Some tips from AARP about how to mitigate ageism in your transition to a green job:
Even though you put lots of effort into figuring out how to show potential employers you’re the best candidate for the job, there may be one key factor that you’ve been overlooking. While your many years of professional experience arm you with valuable skills, to some employers your long work history might just signal that you’re old. And despite laws that prohibit age discrimination in employment, being older often can be a barrier to getting hired.
For example, in one experiment conducted for the National Bureau of Economic Research, more than 40,000 résumés were sent to employers who were hiring. For each job opening, hiring managers received résumés from candidates in three age groups, based on the work history each resume showed. Despite all groups having similar skills, applicants in the youngest group (ages 29 to 31) received many more requests for interviews than those in the oldest group (64 to 66). The youngest group also generally received more callbacks than people in the 49–51 age range except for janitorial positions.
Statistics like these can be frustrating. Your age is not something you can change. There are, however, ways to approach your job search that may lessen the impact that age bias has on your chances of being hired. Here are four ways to age-proof your job search. Read the full article on AARP.