managers said including a photo with a resume makes age bias more likely, and including a graduation year could do the same. Nearly one in four respondents say that they would never recommend including graduation year on a resume.
However, the largest group of respondents (26 percent) said an applicant should always include all relevant work experience, even if it spans 25-plus years.
“Remember, everything you do in the job-search process — from selecting which opportunities to pursue, to drafting your cover letter and resume, to what you wear and how you behave in an interview — is geared toward eliminating any preconceived notions a prospective employer has about your age,” Rassas said. “Is that unfair? Perhaps, but look at it this way: The more you do to dispel these preconceived notions, the more level the playing field becomes and the less your age becomes a factor.”
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