Ageist employers be warned!

A mature age jobseeker recounted her experience with a recruitment consultant aged in her twenties. The jobseeker had conducted her own small business for 10 years but was now seeking work as a salaried employee. When she told the consultant she had run her own business, she noted the consultant write on her resume "hasn't achieved much". She asked the consultant what she had just written and when the consultant confirmed what she had written, the mature aged jobseeker walked out on the interview.

I agree with Tony Roberts comments entirely and particularly with respect to recruitment screening being inadequate. In our organisation we recruit directly as consulting firms just consistently "miss the boat". By reviewing incoming applications ourselves we have raised the level of talent by recruiting experienced and mature individuals who have a lifetime of experience to bring to the table, and I might add, the energy to do so.
Our society is ageing out and the mature talent pool is out there wanting to still work. Staggering they just aren't afforded the opportunity to do so. Flexible workplaces entice an array of talent - "head in the sand" employers are losing out.

The problem with appointing persons such as Susan Ryan is that the government are only paying lip service to the many talented and highly skilled older persons. I am 69 and ontinue to work in ajob that I enjoy along with quite a young team. I also am involved in the recruitment process and try and help and advise persons of my age on how to maintain their skills and enhance them. Interesting there are never any opportunities within government departments for us oldies? Why dont they offer positions to shore up their ideals and set an example?

There are still alot of older workers out there looking for jobs, being discriminated against by employers and mostly by recruitment companies. I was lucky enough to get a job with my current employer through the Olderworkers web page after my daughter saw them on the TV.

I think I will reserve judgement on Susan Ryan unitl I see that she has done something for us. Elizabeth Broderick did NOTHING for olderworkers and I can tell you that because I was looking for a job for 2 years and I have never even heard of her.

Having had Anti-Discrimination legislation in place since 2004 has had little or no impact on ageism in recruitment practice. In fact, I would say it is worse. The problem is with recruitment (both in the external recruiter and company internal scenarios)where much of the recruitment process responsibility (and almost certainly initial candidate screening)is allocated to a relatively inexperienced HR or staff member. That inexperience is invariably a reflection also of age, and my professional and personal experience is that the young and inexperienced lack any appreciation of the unique value to organisations; of mature workers. The problem is exacerbated by companies and recruitment firms turning a blind eye. I have no confidence that we have seen improvement over the years (this may also be true to some degree in respect to gender and race discrimination in my view). Change and respect for the legislation will only occur when senior HR practitioners (and the recruitment equivalent) come down from their strategic ivory towers, and recognise that successful recruitment is the most critical "deliverable" they have to offer. More CEOs should require their HR Execs to "get their hands dirty" and measure them on fundamental outcomes of which recruitment is key. Only then might we see some change in terms of recruitment practice being aligned with Anti-Discrimination legislation.

We at Adage.com.au, Australia's leading job board for mature age workers, welcomes this appointment and looks forward to proactively working together in promoting the benefits of mature age workers while denouncing age based discrimination.

We have many experienced candidates looking for work now. Visit our website or email Heidi@adage.com.au if you require any additional information. I would also welcome any feedback relating to organisations proactively promoting the recruitment and retention of mature age workers. Many thanks