Older adults often struggle with finding work in a marketplace where young, dynamic workers seem to get priority. If you find yourself looking for a new job later in life, it is normal to worry about how your age may affect your job prospects.
While age discrimination is federally prohibited, that does not mean that it does not happen. There are steps that you can take to protect yourself from age discrimination during the application process.
Remove dates from your resume
Your education and work history dates can tell an employer your age bracket. Eliminate the dates from your resume, both in the individual resume as well as on your professional online profiles. This removes the time perspective without sacrificing the information necessary for your experience and educational qualifications.
Assess your online profiles
Review each of your online profiles, including not only the professional profiles but also your social media accounts. Adapt the information on those accounts so that your age is not apparent. Create a younger vibe on your professional platforms and lock down your personal ones. Remember that social media profiles can affect your eligibility for positions based on your personal points of view, so secure your personal accounts to eliminate any age-based information access.
Older candidates are often removed from the prospect pool through the initial round of vetting. Protect your interests and reduce the risk of age discrimination with proactive efforts ahead of your job search. Remove age from the equation so that you have a fair shot at an interview for any potential opening.