3 days ago
If you're over 65 years of age you have a 'slim chance' of this happening
A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment.
A survey by people2people found that was despite a growing demand for skilled workers and a shrinking, younger workforce.
Younger Australians were also preparing themselves to be working longer due to cost-of-living pressures and wage growth stagnation, the survey found.
People2people head of HR solutions Suhini Wijayasinghe told ACM, the publisher of this masthead, that in her 15 years at the frontline of recruitment, ageism was still an ongoing issue.
"When we are putting a suitable candidate, they might have a wealth of experience, be consistent, reliable but there seems to be this stereotype that they won't be able to adapt, they won't want to adapt or potentially that they will want to be a leader and be perceived as a threat," she said.
Ms Wijayasinghe said this mindset was misguided because older candidates are typically the most pragmatic.
"They are realistic," she said. "They want the consistency of going to work, they don't necessarily seek to climb the ladder."
"Employers should know that older people might give workforces the stability and longevity they need.
"They also understand the pressures businesses face and how remuneration may be impacted."
Addressing ageism in the workforce was an economic imperative, she noted.
"Baby boomers are heading to retirement, and Gen X is at senior levels, getting closer to retirement," she said.
"We have to accept the fact that our mindset has to change because we simply don't have enough young people to replace the outgoing generation."
By 2066, it is projected that older people will make up between 21 per cent and 23 per cent of the total Australian population, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found.
Australia's birth rate is also dangerously low, at 1.5 babies for every Australian adult woman.
"Inaction on age inclusion isn't just unfair - it's economically unsustainable," said Ms Wijayasinghe.
She said Australia was facing a situation "where the workforce is about to fall off the face of a cliff".
Ms Wijayasinghe advised older workers to "play the game and understand what the bias is" when preparing for job interviews.
"They need to be preemptive and provide context to whoever the prospective employer is", she said.
This includes making their expectations clear that they see the job as a long-term opportunity, not a stepping stone to a more senior position, as well as having a realistic discussion around remuneration.
"They should also show openness about being willing to receive feedback from someone more junior to them and to learning new things to alleviate the sense of competition," she said.
She said an employer cannot legally ask a candidate their age but was usually able to deduce it from a candidate's resume.
A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment.
A survey by people2people found that was despite a growing demand for skilled workers and a shrinking, younger workforce.
Younger Australians were also preparing themselves to be working longer due to cost-of-living pressures and wage growth stagnation, the survey found.
People2people head of HR solutions Suhini Wijayasinghe told ACM, the publisher of this masthead, that in her 15 years at the frontline of recruitment, ageism was still an ongoing issue.
"When we are putting a suitable candidate, they might have a wealth of experience, be consistent, reliable but there seems to be this stereotype that they won't be able to adapt, they won't want to adapt or potentially that they will want to be a leader and be perceived as a threat," she said.
Ms Wijayasinghe said this mindset was misguided because older candidates are typically the most pragmatic.
"They are realistic," she said. "They want the consistency of going to work, they don't necessarily seek to climb the ladder."
"Employers should know that older people might give workforces the stability and longevity they need.
"They also understand the pressures businesses face and how remuneration may be impacted."
Addressing ageism in the workforce was an economic imperative, she noted.
"Baby boomers are heading to retirement, and Gen X is at senior levels, getting closer to retirement," she said.
"We have to accept the fact that our mindset has to change because we simply don't have enough young people to replace the outgoing generation."
By 2066, it is projected that older people will make up between 21 per cent and 23 per cent of the total Australian population, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found.
Australia's birth rate is also dangerously low, at 1.5 babies for every Australian adult woman.
"Inaction on age inclusion isn't just unfair - it's economically unsustainable," said Ms Wijayasinghe.
She said Australia was facing a situation "where the workforce is about to fall off the face of a cliff".
Ms Wijayasinghe advised older workers to "play the game and understand what the bias is" when preparing for job interviews.
"They need to be preemptive and provide context to whoever the prospective employer is", she said.
This includes making their expectations clear that they see the job as a long-term opportunity, not a stepping stone to a more senior position, as well as having a realistic discussion around remuneration.
"They should also show openness about being willing to receive feedback from someone more junior to them and to learning new things to alleviate the sense of competition," she said.
She said an employer cannot legally ask a candidate their age but was usually able to deduce it from a candidate's resume.
A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment.
A survey by people2people found that was despite a growing demand for skilled workers and a shrinking, younger workforce.
Younger Australians were also preparing themselves to be working longer due to cost-of-living pressures and wage growth stagnation, the survey found.
People2people head of HR solutions Suhini Wijayasinghe told ACM, the publisher of this masthead, that in her 15 years at the frontline of recruitment, ageism was still an ongoing issue.
"When we are putting a suitable candidate, they might have a wealth of experience, be consistent, reliable but there seems to be this stereotype that they won't be able to adapt, they won't want to adapt or potentially that they will want to be a leader and be perceived as a threat," she said.
Ms Wijayasinghe said this mindset was misguided because older candidates are typically the most pragmatic.
"They are realistic," she said. "They want the consistency of going to work, they don't necessarily seek to climb the ladder."
"Employers should know that older people might give workforces the stability and longevity they need.
"They also understand the pressures businesses face and how remuneration may be impacted."
Addressing ageism in the workforce was an economic imperative, she noted.
"Baby boomers are heading to retirement, and Gen X is at senior levels, getting closer to retirement," she said.
"We have to accept the fact that our mindset has to change because we simply don't have enough young people to replace the outgoing generation."
By 2066, it is projected that older people will make up between 21 per cent and 23 per cent of the total Australian population, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found.
Australia's birth rate is also dangerously low, at 1.5 babies for every Australian adult woman.
"Inaction on age inclusion isn't just unfair - it's economically unsustainable," said Ms Wijayasinghe.
She said Australia was facing a situation "where the workforce is about to fall off the face of a cliff".
Ms Wijayasinghe advised older workers to "play the game and understand what the bias is" when preparing for job interviews.
"They need to be preemptive and provide context to whoever the prospective employer is", she said.
This includes making their expectations clear that they see the job as a long-term opportunity, not a stepping stone to a more senior position, as well as having a realistic discussion around remuneration.
"They should also show openness about being willing to receive feedback from someone more junior to them and to learning new things to alleviate the sense of competition," she said.
She said an employer cannot legally ask a candidate their age but was usually able to deduce it from a candidate's resume.
A recruitment firm has found that most Australians in its survey believe employers rarely or never hire people near or past the age of retirement and those over 65 years of age are generally excluded from employment.
A survey by people2people found that was despite a growing demand for skilled workers and a shrinking, younger workforce.
Younger Australians were also preparing themselves to be working longer due to cost-of-living pressures and wage growth stagnation, the survey found.
People2people head of HR solutions Suhini Wijayasinghe told ACM, the publisher of this masthead, that in her 15 years at the frontline of recruitment, ageism was still an ongoing issue.
"When we are putting a suitable candidate, they might have a wealth of experience, be consistent, reliable but there seems to be this stereotype that they won't be able to adapt, they won't want to adapt or potentially that they will want to be a leader and be perceived as a threat," she said.
Ms Wijayasinghe said this mindset was misguided because older candidates are typically the most pragmatic.
"They are realistic," she said. "They want the consistency of going to work, they don't necessarily seek to climb the ladder."
"Employers should know that older people might give workforces the stability and longevity they need.
"They also understand the pressures businesses face and how remuneration may be impacted."
Addressing ageism in the workforce was an economic imperative, she noted.
"Baby boomers are heading to retirement, and Gen X is at senior levels, getting closer to retirement," she said.
"We have to accept the fact that our mindset has to change because we simply don't have enough young people to replace the outgoing generation."
By 2066, it is projected that older people will make up between 21 per cent and 23 per cent of the total Australian population, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found.
Australia's birth rate is also dangerously low, at 1.5 babies for every Australian adult woman.
"Inaction on age inclusion isn't just unfair - it's economically unsustainable," said Ms Wijayasinghe.
She said Australia was facing a situation "where the workforce is about to fall off the face of a cliff".
Ms Wijayasinghe advised older workers to "play the game and understand what the bias is" when preparing for job interviews.
"They need to be preemptive and provide context to whoever the prospective employer is", she said.
This includes making their expectations clear that they see the job as a long-term opportunity, not a stepping stone to a more senior position, as well as having a realistic discussion around remuneration.
"They should also show openness about being willing to receive feedback from someone more junior to them and to learning new things to alleviate the sense of competition," she said.
She said an employer cannot legally ask a candidate their age but was usually able to deduce it from a candidate's resume.
