Why Is ‘Age-Proofing’ Your Resume Even a Thing?

Monday, February 1, 2021
A new AARP survey finds that 57% of people aged 50 to 65 facing job insecurity feel prepared to “age-proof your resume, including removing dates that can be used to determine your age.”

OK, interesting, but why is age-proofing your resume even a thing? The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 forbids discrimination against people aged 40 and older. (Thus protecting Tom Brady, 43, quarterback of the Super Bowl-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.)

The Covid-19 pandemic has not been kind to older workers. The unemployment rate for people 55-plus in February was just 2.6%, lower than the 3% rate for workers 25 to 54. Last month it was 6%, higher than the 25 to 54 rate of 5.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment of women and men 55+ fell 6.2% over that 10-month period, greater than the 5.1% decline for workers 25 to 54.

It’s hard to say why this has happened, but regardless, many older workers feel they need to disguise their age. In the AARP survey of workers who have felt job insecurity over the past year (PDF), 59% of those aged 50 to 59 and 72% of those aged 60 to 65 felt that their age would be hurtful in finding a new job. On the bright side, 13% and 7%, respectively, felt it would be helpful, so there’s that.

AARP, which used to stand for American Association of Retired Persons, has a whole article on its website on how to age-proof your resume, including such advice as saying less about jobs you had more than 10 or 15 years ago; eliminating older dates; dropping your old AOL or Hotmail address; and listing a mobile phone number.

If older job candidates feel the need to pass as young, that's prima facie evidence that the 1967 federal law banning age discrimination isn't working as Congress intended.

Full Article @ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-28/why-is-age-proofing-your-resume-even-a-thing