Age Discrimination: How to Overcome it in a Job Interview

Worried about age discrimination? Join me as I discuss how to overcome it in a job interview!

40s, 50s, 60s

For all you folks in your 40s, 50s, 60s who email me and call me every day frantic youre part of the over the hill crowdDont worry!

As someone who does this every day of my life and has consulted to more than 200 companies during my career, I want to share ageism or age discrimination is more rare than you think.

Dont get me wrong. When youre in that job interview, you need to be able to justify your higher wages. But, in the job interview, compensation is really not the issue.

There are three mental hurdles, barriers, biases, or whatever you want to call them that are typically present in those interviewers. Lets review those and Ill teach you how to overcome them.

The biases

The interviewer is more likely thinking your skills are stale or youre set in your ways or you dont want to learn anything new. These biases are much more prevalent obstacles for you.

The 3 tactics because all good things come in 3s

You can overcome those biases with your energy, currency, and attitude.

1. Your vibrancy: Emit a thousand watts.

When you walk in the (interview) room, you need to be emitting positive, good energy. You are a light bulb! Emit those thousand watts.

Anyone sitting in that room, when youre done with them, should want to race out and go conquer the world.

For some of you more low key types, you might need to do some jumping jacks before you get in the room. Do whatever you need to do to get that energy going. Smile. Smile for real. Just make sure youre bringing it.

2. Your responses to their job interview questions: Be current.

When responding to their questions, your examples and experience needs to be currentas in the techniques and tools you use. Use examples that are current.

If your processes or techniques or tactics are outdated or stale, youre in trouble. If youre not current, get current. Start researching and studying up on the latest and greatest.

3. Your awesome attitude: Be overt and share your interest in learning new techniques.

Make sure you outwardly express your interest and excitement for learning new stuff. You crave new tactics, new methods, and want to be on the current edge.

Want more help getting hired?

Download my FREE eBook Ace Any Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions .

About the Author

Andrew LaCivita is the Founder & Chief Executive of milewalk and the milewalk Academy . As an internationally recognized executive recruiter, award-winning author, speaker, and trainer, Andrew has dedicated his career to helping people and companies realize their potential. He frequently serves as a trusted media resource and is the author of Interview Intervention, Out of Reach but in Sight, and The Hiring Prophecies (the eLit Gold Award Winner for Best Business/Careers/Sales Book for 2016).

Andrews passion is serving as a coach and trainer via his top 5 Careers Blog, Tips for Work and Life , and his online training site, the milewalk Academy . On a daily basis, he circulates his Todays Line to Live By , which is a self-developed inspirational quote. You can find these daily dispatches of inspiration on his blog and social media platform.

To learn more about Andrew, see his full biography and resources page .