How to Overcome Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Age is not just a number, as many people find out sooner or later. The term “ageism”, which refers to the process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against people because they are old, has been around since 1969. Today, age discrimination at the workplace is already an unfortunate reality in the global jobs landscape, Malaysia included.

According to the International Bar Association, studies by the Malaysian Research Institute on Aging have found a trend of reluctance against hiring Malaysians over the age of 40. It also says that while there is no specific Malaysian age discrimination law yet, there are proposals to amend the Employment Act 1955. However, these proposals only address other types of workplace discrimination and not ageism.

Mature Malaysian jobseekers’ problems are compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, where the biggest increase in unemployment percentage (from 0.6% to 4.2%) in 2020 came from the 55-64 age group. Unemployment among 45-54 year-olds likewise jumped, from 0.9% to 1.7%. The International Labour Organization (ILO) also points out that older Malaysian workers may be more at risk of age discrimination during the pandemic.

While these reports are sobering, and workplace discrimination laws in Malaysia leave something to be desired, there is still a lot that mature jobseekers can do to overcome potential ageism when applying for jobs. Below are four steps you can take today.

1. Demystify Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Understanding is half the battle, so the saying goes. In the context of age discrimination at work, the problem you face is stereotyping. Here are some of the more common myths about the mature workforce:

Older workers are overqualified for the job, and will therefore be bored and unproductive.

The myth is that senior professionals are merely counting the days until retirement. This is simply not true, as older jobseekers have a variety of reasons for applying for new jobs. Among some of these reasons are: the desire to challenge themselves, the need for mental exercise, and a continuing search for meaning in being productive.

Older workers have obsolete skills.

The thirst for learning does not automatically stop at a certain age. An old dog can learn new tricks; and fortunately for today’s population, the internet has democratised information. Everyone has access to a wealth of knowledge online, even seniors.

Older workers will not report to younger managers.

This fear goes both ways: younger superiors may also find it extremely awkward to manage older employees. But as long as both parties are willing to have a conversation about it, there is no reason for awkwardness to continue in this kind of setup.

Older workers command high salaries.

While a wealth of work experience does add value to an employee, this does not automatically mean mature jobseekers will not be open to negotiating salaries. As has been stated, there are various reasons for a professional in his 50s and 60s to continue working.

2. Adopt the Right Mindset to Combat Age Discrimination

After identifying and dispelling myths about older-aged professionals, the most productive thing you can do is to internalise the benefits an older professional can bring to the table. Check if the generalised statements below apply to you. If they don’t, endeavour to make them true.

Older workers have more emotional intelligence.

Self-awareness is a gift that comes with maturity. Emotional intelligence is a soft skill desired by many companies, and senior jobseekers will do well to display it to potential hirers.

Older workers know the value of loyalty.

Chances are, older professionals have already come to realise what organisations value in their employees. They have met, or have been, outstanding workers in their previous places of employment, So, they are therefore more likely to embrace such highly employable characteristics as loyalty.

Older workers bring a wealth of skills and experience with them.

In this arena, mature jobseekers shine. Hirers will be hard-pressed to find a substitute for years of actual on-the-job experience and finely-tuned hard skills.

Older workers have established networks

Reliable professional networks can only be built over years. Having time-tested networks means that you not only bring your experience to the table, but that of other seasoned industry insiders as well.

Older workers bring different perspectives to any organisation

Wisdom is another benefit that comes with maturity. One of the most valuable things a professional can offer to an organisation is a unique perspective. And, a senior candidate has the advantage of pulling ideas from his many years of experience.

3. Watch Out for Potential Age Discrimination During the Hiring Process

It is important to note that the responsibility for addressing age discrimination in the workplace falls on the hirer, not the jobseeker. With that said, it is often upon you to avoid situations where ageism can directly affect you.

Therefore, you must do your research on your prospective employers.  What are the company values on their website? What does the company culture look like? Is there diversity in their workforce? Here are three other subtle signals to look out for during your job search.

Coded language in job postings

Whether intended or not, hirers may sometimes convey some potentially discriminating messages in job postings. The wordsfresh,energeticandactiveseem harmless, but a company interested in only young jobseekers will take those adjectives literally.Tech-savvymay be simply a call for applicants well-versed in technology, but the termdigital nativeautomatically rules out everyone born before the digital age. Phrases likeburning the midnight oil, flexible,andhappy hoursignal a desire for a fun, youthful company culture — which is fine, until you are made to choose between consistently rendering overtime work and going home to your family.

Emphasis on candidates’ social media presence

It is not uncommon for hirers to do some background checks on applicants online. But there is a fine line between researching your digital footprint and requiring applicants and employees to have social media accounts. Not only does the latter indirectly discriminate against professionals who do not have an online presence (most of whom are presumably from the mature workforce), it may also lend itself to shady, inappropriate use. Discern the importance of online presence to your potential employers, then decide whether this is something you're comfortable with.

Discriminatory interview questions

Unfortunately, you cannot weed out ageist hirers simply by scrutinising their websites and job postings. Sometimes ageism rears its ugly head during the job interview.

You must prepare yourself with appropriate answers to potentially discriminatory interview questions include:When do you expect to retire? Can you keep up with our company’s technology demands? Are you comfortable working for a younger manager? Do you have any chronic diseases or other health issues?

4. Choose Smart Ways To Make Ageism Irrelevant

The good news is, there are many ways you can deal with potential age discrimination. And that is, to make it irrelevant. Highlighting what you have to offer to the hirer can be just as potent as downplaying your age. Consider these smart candidate moves.

Optimise your resume

Aside from making sure your CV is professional-looking and appropriate, a mature jobseeker would do well to focus on recent work experience. There is no need to list down jobs from 15 years back if you have had enough relevant work experience since then. Keep it recent, and emphasise your impact on your recent places of employment.

Resumes are not legal documents, so you may choose to exclude your age, birth date and photograph. You may also choose to exclude dates when listing the details of your education. Again, the goal is to make a great first impression on the strength of your work experience, not on less relevant information. However, keep in mind that the hirer may ask for personal details further down the hiring process.

Upskill

Stay relevant in your chosen industry by upskilling yourself. Prove that age is not an issue by learning the latest tools and systems used in your field of work. Learn to use new software used by many for their current work-from-home setups, especially if you are expecting to be interviewed virtually. Brush up on skills and trends with a free online course taught by one of many various experts and educators around the world.

Note that upskilling may include learning new jargon. You may know whatcustomer servicemeans, but what aboutcustomer journey? You need to be able to speak the current language of your younger colleagues.

Additionally, you may want to ‘upskill’ your email address. Like it or not, email addresses ending in @hotmail or @AOL email date you, and not in a good way. Consider switching to newer services like Gmail.

Prepare for the interview

Plan to get the interview off to a great start by emphasising your excitement for the role. This proves right off the bat that you are neither overqualified for nor indifferent to the job you are applying for.

Curate your work history in advance to highlight your relevant work experience. Let your recent achievements and wealth of experience overshadow any questions they may have about your job roles in the distant past.

Assure them of your willingness to both lead and follow, and your ability to work with different people. Show that you will be comfortable working with younger coworkers and ready to contribute to the diversity of your potential workplace.

Show genuine interest in the hiring company by asking relevant questions. Some examples areTell me about the team I’ll be working with, andWhy is this position open?

And if it comes down to it, indicate that you are open to negotiating your salary.

It is imperative to mentally steel yourself for potential age discriminatory situations during the job interview. Anticipate uncomfortable questions related to your age, and decide in advance how to redirect the conversation.

Ready for more tips? Read this.

Remember, ageism and other biases are rooted in fear of differences. Make it your mission to render these differences irrelevant. Be aware of potential age discrimination in the workplace and have the right mindset. Be proactive about your job search and highlight the unique things that only you have to offer.

It’s time to get back on track with #JobsThatMatter. So, update your profile using the tips above. Discover trends among fellow global and Malaysian jobseekers by downloading the Decoding Global Talent reports. Finally, get access to more expert insight from the Career Resources hub.