Age Discrimination Starts Early! These Strategies Can Overcome It

Number 145

Are you starting to feel like your age might limit your potential for career advancement? If so, you are not alone. A variety of polls and anecdotal accounts suggest that age discrimination – while it may be subtle -- is widespread in the American workplace. And many professionals are worried about it.

And yet, if you look around, you’ll find numerous examples of encore careerists and other workers who demonstrate that your age need not limit your success. The trick is to understand the negative stereotypes, and then make it clear that they don’t fit you. Consider these strategies for avoiding the burden of age discrimination:

• Look and act fit. Some employers and younger workers believe that their older colleagues may have physical limitations that will prevent them from performing their fair share of the work. And your boss or clients won’t offer you new challenges if they think you are about to have a heart attack. If you want to maximize your career options, it is vital that you not only stay healthy but also look fit and exude energy.
• Talk healthy. Most of us have health issues from time to time, but we can manage the way they impact us in the workplace. Beware of sabotaging yourself by talking too much about your symptoms or crises. If you endlessly discuss your health challenges, not only will you be boring, but people may start to think of you as frail. Talk about the great hike you took last weekend, instead of how sore you felt on Monday morning.
• Be tech-savvy. You don’t have to enjoy texting, Skyping or building a Facebook community. But if those are the ways that your colleagues or customers communicate then you absolutely must know how to join in. If you want to stay in the game, keep up with the technology. Take classes or find help, buy the devices, and do whatever it takes to keep your skills current. And when you don’t understand the latest developments, avoid the temptation to indulge in a Luddite rant. Express an interest, ask for assistance and get on board.
• Be stylish. Looking shabby can seem cool when you’re 28. But the older you get, the more important it is to consistently look polished and up to date. If your clothes, hairdo and glasses are out of style, it may seem that you, too, are past your prime.
• Don’t bring up your age. If you are older – or younger – than the people you work with, it is very tempting to keep mentioning that fact. But if you can refrain from alluding to the age difference, there is a good chance that other people will forget about it.
• Build a varied network. If you are accustomed to hanging out with friends of all ages, you are more likely to blend easily into a group of younger or older people. If you don’t allow age to be a barrier in your social life, you will be more comfortable talking and keeping up with different age groups at work.
• Listen to younger colleagues. A great starting point for building strong relationships is to genuinely listen to other people. Express a sincere interest in what younger folks have to say, learn from their perspective and be open to their new ideas. You will develop rewarding friendships at the same time you broaden your thinking.