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Confronting Age Discrimination in Job Interviews

While savvy employers will not raise age issues during an interview in order to avoid the potential of discrimination lawsuits, they are definitely a concern. Age is the elephant in the room. No one talks about it, but they sure are thinking about it. They may be wondering if you're over the hill, you Don't have the drive you used to, you cost too much, your skills are out of date, you won't be able to work with younger workers, you won't want to take direction from someone you perceive as having less experience than you, and so on.

They may well be making assumptions about you that just aren't true. Rather than just ignoring the issues and letting them fester, it often makes sense for you to take the initiative and put the issue on the table. You might say, "I know that a lot of times decision makers have concerns about hiring older guys/gals like me. I know you're not supposed to ask age-related questions, but I think it's important to talk about some of these issues so you can make an informed hiring decision."




You might want to tackle one or more of these assumptions, speaking in terms of "some hiring managers" or "I've noticed that many executives," rather than putting them on the spot and saying "YOU are probably thinking…" Here are a few examples:

Technology
"A lot of managers wonder whether someone like me is up to date with technology.  I want you to know that I'm the kind of guy who actually reads the software manuals cover to cover, and people in the office come to me with questions." OR "While I was unemployed, I took a number of courses to update my computer skills and feel comfortable with...."

Longevity
"If you're wondering about how long I'm going to stay in this job, I'm in no hurry to go anywhere. Younger workers are often switching jobs every two to three years—and turnover is very expensive, as you well know. If this is a good match, I'd like to stay till I retire, which won't be for at least five years."

Are You After My Job?
"Sometimes hiring managers are afraid that someone like me is going to be after their job. Let me assure you that I'm more than happy to be working for someone like you. From what I've seen, you're smart, and you're someone I can respect and trust. Anyway, I Don't need to be climbing the ladder any more.I'm more than content to be supporting you 100%."

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And be sure to let them know:

Advantages of Hiring Me
"I know there's a temptation to hire someone who's got less experience and a lower price tag, but let me ask you something. When you're down by a few points and it's fourth down and goal with less than a minute to go, do you want to have a rookie at quarterback—or do you want a seasoned vet who knows how to handle the pressure? I've shown that I can get the job done under the toughest circumstances."

Every candidate has their pluses and minuses. Make sure that you're not getting judged based on minuses that are only perceived, rather than reality--and be sure to play up your pluses.



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