🚨 We Need to Talk About Age Discrimination in Hiring

After spending decades building careers, solving problems, mentoring others, and showing up every day, many experienced workers are discovering that getting an interview has become harder than doing the actual job.

Imagine this...

A candidate with 20+ years of experience applies for a position. They're qualified, dependable, and ready to contribute on day one.

Yet they're passed over—not because they lack the skills—but because they're considered "too old," "overqualified," "too expensive," or not the image someone has in mind for the team.

The reality is that experience should be an advantage, not a disadvantage.

Research has found that older job applicants often receive fewer callbacks than younger applicants with similar qualifications. Studies have shown applicants in their late 40s and early 50s receive substantially fewer callbacks than applicants in their late 20s and early 30s with otherwise similar résumés. The gap grows even larger for applicants in their mid-60s. Older workers also tend to remain unemployed longer once they lose a job, and many workers over 50 report experiencing age discrimination in the workplace.

This isn't about ability.

It's about assumptions.

Meanwhile, companies may be overlooking exactly what they say they're looking for:

✔️ Experience
✔️ Reliability
✔️ Loyalty
✔️ Leadership
✔️ Strong work ethic
✔️ Problem-solving skills
✔️ Professionalism
✔️ The ability to adapt and mentor others

These qualities aren't learned overnight—they're earned through years of real-life experience.

Hiring shouldn't be about finding the person who interviews the best for 30 minutes.

It should be about finding the person who will consistently perform for the next 3, 5, or 10 years.

As someone currently looking for work after 55, I can tell you this isn't just a statistic—it's something many of us feel every day. We submit application after application, tailor our résumés, attend interviews, and wonder if our experience is being overlooked before anyone even gets to know us.

Experience doesn't expire.

A strong work ethic doesn't expire.

Reliability doesn't expire.

Character doesn't expire.

If you're involved in hiring, I hope you'll ask yourself one question:

Are you evaluating candidates based on their skills, experience, and ability to do the job... or on assumptions about what a certain age should look like?

The best employee on your team might be the one whose résumé reflects decades of experience—not just the one who graduated most recently.

💬 I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you experienced age discrimination while job hunting, or have you seen experienced workers overlooked?

#AgeDiscrimination #Hiring #JobSearch #OpenToWork #ExperiencedWorkersMatter #Over50 #Over55 #Employment #Career #Recruitment #Leadership #HumanResources #WorkplaceEquality #JobSeekers #MicheleMoran

💼 Job Seekers: Have the "Rules" Changed?

I came across this comment from someone who says they're a hiring manager, and it really got me thinking.

They claim they're instructed to reject applications from people who call or stop by after applying because it's viewed as "entitlement" rather than "initiative."

If that's true, it feels like a complete shift from what many of us were taught.

For years we heard:
✅ Dress professionally.
✅ Introduce yourself.
✅ Follow up on your application.
✅ Show initiative.

Now, many applicants are hearing:
❌ Don't call.
❌ Don't stop by.
❌ Just apply online and wait.

For those of us—especially job seekers over 50—it's frustrating trying to figure out what employers actually want.

The reality is that every company is different. Some appreciate a professional follow-up, while others prefer applicants to wait for a response. The best approach is usually to follow the instructions in the job posting and respect the employer's hiring process.

So, let's hear from you.

📌 Are you a hiring manager?
📌 Have you ever been told not to consider applicants who follow up?
📌 If you're looking for work, what has your experience been?

Let's have a respectful conversation. Your insight might help someone land their next job.

#Hiring #JobSearch #HiringManagers #CareerAdvice #Over50Workforce #Employment #InterviewTips #JobSeekers #Careers #HiringNow #Workforce #MicheleMoran

💼 Job Seekers: Have the "Rules" Changed?

I came across this comment from someone who says they're a hiring manager, and it really got me thinking.

They claim they're instructed to reject applications from people who call or stop by after applying because it's viewed as "entitlement" rather than "initiative."

If that's true, it feels like a complete shift from what many of us were taught.

For years we heard:
✅ Dress professionally.
✅ Introduce yourself.
✅ Follow up on your application.
✅ Show initiative.

Now, many applicants are hearing:
❌ Don't call.
❌ Don't stop by.
❌ Just apply online and wait.

For those of us—especially job seekers over 50—it's frustrating trying to figure out what employers actually want.

The reality is that every company is different. Some appreciate a professional follow-up, while others prefer applicants to wait for a response. The best approach is usually to follow the instructions in the job posting and respect the employer's hiring process.

So, let's hear from you.

📌 Are you a hiring manager?
📌 Have you ever been told not to consider applicants who follow up?
📌 If you're looking for work, what has your experience been?

Let's have a respectful conversation. Your insight might help someone land their next job.

#Hiring #JobSearch #HiringManagers #CareerAdvice #Over50Workforce #Employment #InterviewTips #JobSeekers #Careers #HiringNow #Workforce #MicheleMoran

https://preview.redd.it/v4zb5uakvdhh1.png?width=1086&format=png&auto=webp&s=37298a75350a342dee2d14c1b2b75bd90d5112dd

Day... I've officially lost count.

Being over 55 and starting over wasn't on my bingo card.

It's Tuesday.

The coffee is hot, the determination is still there, and so is my résumé.

Time to search the job boards, tailor another application, and send my experience into the AI résumé black hole... hoping today is the day it lands in front of an actual human being.

I know my experience has value.
I know my work ethic hasn't changed.
I just need one employer willing to give me the opportunity to prove it.

So here I go again...

One application. One chance. One "Yes."

Happy Tuesday to everyone still chasing a new beginning. Don't give up—your next opportunity could be one click away.

#Over55 #JobSearch #TuesdayMotivation #OpenToWork #ExperiencedWorkersMatter #StartingOver #OneYesCanChangeEverything #NeverGiveUp #MicheleMoran