Discrimination against over-60 job seekers and workers is not merely rampant and widespread. It is universal, thorough, constant, and relentlessly effective. In the absence of strong government action, it is, and will remain, a fact of life as immutable as night and day, gravity, and Pi.
The facts:
The career help website ResumeBuilder surveyed 1,000 hiring managers for a March 27, 2024, report, “1 in 3 Hiring Managers Say It's Beneficial To Avoid Hiring Gen Z, Senior Candidates." The report found that 34%* admitted being concerned about hiring candidates over the age of 60:
"Of hiring managers with this view, 74% raise concerns about seniors' likelihood of retirement, and 64% about their potential health issues. Additionally, 48% have concerns about seniors' lack of experience with technology, and 40% say they work too slowly. Finally, 39% worry about seniors' fixed mindset, 30% about their need for more time off, and 20% about their poor social skills."
* You may be thinking, “Well, it’s ‘only’ 34%.” However, they all know it’s illegal to discriminate, so others aren’t going to admit it. Also, if that 34% is a reflection of the percentage who never get in for an interview, it doesn’t account for discriminatory decisions at the end of the hiring process.
The key findings also included: