New research from Jobrapido has cited age discrimination as the top obstacle for Brits when returning to work.
24% of the 2,027 survey respondents felt that the main barrier preventing them from getting a job was their age and that the jobs they were applying for have been given to younger candidates instead.
Rob Brouwer, CEO of Jobrapido said that it is disappointing to see that so many jobseekers view age discrimination as such a prominent barrier when entering the employment world.
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He added: “There is a strong call to action for those working in the recruitment industry and to employers and HR professionals to look at ways they could support and help those trying to get employment. This could include running CV workshops, career counselling session, a masterclass on interview techniques, how to answer challenging questions or guidance as what jobs might be suitable for their existing skills.”
Aside from age discrimination, nine per cent of the respondents stated that poor mental health was the main obstructer to getting a job, while 11% admitted that they couldn’t find the right job to apply for in the first place.
11% believed that they were in a state of limbo because they kept going for interviews but not getting the job. This has knocked the confidence of six per cent of respondents and made future career prospects more confusing to six per cent.
As a result, the survey results have triggered a call of action from the recruitment industry, business owners and HR professionals. To uncover the support needed from employers, the survey asked respondents specific questions relating to their job searches.
What can be done to change the circumstances of these jobseekers?
21% of respondents believe that they need more guidance about the most relevant jobs for them in order to progress. The survey found that 18% would like advice about improving their interview techniques and career counselling courses to bolster their confidence, while 17% would like more advice on how to improve their CV credentials.
Which interview questions were deemed most to be the most difficult to answer?
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“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
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“How old are you?”
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“Where will you be in 5/10 years’ time?”
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“Why would you be an asset to our company?”
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“Why do you want to work for us?”
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“Why have you been out of work so long”
What do respondents view as the biggest challenges to getting a job in their industry?
Almost a third (32%) said that the skills they need in the current jobs market are different from when they first started out in their careers. 29% cited a competitive jobs markets as the biggest challenges because so many employers rely on promoting job opportunities in-house before promoting them to external candidates.
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But how can HR strive to eliminate ageism in their resourcing processes?
According to Insperity.com, here are five ways for HR to prevent ageism in the workplace:
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Strive to maintain a diverse workforce – The site explains that hiring managers have a tendency to hire people who are similar to themselves, often without realising the influence of their implicit bias. So, put some checks in place to ensure that new recruits are being hired for the right reasons.
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Avoid issues within job descriptions – Steer clear of using words such as ‘young’, ‘fresh-minded’ or ‘tech savvy’ in a job description as they highly insinuate that younger candidates are deemed to be more suitable. Also, job ads should avoid determining the type of person that would fit the role; describe the role itself in vivid detail.
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Understand the recruitment rules -The site states that just because a candidate is older, it is wrong to assume that they are nearing retirement age. Mature populaces are traditionally working for longer because they simply can’t afford to retire and, because employers can’t force people to retire, asking questions around retirement is strictly off limits.
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Steer clear of stereotypes – Don’t assume that an employee is unable to keep up with the latest tech trends. Particularly older employees are keen to take new challenges in their stride and learn as much as they can.
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Reap the benefits of a discrimination-free workplace – Not only does it prevent HR from overlooking huge talent pools, attracting a diverse workforce has a huge ROI for businesses. Cognitive diversity also means that businesses are better able to meet the needs of their consumers.
