How to Overcome Ageism in Your Job Search

Job searching is already stressful, and it can feel even more overwhelming for older workers. According to Huntr’s Job Search Trends – Q1 2025 report, ageism is a major concern among experienced job seekers. This makes sense, as many of the 600 respondents were tech workers, and the tech industry has a reputation for favoring younger employees. Recent mass layoffs and fewer openings only make it tougher. Fast forward to Huntr’s Job Search Trends – Q2 2025 report, and ageism remains a persistent challenge for job seekers. Some face bigger obstacles than others. Let’s dive into practical strategies to combat ageism during your job hunt and once you land your next role.

Does Ageism Still Exist?

The workforce is more age diverse than ever before. In fact, this is the first time in modern history that five generations are working side-by-side. And still, ageism remains rampant in today’s workplaces. Many job seekers and professionals report facing age-based assumptions, exclusion from opportunities, and outright age discrimination. According to Huntr’s Q2 survey, 47% of job seekers report age discrimination during their search. However, when looking at age discrimination by generation, we found that 72% of Gen X were most likely to report age discrimination. That’s nearly double the rate of millennials. We also found that men are more likely than women to report age discrimination.

Is It Harder To Find A Job When You’re Older?

It can be more challenging to find a job when you’re more experienced. Some employers, whether unintentionally or intentionally, discriminate against older candidates. Additionally, older workers tend to look for roles that require more experience, which are less frequently posted online. Fortunately, there are factors within your control that you can use to speed up your search.

How to Deal with Ageism When Looking for a Job

Focus on What’s In Your Control

You can’t control layoffs or bias, but you can control how you respond, where you focus your energy, and how you ultimately show up. Center your attention on your mindset, your messaging, and how clearly you communicate your story to employers.

Rather than trying to “fix” your age, or perceived age, leverage your experience to your advantage. This might mean that some employers won’t be interested in you as a candidate, and that’s okay! Truthfully, the job search is tougher for older workers. But it’s far from impossible to land a role when you’re more experienced. Reclaim your control and empower yourself in a process that often feels powerless.

Develop Your Confidence

Job searching as an older worker can feel deflating, especially after repeated rejection or outright silence. Building your internal confidence is key to staying grounded and motivated. Start by writing a list of at least 10 benefits you bring to the job market as an experienced professional. Then, identify a specific example for each and integrate them into your resume, networking conversations, and job interviews. This strategy is powerful because it not only boosts your confidence but also makes it easier for hiring managers to see the unique value you offer.

If you’re feeling stuck, reach out to a trusted colleague, manager, family member, friend, or career coach to help you identify your top wins. It’s often much easier for others to see your fabulousness more clearly than you can. You can also review past performance reviews or letters of recommendation for additional inspiration and insights. These can remind you of your impact and help you speak about your strengths with additional confidence and clarity.

Embrace Your Experience

Many professionals try to “downplay” their years of experience, as they worry it might turn employers off. But here’s the truth: once you land the interview, your age becomes more apparent, so why not own it from the start? Rather than hiding your background, highlight the advantages of your career longevity, like deep industry knowledge, strong judgment, pattern recognition abilities, and powerful leadership skills. You’ve also seen trends rise and fall. You’ve likely weathered downturns and achieved great success. All this experience is a strategic asset that you should put at the forefront of your professional story.

Harness the power of storytelling to illustrate your depth. Sharing short, relevant stories about how you led through a major crisis, mentored a junior employee, or drove innovation reinforces your value to employers. These snippets not only highlight what you did but also show that your thinking and leadership style remain fresh and impactful.

Mobilize Your Network

You’ve been in the workforce longer, which means your network is likely wider and deeper. Moreover, you likely have former colleagues, clients, vendors, and friends who are hiring managers and in other influential roles. However, if you’re like most experienced job seekers, you may not be mobilizing your network as well as you could be. Don’t let vague sentiments like, “They already know I’m looking for a new job” keep you from activating your network. Be bold. Be brave.

It might feel uncomfortable, but set a weekly goal of reaching out to three to five people in your network who work at your target companies. Your goal with these conversations isn’t to leave with a job offer, but to learn more about their company and culture, the industry, and if you really click, the hiring process at the company. These conversations will often open doors you didn’t even know existed.

When reaching out, you must be clear and specific. Mention the precise role you’re targeting, the industries and companies you’re interested in, and how the recipient might help you. This might look like an informational interview to learn more about the company, an employee referral link, or an introduction to a decision-maker.

Focus on Relevant, Transferable Skills

Owning your years of experience doesn’t mean listing every job you’ve held since the ‘90s. Focus on what’s most relevant today. But don’t stop there. You must also explain how the skills are transferable to the company you’re targeting. Instead of using the same resume you’ve been using for the last 20 or 30 years, start fresh. Use a target job posting to identify which skills are most in demand, and shape your document accordingly. This approach takes a little time, but it leads you to being seen as hyper-relevant to the roles you’re targeting.

Think beyond technical abilities and spotlight soft skills like strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution. These strengths tend to deepen with experience, so it’s likely you’ve amassed impressive ones to highlight. When tailoring your resume to roles, weave these skills in using modern language that resonates with today’s workforce. Think terms like “empathy-driven leadership” and “data-driven decision-making.” This signals that you’re not just current but also savvy at effectively applying them in today’s workplace.

Remain Adaptable

The current job market is one of the most competitive there has ever been. This means you must keep your skills up to date, especially if you’re an older worker, because hiring managers often (wrongly) assume older workers are less adaptable. You can prove them wrong. You might take a course in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, or another emerging trend in your industry. Highlight your learning on your resume and LinkedIn profile. You can also demonstrate adaptability by exploring new tools, embracing remote work technologies, or even attending virtual industry events you might have skipped out on in the past.

Don’t forget to stay current on industry trends, either. You can follow thought leaders on LinkedIn, subscribe to relevant newsletters, or join a professional association. Showing that you’re proactive about learning signals to employers that you’re not just coasting but truly committed to staying relevant and continuing to grow your skills.

How to Combat Ageism in the Workplace

You’re not immune to age discrimination once you’re employed. Here’s how to continue to navigate it in the workplace:

Be Open to Change

Change can be difficult for any professional, but there is a stereotype that older workers resist it. Reflect on whether there are instances where you might be unintentionally holding back and explore where more openness could serve you. This doesn’t mean you need to accept everything that comes your way, but it is an opportunity to be curious and collaborative. For example, if your team is adopting a new workflow tool, volunteer to learn it first and offer to train your colleagues.

Adapt Your Communication Style

Remain open to different forms of communication, and adopt as necessary. You don’t need to overhaul your personality, but you can experiment with and lean into different communication styles. If your preference is face-to-face conversation while your workplace runs on Slack or Microsoft Teams, try to be active in the group communication channel. You want to engage where the conversations are happening. Being flexible in your communication will combat assumptions that you’re “stuck in your ways.”

Also, take note of your speed, especially when working across generations. Younger colleagues may prefer quick, informal updates, while others may value structured communication. Adjusting your style doesn’t mean changing who you are; it just means being intentional.

Create Opportunities for Cross-functional Collaboration

When you’re a more experienced worker, it’s easy to gravitate toward workers with similar experiences. Reflect on the types of workers who are involved in projects and initiatives, and see who might be left out of important conversations. This is your opportunity to bridge gaps and create cross-generational collaboration. Ask for input from employees who may not usually be in the room. This creates space for both younger and older professionals to brainstorm, share their knowledge, and innovate. It also positions you as a connector and culture builder, further combating age-related stereotypes.

Please don’t wait for permission to challenge the status quo and mix things up. You should speak up if you notice the same types of people dominating meetings and decision-making. This isn’t about just ticking a diversity box; you’re sparking fresh ideas and moving the business forward. You’re also building a name for yourself as a culture creator and connector. This is your opportunity to make your mark.

Invest in Reverse-Mentorship

While mentorship is a common practice in many workplaces, it typically consists of younger professionals learning from more experienced professionals. Yes, experienced professionals can indeed offer guidance and support to less experienced employees. However, one often-missed opportunity is reverse mentorship, which allows younger professionals to mentor older professionals. For example, you might be able to learn social media or graphic design skills from a younger worker.

These relationships are not just about skill-building—they also help dismantle stereotypes. They allow for genuine intergenerational dialogue and create space in which to intentionally break down unconscious bias on both sides. You can make the most of these conversations by approaching them with humility and curiosity. View them as a two-way exchange where both parties teach, learn, and grow.

Adopt Age-Inclusive Policies and Practices

As you grow your influence within a company, you may realize that there are opportunities to ensure policies are truly inclusive across generations. For instance, is professional development only marketed to early-career staff? Are caregiving responsibilities, including elder care, considered when creating flexible schedules? Please don’t be afraid to recommend changes. Importantly, you must pair policy with practice to create real, lasting change in the workplace.

Put transparency and communication at the forefront as you develop new age-inclusive policies. Encourage leaders to involve professionals from across generations so that you avoid recreating existing issues. If they don’t already exist, consider developing employee resource groups or forums that allow multigenerational workforces to come together, share their experiences, and create solutions together.

Conclusion

You alone are not responsible for ending ageism in the workplace, but deploying some of these strategies can help you find your next role while remaining true to yourself in a job market that tends to sideline older professionals. And if you want support while you’re bringing together the rest of your job search, consider signing up for Huntr today to stay organized and track your applications—all in one place. You’ve got this!