Navigating Ageism in the Workplace: Job Search Tips for Experienced Professionals

Ageism in the workplace is not a myth, and with less than 12% of DEI initiatives supporting inclusion, experienced workers have to get even more savvy. In this episode, I discuss: 

• Pre-interview practice
• How to build a growth mindset
• My #1 strategy for networking
• Plus top tips for navigating your job search as a seasoned professional

Transcript

Navigating Ageism in the Workplace

Speaker 1 0:00

Hey everyone , this is the Career Refresh and I am your host , jill Griffin . Thank you for being here . This week we are talking about ageism in the workplace and on job interviews . It sucks , it's real . It's discriminatory . I'm hearing about it more and more . It's gross . But , like racism and sexism , it's real and it's happening and it's not in your mind . I just want to pause right and like take us back . And sexism , it's real and it's happening and it's not in your mind . I just want to pause right and like take us back Everyone .

Speaker 1 0:28

When we think about ageism , we may not consider ourself in that group , right ? We , I mean ? I sometimes feel like I'm still 16 . But we may be thinking of you know , the vision of a much older worker . You may picture someone that maybe moves slowly , or you're buying into the myth of someone being overwhelmed or confused by technology . Let's have an honest conversation . The average man lives to be 76 . So , by the way , just to ground that's author Stephen King , rocker Robert Plant or Ted Danson the average woman lives to be about 80 . So right now , we got Diana Ross , we got Joni Mitchell , we got Billie Jean King . So at 40 years old , which is when ageism is hitting , these workers are just midlife and they have lots more working , living , laughing and enjoying to do before they stop working .

Speaker 1 1:23

And what I'm seeing and hearing right now is that workers are beginning , as early as the age of 40 , to wonder if they're being part of the ageism conversation . Are there whispers behind their back ? Are they being laid off , which we know ? Based on your state and federal , it is illegal to be laid off from your age , but it is happening . There's no doubt that it is happening in pockets . Very hard to prove so . According to AARP , there's a recent study that says 91% of older workers have experienced age discrimination and that nearly two out of three workers age 45 and older say that they've experienced age discrimination . And callback rates for interviews for older applicants were much lower , with women having even lower callback rates if they were over 40 than men . In a study conducted by the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank , the London Business School study showed that more people under 45 were exhausted than those that were over 45 , 43% and 35% respectively , and the least exhausted age group were those over 60 . And that makes sense , right , because we can make some assumptions that a younger worker might be raising children , whereas an older worker may have children that are already out of the household . So some of the priorities of how they're spending their day and what the activities that would lead to exhaustion have shifted when you're over 60 .

Speaker 1 2:53

I recently heard about a hiring manager that was around 30-ish interviewing a client of mine who was in their mid-40s and the way they approached the interview there was no eye contact . There was sort of almost like a disdain for the experienced worker . The interview ended with what kind of questions can I answer for you ? As if they just wanted to get out of the interview early and while we're not in that worker's head , we don't exactly know what's going on . It was pretty clear from the description that the person shared with me that they wanted .

Speaker 1 3:29

It's taboo for companies that are moving forward with diversity , equity , inclusion and belonging initiatives under inclusion , which is ageism in addition to disability , those end up being areas that are least talked about and least funded if they need to have conversations about how to work with more experience or workers with disabilities . So I want to talk about strategies that you can deploy when you're navigating the job search . I will also be dropping , because this is the other thing I'm hearing a lot of . Stay tuned for a future episode , which is okay . So now you're reemployed and how do you work within the workplace after being unemployed for a while as an experienced worker ?

Speaker 1 4:09

So one getting into some of the strategies you can deploy is is one I want you to practice your language . So don't emphasize necessarily your years of experience or that you've done something for years , or mentioning aging companies , or mentioning companies that no longer technically exist because they were acquired or their name changed , right , so you really want to do your research there . I worked in major advertising holding companies and many of the brands that I worked for technically don't exist anymore . They were absorbed into others . So that language was really date myself . If I'm having a conversation with someone and they're looking at me like huh , I don't know what you're talking about . So making sure that you have the most current language and you can do that with some gentle Google searching . If not , you're going to further exacerbate the emphasis on your age and the hiring manager is going to tap into that bias . So lean into your talents and talk about your strengths . Being in a much more positive mindset , enthusiastic , saying like this is why I love the work that I do , showcasing your energy , not necessarily your years of experience .

Speaker 1 5:12

The other thing to do is connect with the interviewer and find ways to personally connect with them . This can be using current references or finding commonalities between their LinkedIn profile , the company website . Again , doing some general search and recognition is great . Don't do deep dives onto their personal Facebook or their Instagram . That's kind of creepy and gross . But anything within LinkedIn or the company website or any trade magazines , that's all fair game . So see if you can find ways to personally connect with the interviewer .

Speaker 1 5:43

And if questions arise that start to feel a bit triggering , I'm just going to say take a beat , breathe and ask a question instead of answering a question . Huh , can you say more about that ? Can you phrase the question in another way ? Can you share more about what you're hoping to learn so I can address your underlying concern ? It just gives you a beat to think versus actually getting into the . Um , well , you know , and then you go into like word soup and you don't necessarily answer the question . My next tip don't use self-deprecating humor . Do not use jokes that say like , well , I started when we were still on dial up or , you know , I was working pre-internet Hiring managers that are considerably younger than you do not want to hear these conversations .

Speaker 1 6:31

They're only going , it's only going to feed any negative bias . So leave those out . And , as a side note to that , take a check and a peek at your email address , making sure that your email address is , you know , a Gmail , an Outlook . It can be your own name in the domain . Stay away from the AOLs , the Yahoo , the cable address domains . Those will absolutely date you . Plus , the people that you're meeting with most likely don't have cable . They're only using streaming services . And then , lastly , I want you to showcase your ability to work cross-functionally , using your experience and your tenure , that you are really experienced with working with most diverse groups , both internally and externally . That's a great way to talk about your experience versus like time spent in your experience .

Speaker 1 7:14

Next is the growth mindset . If a person is interviewing you is considerably younger than you , then how you approach the interview is going to be crucial . Making sure that you're having it more as a consultant conversation , showing curiosity , and that you're in a learning mindset , coming in with a little bit of humility and a non-hierarchical attitude , will go a long way , as will having a list of open-ended questions next to you , finding ways to weave in your value and the value you bring to an organization is key here . Having those questions at the ready will show both how you're prepared and ready for this opportunity . It's a delicate balance between working on a team versus leading a team and , depending on your history , you may be of in a history in which you were mostly leading the team . Making sure , in your language , that you're giving credit to the team and the colleagues right , so that you're not focusing on well , when I led the team right , because that's not what the position may be about today . Making sure that you're showcasing how you personally contributed , the impact that you personally brought and those powerful collaborations is going to be really important , especially if you're interviewing someone who is younger than you . That is potentially going to be your supervisor or your boss .

Job Search Mindset and Networking Strategies

Speaker 1 8:33

The next is a little bit of a mindset tip . So if you're listening to this and you're in a safe environment , I'm going to tell you to like sit squarely in your chair , rest your shoulders like , disconnect them from your ears . My shoulders are always hunched up to my ears . If it feels right for you , downcast your eyes for a moment and just think about the day after you've accepted the job offer . How are you feeling ? Confident , calm , a sense of knowing , opportunistic , excited , curious ? I want you to think about it this way the fall is coming , autumn is coming and there's nothing you need to do to make it come . It is going to come .

Speaker 1 9:16

What we need to do is decide what you're going to be doing between now and the fall right October it's coming . What do you need to do ? You don't need to do anything . The fall right October , it's coming . What do you need to do ? You don't need to do anything .

Speaker 1 9:31

What you need to do is think about . Are you going to spend every day wishing it was still summer ? Are you going to spend every day thinking about it being December ? Or are you going to be living in the day , thinking and knowing and playing and enjoying where you're at and knowing that one day you are one step closer to the job that you're supposed to be doing next ? That's what it is . It is constantly managing your mindset so that you're not spending all day in front of your computer or LinkedIn looking for a job and being in a panic . It's pausing and saying I know at some point I am going to have a job again and I can spend this time in a lot of anxiety and pre-traumatic stress , or I can spend this time continue to coming back to ways to calm myself , doing maybe some box breathing and really focusing in and being like , okay , how would I be acting if I already had the job ? That's the way I need to go into looking for the job . You get to create that feeling now and you get to bring that energy into the interviewing and then you will be asking and answering questions from a different mindset . You'll find confidence and ease and it's very attractive , and that energy will show up in your actions , in what you say or do .

Speaker 1 10:39

It's a common myth that experienced employees get put on them that their skills are outdated , and if that feels true for you , consider checking out some courses . Generative AI is huge right now . There's plenty of stuff on Coursera . There's also LinkedIn Learning . There's Grow with Google . Many of the Ivy Leagues have free , non-metric courses . The benefit here is twofold . First , you get to take some courses and learn some things which can build both your LinkedIn profile and your resume . Second , they offer great networking opportunities and it's another way that you can refine your skills . To offer a trade exchange . You bring your strategic consulting skills . They give you some tech tutoring .

Speaker 1 11:20

One of the best tools I have found in networking is creating what I call a networking resume . It links your objective to a compelling career narrative that you might give out at either networking events or you may email along with your resume . It should have an objective . You know what are you looking for detail about prospective roles that you would be a fit . Show how your career narrative translates into these roles the type of companies you might want to work for . A clear call to action Like . I would really appreciate if you sent this to anyone who has connections at X , y and Z companies . You're also where you can assuming it's not confidential you're adding impact statements . If you have data or results from your previous roles . You want that in here . You want to show the impact that you can make based on the experience that you have .

Speaker 1 12:10

And look , I know that dealing with ageism in the workplace is humiliating and it can be frustrating , but I want you to remember that you are bringing wisdom and experience to an organization and , while ageism exists , focusing on what you can control can help divert the attention away from your age and refocus on why you are the right person for the job . Why are you the solution to my problem ? And lastly , look , this is going to be triggering for some people , but I want you to take a look at some of the choices that you may be making around your clothing . Experienced workers do not need to dress young or like an influencer , but if you haven't interviewed in a few years , and then we add on COVID , and then we add on remote work outfits , there's a chance that your closet might be remnants from years ago and that will also potentially date you . I'm not saying it's right and I'm not saying it's fair , but I'm always direct and honest with people . So here's the reality . I suggest that you shop your closet , you pull out the pieces that you love and you feel great wearing , and then I want you to make a decision right .

Speaker 1 13:22

So what I tend to tell people to do is put things like pull clothes out , put them on your bed , correlate some outfits and things that you might wear and then look at okay , what's missing ? Maybe you need to get a few pieces to round out your wardrobe . Don't aimlessly go shopping or surfing . We don't need to spend money . We don't need to Just get what you need and , friends , I'm going to tell you , it's often your shoes that will give you away . So if you are working remotely , no worries , no one needs to see your shoes . But if you're in a hybrid scenario , do some research Pinterest , tiktok see what other people are wearing and then decide what feels right for you .

Speaker 1 14:01

Again , I know this can be a triggering conversation , but it is the reality of what we're working within today . I'll tell you , my shoes are mostly things like Doc Martens sneakers . I haven't worn , nor will I wear , a pump or heel in years , but that's me . So just be intentional and think about what works for you . I want you to show up with all of your gifts sparkling , and if you don't feel great in what you're wearing or in your clothes , or you're pulling at things because it doesn't feel right on you anymore , I don't want you to be in that position because you'll come off as fidgety and potentially self-conscious .

Speaker 1 14:38

And a quote from Brene Brown which I always think is helpful . She would say don't shrink , don't puff up . Stand your sacred ground . Developing a strategy to face these barriers will enhance your confidence and provide you with a powerful plan of action . Before I go , who's helping you with your career strategy ? I'd be honored to help you . I will put all the information in the show notes about how to work with me one-on-one . I also have a resume refresh program and I have a career success lab online self-guided program , which is also very popular and very helpful . Friends , I appreciate you . Have a great week , as always . You can send your questions to hello at jillgriffincoachingcom and I'll see you next time .