Dive Brief:
- More people over 65 are still working even as ageism persists, says City Lab. Older workers fear not having enough money to live on in retirement, so they remain in the workforce or job hunt.
- Although the Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects people 40 and older, an AARP study found that almost two-thirds of people ages 45 to 74 said they experienced age discrimination, and 92% of them said ageism is common. Even 35-year-old millennials reported being discriminated against based on age.
- City Lab says a study National Bureau of Economic Research study revealed that younger job candidates were more likely than older workers to get called back for second interviews, while women experienced more ageism in employment.
Dive Insight:
Employers claim to value older workers’ experience and knowledge, but many discriminate in the hiring process by using ageist terms in job postings to describe the kind of candidates they want, such as “energetic,” “willing to grow” and “able to work in a fast-paced environment.”
Employers sometimes overlook older workers in hiring because of a presumption that older people are resistant to change, won’t keep pace with workplace operations and don’t have basic technological skills.
Although these descriptions don’t apply to all older people, the AARP offers advice to older workers on such topics as changing careers, job-hunting strategies, learning technological skills and resume writing. It's highly valuable for employers to familiarize themselves with this issue, as research shows boomers will continue to work longer.
