Tip No. 200
Q. I am an over-50 Baby Boomer looking for work after a recent layoff from my former employer of 29 years. I believe I am being discriminated against in hiring because of my age. What can I do?
A. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), approximately 10% of the almost 18,000 age-discrimination claims filed last year were related to hiring. This is one of the toughest forms of discrimination to prove. A senior attorney with AARP was recently quoted in the Houston Chronicle saying "it's probably one of the lowest number of charges filed with the EEOC, not because it's not prevalent but because they don't have the proof." Many older job seekers say they are convinced it's happening, but it may not be age that prevents a company from making a job offer. Some major reasons might be a poorly matched skill set, poor interviewing on the part of the candidate, and/or too-high compensation requirements. Your best bet is to focus on improving your networking and interviewing skills and applying them to your job search. It's those face-to-face interactions that ultimately win jobs, regardless of age.
CMI Career Management International
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