Ageist founder David Stewart published a look inside the hiring practices of HR departments, interviewing leaders having 10-25 years of experience. While those interviewed admitted there was some age discrimination in hiring, often the issues have more to do with relational qualities than skill set or outright ageism.
- Is the candidate someone people want to be around, especially younger people?
- Is the candidate intimidating in their use of experience and knowledge?
- Is the candidate making a meaningful connection with the interviewer?
Other factors where there may be a disconnect include: cultural fit, being overqualified, requiring a higher salary,
We can appreciate how this subtle difference in how a resume or communication is presented can signal the author as being out of touch. We see it nearly every day:
A simple example is: use a single space after a period rather than a double space.
Since the introduction of computer-aided typography it has not been necessary to use double spacing between sentences. They system accommodates for this now and this seemingly subtle difference signals that you could be very behind the times.
There are more examples of how age bias emerges from both the interviewer and the candidate. But the common reason for missing out on the opportunity can be a simple cultural dissonance which can often be managed by simply reading the room and being prepared.
Read the full article: The Truth About HR Hiring Practices
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