The Age of Corporate Ageism

If you find yourself unemployed in your fifties, you may find it more challenging to find work in Ireland in almost any profession.  Even with plenty of experience under your belt, don’t be fooled into thinking that you are still considered employable over fifty. Nowadays fifty is not considered to be old in many areas of life.  People are getting married, going back to college and even having children in their fifties.  But for some reason there appears to be a ticking clock when faced with looking for a job in today's ageist corporate world.

According to statistics, 70% of large companies in Ireland use Application Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage and collate applications.  Many recruiters claim that these systems do not have any AI functions to screen applicants and there continues to be human input when choosing candidates for a role without bias. But I find this hard to swallow with the recent advancements in AI.  Why not take advantage of the smarter software to quickly weed out the least compatible candidates?

Has finding a job become a game of AI v AI?  It is now possible for applicants to beat the system by asking their AI assistant (ChatGPT or MS Copilot for example) to draft the best response to enter into the ATS systems to maximise their chances of being chosen.  It's like a 'techno loop system' where people have to become more adept at effectively manipulating AI when seeking employment.

On a more human level, it is advised to omit third level education dates and the early years of your career portfolio once you hit that certain age.  Many people are fortunate to be experts in the their field and will find it easier to transition from job to job.  But if you are a jack of all trades & a master of none with a very general work experience, it is a jungle out there and competition is fierce.  Especially when many companies have adopted the ethos  to push out the older and more experienced staff from the workforce in favour of younger and less expensive employees.  

Let's face it, feeling irrelevant and invisible can be demoralising when it comes to looking for a job. Without a doubt, the process is more difficult in this era of AI and  technological advancements regardless of age.  However, all is not lost.  There are still ways to stand up and be counted.  Here are some tips:

• Focus on your strengths

• Upskill in your specialised area

• Tailor your CV according to job specifications

• Keep your expectations high and do not sell yourself short

• Do not mention age concerns to recruiters or during interviews

• Always believe that you are the best fit for the role

• Ignore your own personal ageism bias - sometimes we are our own worst enemy

• Stay positive!