Breaking Down Age Barriers: Tackling Ageism in Recruitment

With the increase in retirement age, individuals are finding themselves having to work well into their 60s. The main reason for this is financially people cannot afford to retire early. However, due to the improved health of the nation, people are also working longer simply because they want to!

The problem that many older workers face is the issue of ageism in the workforce. People with decades of experience are being undervalued and overlooked with companies opting to train up younger workers instead. The reason they’re rejected? For being ‘too experienced.’ Translation – they’re too old. As shocking as it may be, unfortunately, ageism is still very much a concern in recruitment and something that we need to tackle.

According to the Centre for Ageing Better, more than a third of 50-70 year olds feel they are at a disadvantage when applying for jobs due to their age.

What is ageism?

Ageism or age discrimination is when you’re treated unfairly solely based on your age. The Equality Act 2010 protects workers from age discrimination in all aspects of employment including recruitment for marketing jobs in bedford and employment terms. However, age discrimination is still very much prevalent and older workers find themselves struggling to secure jobs.

Many have the unfair opinion that the older generation have had their time to be successful and that opportunities should be given to younger people. They may also consider older people to be out of touch or lacking the necessary skills in today’s rapidly changing world. It’s this kind of bias that needs to end. This blog is going to take a look at the benefits of having an age-diverse workforce and what you can do to boost your chances of being hired if you’re an older job candidate.

Why does age diversity in the workplace matter?

Older workers have decades of experience in Marketing Jobs northampton and expertise. If you don’t have a pool of experienced older workers, your company can be at a disadvantage. Older generations are a valuable asset bringing wisdom that younger employees may not have.



Having age diversity in your workplace is an important aspect of an inclusive company. This allows for different perspectives, experiences and knowledge. You’ll have a more balanced and representative marketing workforce. Employing a range of different generations of workers brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds and skills. You’ll get different approaches to problem-solving and decision-making with fresh ideas and insights from each age group.

Multigenerational workplaces create a collaborative hub of diverse ideas. Each person brings a different talent and perspective to the table. It also gives the opportunity for knowledge sharing and transfer. This goes hand in hand with creating a platform for mentorship – and this can work both ways. Older generations can impart wisdom of experience in the industry and the younger generation can introduce new trends or technologies. All ages have the opportunity to teach one another.

Research shows that productivity increases when you have a mixed-age workplace. OECD iLibrary state that older workers can boost productivity by 1.1%. They also highlight that employee turnover is 4% lower at firms that have a 10% higher share of workers older than 50, suggesting that perhaps older generations are more loyal to companies.

By having a diverse range of ages in your company, you’ll be fostering a positive organisational culture. Employees will feel more valued, respected and included which leads to improved job satisfaction.

What can I do to be an age-friendly employer?

Awareness and action are key to tackling ageism. It’s imperative to shift the perception and value attributed to older workers in the job market to eliminate age as a hindrance for individuals seeking employment.

Become an age-friendly employer and make sure older workers feel valued and respected in the workplace. One way of doing so is to include inclusive language and imagery in your job specifications. Resist adding terminology like ‘recent graduate’ or ‘fast-paced,’ in your recruitment process. Instead use neutral terms like ‘knowledgeable’, ‘dependable’, ‘proactive’ or ‘driven.’ These terms can be attributed to both young and old candidates.

Your company could create and implement an anti-discrimination policy. This gives a clear message that age is not a factor in your workplace. You want to offer fair opportunities and promotions to every age group.

Don’t limit your job advertising to only LinkedIn or Facebook. Older age groups may be less active online and thus will not discover the same job opportunities as younger generations. In fact, Facebook came under fire in recent years for targeting their job adverts to certain ages and genders, screening out older applicants. This just highlights how much of an issue ageism still is in the recruitment process. Ensure you advertise your job across a wide range of media types so you attract a diverse age range.

You could be proactive and ask your current over 50s employees what they want to see in your company. Alternatively, you could send out an anonymous survey to see how people view your company’s stance on ageism. If they highlight issues, take action to rectify this. Make sure your incentives such as flexible working and healthcare are attractive to all age groups.

Are you an employee looking to recruit new staff? Next Chapter Recruitment can support you in finding the ideal candidate. We offer marketing recruitment in Northampton, Marketing recruitment in Bedford, Marketing Jobs in Luton, Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. We place the right candidates in PR Job, digital and marketing jobs in Milton Keynes and beyond.

What can I do to improve my success at landing a job as an older candidate?

Some recruiters advise only showing the last 15 years of your experience on your CV instead of the last 30-50 years. However, these types of gaps can be a red flag and look like you’re trying to hide something. It may be a better approach to just condense the experience from decades ago into a short note. You may have an impressive breadth of professional history but try to be selective in what you’re listing and highlight your three most important accomplishments.

The date of your graduation will instantly show your age, so you could just remove this date. Showcase your adaptability by demonstrating how you can take on new technologies and new work environments. Show how you embrace change and enjoy learning new skills.

Make sure you’re regularly engaging in listening to podcasts and attending events to stay up to date on the latest news and advancements in your industry. You could also take courses to show how keen you are to continue learning and improving your skills.



Above all, stay positive and persist. Job searches take time regardless of age. Don’t be discouraged by setbacks, the right opportunity may be right around the corner! Remember that not all companies display ageism and actually value the wealth of experience you can bring to their operations.

Reverse Ageism

It’s important to note that it isn’t just over 50s being discriminated against. Reverse ageism sees younger workers also being considered undesirable employees. There’s a view that Generation Z are lazy or that Millennials refuse to work in the office.

Creative and innovative ideas from younger workers are ignored as they’re seen to be lacking experience. Job adverts often have ‘X number of years of experience required’ instantly eliminating young workers. As a company, it’s just as important to be inclusive for younger workers as it is for older ones. By recognising the value and unique contributions of workers across all age groups, companies can foster a culture that embraces diversity. Creating an inclusive environment for both older and younger workers is vital for building a thriving and future-ready workforce

Generations names:

• The Silent Generation: born between 1925-1945
• Baby Boomers – born between 1946-1964
• Generation X – born between 1965-1979
• Millennials – born between 1980-1995
• Generation Z – born in 1996 and later

If you’re looking for work in the digital, marketing or public relations industry, come to Next Chapter Recruitment. We offer marketing recruitment agencies Milton Keynes, Northampton, Bedford, Luton and beyond. Take a look at our current digital and marketing jobs in Milton Keynes and the surrounding regions.