How do you encourage a peer who hasn’t been able to land a job due to ageism?

6.3k viewscircle icon4 Upvotescircle icon19 Comments
Sort by:
VP of IT in Education10 months ago

By reminding them what they have to offer - they have experience, knowledge, and likely expertise across more than IT.  I'd also encourage them to use their network, and consider fractional roles. 

Lightbulb on2
Director10 months ago

It's a huge issue and more prevalent than is admitted. One key thing for older workers is to ensure they are up-to-date on technology. You can take courses and get certificates from LinkedIn to prove it to employers. My company has many older workers doing very well in their roles. 

CISO in Software10 months ago

It is very difficult, but it can sometimes be solved by building a long term portfolio of accomplishments, skills, experiences, insights, etc. in a blog, GitHub repo, etc. that can demonstrate how current and valuable your skills are.

Lightbulb on6
Director of Systems Operations in Healthcare and Biotech10 months ago

A tough one and ageism is unfortunately a hard truth. As others have stated, try to translate those years of experience to wisdom and highlight that as a strength. I would suggest focusing on some key accomplishments which highlight how that experience help facilitate and navigate a challenging situation. 

Lightbulb on1
Director of Engineering10 months ago

I have to say that this one is a hard problem to crack. I think for me I would tell this person to see how they can translate their acquired wisdom in areas and industries where such an attribute is valuable. Teaching and consulting typically provide such an avenue for such skilled talent.

Lightbulb on3

Content you might like

Creativity

Motivation 50%

Work experience 25%

Morale 25%

Something else - write in the comments!

View Results

Significant impact50%

Moderate impact50%

Slight impact

No impact

Not sure yet

View Results