ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 10 million people in the US are looking for a job right now, and people over the age of 45 cite one thing as their top obstacle to getting hired: their age, especially if they work in the high-tech or entertainment industries.
Last year, the equal employment opportunity commission, or EEOC, received almost 21,000 complaints of age discrimination. So with racism, sexism, heterosexism, there also seems to be another one –ism that we’re not talking enough about.
AARP reports two out of three workers between ages 45 and 74 say they have seen or experienced age discrimination at work.
Men and women over 50 are more than twice as likely as other workers to be unemployed for two years or longer if they lose their current job.
That’s why 44% of over-45′s admits to altering their age on their resume. But hiring experts say to emphasize your tech skills to counter possible stereotypes. Be sure to have an updated linked in account. Cultivate an active social media presence, highlight additional education, condense your work experiences to the last 15 years on your resume. Most importantly, emphasize what you can bring to the company.
One study showed that a 50-year-old worker was up to three times less likely to get an interview than a 28-year-old applicant.
Age discrimination is illegal at any stage of employment, including during hiring, promotions, raises and layoffs.
If you think you’ve been discriminated against, you can file a charge with the federal equal employment opportunity commission.