Your age should not matter when you apply for a job. You may be just as talented or educated as someone else despite your age. Even if you’re in your 60s or 70s, you should receive consideration for any reasonable position which you apply for and are qualified to perform.
The American Psychological Association produced an article that looked at ageism in America’s workplaces. It was discovered that younger people interviewed for the study were more likely to be ageist in the workplace. That’s not surprising, because a survey done by AARP found that 78% of surveyed older workers did experience age discrimination in 2020.
Studies did find that older women were less likely to be judged as harshly as older men in the workplace, but there was a pattern. Many people in the studies performed found that there were egalitarian groups working to reduce prejudice in the workplace, but those people were more likely to be ageist. Why? They felt that older adults needed to retire or move on to make room for the younger generation.
Succession breeds ageist ideas
The idea of “succession” in the workplace is more prominent in younger workers. This may mean that they inadvertently, or outright, discriminate against older workers while wanting younger people to take over those roles.
The federal government does have age discrimination laws in place to help stop that behavior, but age discrimination can be difficult to prove. If you feel that you are being treated unfairly and are 40 years of age or older, it’s important for you to record events that happen, such as offhanded comments or rude remarks targeted toward your age. Those may help you prove your case if you decide to pursue a claim.