The issues of age stereotyping and age discrimination in the workplace, as well as the demographic realities of the aging workforce, are finally beginning to get the attention they warrant. Age discrimination is real. We know it anecdotally from job seekers in our program, and we've heard stories from those who have been blatantly discriminated against because they're older. We know it from legal cases, such as complaints brought by AARP, the advocacy group for older Americans, against an executive-search firm that screened out candidates over age 45 at the request of some clients.

To make matters worse, age discrimination, which can begin as early as 40, seems to be much more subtle than, say, gender or racial bias. While complaints of age-related discrimination are rising, complaints about most other forms of job discrimination are not, reports Newsday.

The Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 prohibits using age to make decisions regarding hiring, firing, wages, or other privileges and conditions of employment. Even so, it’s clear that age discrimination in employment practices still exists. But just what is age discrimination? It is not illegal to discriminate against someone for being “too young.” This law was created to protect workers over the age of 40 from being categorized as “too old.” But mandatory retirement policies in some businesses operate on the assumption that all people experience a decrease in mental and physical capabilities when they reach a certain age.

The workplace is rapidly getting younger while the U.S. population is graying. We are now witnessing the greatest number of older Americans our nation has ever seen. Increased life expectancy is creating record numbers of people aged 65 and older. In less than a century, we have added 25 years to our life span. Those aged 65 and older will represent 13% of the population in 2000, and about 21% of the population in 2030. The group expected to grow most rapidly in the next 30 years is the one aged 85 years and older.

In Utah, which has the youngest statistical population in the nation, the situation is even more extreme. Due to its high total fertility rate (the highest of any state in the U.S.), Utah has the youngest population of any state. The age distribution in Utah, according to the most recent U.S. Census, is:

• 9.4% under age 5
• 32.2% under age 18
• 8.5% 65 or older

According to Sheldon Steinhauser, a Denver-based consultant who specializes in age discrimination, over $200 million was spent by corporate America in a series of high-profile lawsuits between 1996 and 1998 for legal awards and settlements. This was not for race discrimination or sexual harassment cases, but for age discrimination in the workplace. This amount does not include the price tags for legal fees, managers' time, and damage to an organization's public image and company morale.

The reality is that older workers have more difficulty finding a job. They suffer from the common discrimination that goes on consistently, whether on the basis of age, race, or something else. The fact is that people tend to hire others who are most like themselves. Younger workers assume they will be more comfortable working with younger people. Older workers face a special set of problems. For instance, employers realize that the older worker cannot have the long-term career with the company that a younger worker might. This is age discrimination. Usually the employer does not even consider this discriminatory because the decision not to hire isn’t motivated by a particular animus against older people as a whole. Additionally, there might be assumptions that older workers are bound to have health issues and this will affect their work attendance. Again, this isn't legal, but people often think these assumptions are fair and sensible.

Recently, a number of job seekers over the age of 50 have entered our Alumni Career Services program, either seeking transitional or post-retirement employment. It can be very challenging and emotionally taxing for older job seekers when they perceive that their job search is going nowhere. As an over-40 older worker myself, I am willing to work with many of the difficulties and obstacles they experience.

Here are some of the tips that I communicate to this group:

Follow The 15-year Principle
The résumé of mature workers should include only the last 15 years of experience. Details of earlier jobs should be omitted unless they make a vital difference in acquiring the current job.

Highlight New Learning
Older professionals are perceived as being more resistant to change and less flexible and adaptable. They may be perceived as difficult to train in new skills, and they are thought of as being computer-challenged. It is also believed that they want higher salaries. The résumé of an older worker should highlight the willingness to adopt new practices. Unfortunately, lack of technical skills is largely responsible for apprehensions in hiring older professionals. Thus, older job seekers would benefit by updating their technical and computer skills, which would go a long way toward alleviating the apprehensions of young recruiters. In an interview, the mature candidate should summarize relevant and recent training programs, training, or refresher courses he/she has taken.

Interview Strategies for Older Job-Seekers
When older job seekers are interviewed by younger hiring managers, they sometimes become defensive. Practice becomes essential to overcome an “attitude.” Be prepared for uncomfortable and (illegal) questions asked by inexperienced interviewers. “How old are you?” and “Don’t you feel you will have a problem working with younger office colleagues?” can be handled diplomatically. These types of questions represent the major concerns of the recruiter, and they should be handled up front. Remain positive and cool. Back up your responses with previous experiences that represent your point. Say something like “In my previous company, I had no problems in working with a team that included workers younger than myself.”

Demonstrate Your Worth
Older job seekers need to convince the recruiter of the great value they will bring to the organization through their experience and skills. It is critical that candidates address their high learning curve and their ability to work with varied age groups. Give examples of problems and how they were tackled, and how these problem-solving skills can be transferred to the present company. (Make certain you research the new company.) For example, you can present a solution to existing company problems. The point is to impress the recruiter with your initiative and problem-solving abilities.

Use Your References
Older job seekers should be very selective about giving references. Make certain you use references of only those supervisors or colleagues who will highlight your learning skills and your ability to adapt to all situations and problem-solving situations, etc.

Tap into Boomer Power
If you were born between 1946 and 1964, no one has to tell you you're a Baby Boomer. You've always had economic clout and will continue to do so in the workforce. Some have claimed that there aren't enough workers in the succeeding generations to do the work that needs to be done. John Izzo, a retention consultant quoted by Patricia Kitchen in Newsday, notes that “employers would be scrambling without those Boomers, who now fill so many key positions.” That will especially be true in three to four years, Izzo says, when Boomers begin to take early retirement. “When Baby Boomers leave the workplace, industries are going to be crippled,” says AARP's John Forrest, as quoted on HR.com.

Sue Shellenberger notes in the Wall Street Journal that it was the Baby Boomer generation that in the 1980s began pressing for child-care help, flexible scheduling, and other work-family supports. Even earlier, they fought for civil rights and the end of the Vietnam War. Boomers are a strong and powerful voice.

Finally, companies should become increasingly aware of the reliability, emotional maturity, quality, skill, and work ethic of older workers. Corporate leadership is waking up to the gravity of this matter and is finally realizing they can act to reduce or eliminate age discrimination and the more subtle forms of bias.

Need coaching or job search help? Your first hour is free if you are a current dues-paying member of the U of U Alumni Association. (Not a member? Click here.)

Call Julie Swaner, Program Manager for Alumni Career Services, at (801) 585-5036.