It’s a controversial topic and a number should never dictate your chances of success, but while age discrimination is illegal, we’d be foolish to think it never happens. The reasoning behind discrimination differs from one example to the next, but it’s often down to preconceptions. For example, a company might think that an older candidate is too set in their ways to understand their culture and simply wouldn’t fit in, while on the flip side a younger candidate may be viewed as not having the necessary experience or clout needed to cope with the position. As recruiters specialising in buying, procurement, supply chain & logistics, hiring senior level roles across many sectors, we thought we’d ask our recruiting teams for their tips and advice on how to deal with perceived age discrimination.
Here’s what they said:
- It can be difficult to overcome deep rooted perspectives on age, even more so on paper. So I would say this its easiest at interview - think about the companies concerns over your age and address these up front. Talk about how you would conduct yourself in the organisation when you join, as this will reassure them that your age isn’t a concern.
- Many senior employees are those who have worked their way up and know the industry inside and out but it is not always the case that senior people are older - experience is being commercially aware, having a commercial eye and knowing your sector. Experience is key for this. You can’t put an age on experience.
- Thankfully I haven’t come across this problem as the people I work with are generally focused on experience and attitude rather than a number. However, I would always advise people not to mention grandchildren on their CV, keep it work specific!
- Often companies think they want someone that is young; a graduate with lots of energy and idea’s, but once they’ve have met a variety of candidates they often chose a candidate because of their experience and hunger to progress.
- Its rare but I have only come across age discrimination in sectors with businesses that are trying to maintain a youthful culture. In these cases, the biggest hurdle is getting in front of the employer, where they can demonstrate that their experience and skills to show they are the best person for the job. My advice to candidates would be to remove any irrelevant roles towards the beginning of their career and start at where they stepped on to the career ladder of their chosen specialism.
- Experience is key, giving people of all ages a chance; one candidate could have achieved in 5 years what took another 25 years. My advice is to be upfront and honest about your career plans; a decent recruiter will always put you forward for the position if you have the best experience.
- One way I can recommend to overcome any age bias is to get yourself out there; attend networking events, call contacts and meet people face-to-face so that they can judge your personality and character before judging you by the dates on your CV.
- It’s not something I’ve experienced much within the logistics industry, but every now and then you get a business who have a limit they work to. Some age discrimination comes down to nothing more than the existing dynamics of the team. One thing I’d recommend is to leave the dates of your education years off your CV, this way it’s much harder for employers to ascertain your age.
Our advice for any candidate, young or old, is to listen to your recruitment consultant. A good consultant will prepare candidates for interview and preempt potential reservations giving advice on how to overcome these at interview. If your consultant recommends you have examples of where you have needed to adapt to change for instance, ensure you have prepared these in advance and have a ‘story to tell’. Interview preparation from a good recruiter ensures you don’t make the same mistakes other candidates have before you and will prevent mature candidates from falling into being stereotyped. If you’re looking for a new role and would like to speak to one of our experts, then get in touch today on 0161 825 0825.
