Age discrimination is a persistent issue in tech hiring. With the industry's fixation on youth and emphasis on newness, experienced professionals can often be overlooked. However, writing off mature applicants is both unethical and detrimental to building strong, diverse teams. Here's how to avoid ageism in your recruitment process.
The Pitfalls of Ageism
Ageism manifests in biases like:
- Assuming older applicants lack energy or flexibility
- Believing more seasoned workers are resistant to change or unable to learn new skills
- Hiring younger people because you connect better with them
These preconceived notions overlook the tangible benefits of both early and later career tech professionals. They also promote illegal and damaging discrimination that impacts people's livelihoods.
Creating an Inclusive Hiring Process
Work with your IT employment agency and in-house recruiters to:
- Craft job ads focused on required skills vs years of experience
- Objectively screen all ages of applicants using consistent criteria
- Use structured interviews that focus on competencies and avoid personal questions about age or generational associations
- Make sure hiring managers don't directly or indirectly ask candidates for age-related information
- Promote your company's commitment to fair and equal opportunity hiring across all ages
- Include age diversity in anti-bias and unconscious bias training for recruiters and hiring teams
- Audit hiring decisions to identify areas where qualified older applicants are falling out of the process
The Value of Experience
While digital skills are essential in tech, soft skills like leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence often come with time. Seasoned professionals also provide:
- Industry contacts and networking
- Ability to mentor younger team members
- Tested strategies and deep domain expertise
- Perspective from navigating past technological shifts
Bringing in qualified candidates across age ranges allows for cross-generational collaboration. Blending fresh perspectives from recent grads with the wisdom of experienced team members creates a rich environment for innovation and progress.
Prioritizing diversity, including age diversity, leads to better dialogue, stronger products, and more reflective communities that serve people of all ages. An age-agnostic approach allows you to build well-rounded teams with the right skills at both ends of the spectrum.
Avoiding Ageist Language
Subtle language cues can perpetuate bias. Be aware of verbiage in job posts or interview discussions that subtly discourages older applicants, like:
- Seeking a “recent graduate” vs entry or junior level candidates
- Asking for a “digital native” vs digital fluency
- Saying a role is for “young leaders” vs next-generation leaders
- Touting a “youthful” or “dynamic” company culture vs innovation-focused culture
Conclusion
Challenge outdated ageist thinking in your organization. Leverage experienced professionals while also creating pathways for new talent. With a comprehensive anti-discrimination strategy, your manufacturing & IT employment agency can deliver quality candidates across all generations.
