Seen from the perspective of older workers
You want to be an inclusive and diverse company, right? That is why you have ambitious diversity and inclusion goals. Just as many other companies have done in recent years. Older workers, however, still feel discriminated against in the recruitment process. Even in times when talented employees are scarce, aged workers feel disadvantaged. And it’s all because of their age. We call this age bias. Unfortunately, ageism in the recruitment process still happens a lot. So much so that it stops older workers from trying to get a new job. This needs to change. But where exactly does it go wrong?
How older workers experience age bias in recruitment
There are several ways in which older workers experience ageism in the recruitment process:
- Too much experience
Older workers often feel that recruiters believe they have too much experience for a job. Sometimes recruiters tell them so, and sometimes a maximum number of years of experience is mentioned in job descriptions.
It’s common sense that older workers have a lot of experience. Why is this a bad thing? A company and its younger workers can only benefit from the experience aged workers bring to the table.
- Being less ambitious
Just because a candidate is nearly 60 doesn’t mean he or she is not ambitious anymore. Older workers also want to be successful at what they do. They regularly feel that recruiters think otherwise.
- Length of time in the job
Older workers are closer to their pension age. But when they are 60, they still have some years to go. In those years, they can be great mentors for younger employees. And some might even want to retire at a later age than they legally can.
- Language used in job descriptions
Age bias is also very common in job descriptions. Although often done unintentionally, recruiters use words and phrases that scare aged people away. They recognize the bias and the call for younger employees. So much so that they refrain from applying because they want nothing to do with that.
Prevent age bias using Textmetrics
Ageism in the recruitment process needs to stop. Older workers are just as valuable as their younger counterparts. And they deserve a fair chance in the recruitment process. You need them in order to become a more diverse and inclusive company.
You can use Textmetrics to prevent age bias in job descriptions. Our platform gives you suggestions while writing. It signals words you shouldn’t use because they discourage older workers from applying. And it offers suggestions for alternatives to prevent any form of discrimination. Your job descriptions will be free of age bias. And you’ll receive applications from talented older people as well.
Want to try Textmetrics? Click here for a free trial!
