Ageism in the Australian Workplace

[FirstWorldProblems]

@Ausvisitor recently commented that the oft-mentioned ageism in the labour market is no longer true in white collar professions, though remains in the blue collar trades.  As someone who will be migrating when aged just the other side of 50, this is interesting to me and I thought perhaps others.

@Ausvisitor would you mind sharing more about what you've observed please.

Thanks

[Marisawright]

I'm guessing corporations have been forced to abandon their ageist policies due to the shortage of skilled workers over the pandemic.  Prior to that, it was a different story.  

[Cheery Thistle]

12 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I'm guessing corporations have been forced to abandon their ageist policies due to the shortage of skilled workers over the pandemic.  Prior to that, it was a different story.  

You never know, it might result in lasting culture change if organisations start seeing some benefit of employing a more mature workforce. Who knows! 

[Parley]

It is probably a bit over blown.

I suspect it is an excuse that unemployed people like to make for why they can't get a job. Could be just their skills are not in demand in the modern workplace.

[Bulya]

2 hours ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

@Ausvisitor recently commented that the oft-mentioned ageism in the labour market is no longer true in white collar professions, though remains in the blue collar trades.  As someone who will be migrating when aged just the other side of 50, this is interesting to me and I thought perhaps others.

@Ausvisitor would you mind sharing more about what you've observed please.

Thanks

243,326 over 50’s on JobSeeker, majority of whom are highly educated and qualified.  Even though the Coalition govt introduced a $10k bribe to business to hire them, it failed miserably.  Australian business want young, fit, ‘pale skinned’ employees.  I could provide a lot more information but that will do for starters. 

[Bulya]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

I'm guessing corporations have been forced to abandon their ageist policies due to the shortage of skilled workers over the pandemic.  Prior to that, it was a different story.  

Actually they haven’t, and that’s why they’re screaming for an increase in job focused migration. 

[Marisawright]

On 28/02/2023 at 20:57, Parley said:

I suspect it is an excuse that unemployed people like to make for why they can't get a job. 

May be true for some, but when I was looking for work in my mid-fifties, recruitment consultants told me, straight out, that they would struggle to place me because I was too old.  As you know, employers aren't allowed to say they won't hire older workers, so they never put anything in writing to the recruitment agencies, but a lot of companies would tell the consultants 'off the record' not to bother sending anyone over 50.

I was advised to cut at least my first ten years of work experience from my resume and not to put the year I got my qualifications, so they wouldn't be able to tell my age from my resume. Then, of course, make sure I looked as young and fresh as possible for the interview. 

That's why I was shocked to be offered jobs in the UK when I was there, even though I was in my sixties by then.  Didn't seem to be as much of an issue there.

[Blue Flu]

On 28/02/2023 at 18:48, Bulya said:

243,326 over 50’s on JobSeeker, majority of whom are highly educated and qualified.  Even though the Coalition govt introduced a $10k bribe to business to hire them, it failed miserably.  Australian business want young, fit, ‘pale skinned’ employees.  I could provide a lot more information but that will do for starters. 

I agree with most of the above but see little evidence of a 'pale skinned' preference in the areas I'm familiar. In fact quite the contrary. 

[Blue Flu]

7 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

May be true for some, but when I was looking for work in my mid-fifties, recruitment consultants told me, straight out, that they would struggle to place me because I was too old.  As you know, employers aren't allowed to say they won't hire older workers, so they never put anything in writing to the recruitment agencies, but a lot of companies would tell the consultants 'off the record' not to bother sending anyone over 50.

I was advised to cut at least my first ten years of work experience from my resume and not to put the year I got my qualifications, so they wouldn't be able to tell my age from my resume. Then, of course, make sure I looked as young and fresh as possible for the interview. 

That's why I was shocked to be offered jobs in the UK when I was there, even though I was in my sixties by then.  Didn't seem to be as much of an issue there.

Less in UK than here was my observation. Australia has always been ageist. Sort of California style youth worship type culture. Plenty more oldsters in UK though to be fair. But still hear complaints from there around the matter. 

[Blue Flu]

On 28/02/2023 at 18:50, Bulya said:

Actually they haven’t, and that’s why they’re screaming for an increase in job focused migration. 

Quite disgusting in fact how they don't respect experience in this country, but prefer compliant new incomers, often regardless of ability to do the job at hand. 

[Bulya]

On 01/03/2023 at 22:48, Blue Flu said:

Quite disgusting in fact how they don't respect experience in this country, but prefer compliant new incomers, often regardless of ability to do the job at hand. 

Business all around the world want young, fit staff.  Those rotting on JobSeeker here are anything but. Every day I read and watch what’s going on at the Robodebt Royal Commission.  Sadly being ignored by most of the media. 

[Marisawright]

8 hours ago, Bulya said:

Business all around the world want young, fit staff.  

That's what I assumed too, @Bulya, until I spent that year in the UK in 2015 and saw how different it is in the UK.  

[Bulya]

27 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

That's what I assumed too, @Bulya, until I spent that year in the UK in 2015 and saw how different it is in the UK.  

Must be.  When the Coalition offered a $10k bribe to business to encourage them to hire an over 50 there was obviously a major problem.  

[calNgary]

5 hours ago, Bulya said:

Must be.  When the Coalition offered a $10k bribe to business to encourage them to hire an over 50 there was obviously a major problem.  

Not sure what you mean by major problem if thats being paid... It's double that ($20,000) if they are between 15 and 24 yrs and currently out of work , its also up to $20,000 if the person you employ is on Jobseeker, so not just an incentive for employing someone over 50yrs, there are lots of different ones out there for eligible employers.

       Cal x

[FirstWorldProblems]

6 hours ago, Marisawright said:

That's what I assumed too, @Bulya, until I spent that year in the UK in 2015 and saw how different it is in the UK.  

I have over 800 people in my team and more than half of them are my age (late 40's) and older.  They do tend to be more expensive but you are paying for the experience and knowledge they have which generally brings greater productivity. 

I am trying to balance it out with a graduate recruiting programme and modern apprenticeship scheme because I want good succession in the organisation

[Bulya]

10 hours ago, calNgary said:

Not sure what you mean by major problem if thats being paid... It's double that ($20,000) if they are between 15 and 24 yrs and currently out of work , its also up to $20,000 if the person you employ is on Jobseeker, so not just an incentive for employing someone over 50yrs, there are lots of different ones out there for eligible employers.

       Cal x

A major problem in that it (Restart Program) failed so badly.  Michaelia Cash stated that 30,000 would be removed from Newstarve in 12 months but the audit confirmed it was 2,318.  The Coalition pretty much gave up after that.  

[s713]

I found ageism much more prevalent in Australia. Bunnings launched a campaign to get older workers in but, in the industry I work in, IT, Aussie companies were very judgemental. Being over 50 and applying for any job in the UK is much more accepted.

[Bulya]

5 hours ago, s713 said:

I found ageism much more prevalent in Australia. Bunnings launched a campaign to get older workers in but, in the industry I work in, IT, Aussie companies were very judgemental. Being over 50 and applying for any job in the UK is much more accepted.

50 in IT??  Make that 40. 

[Ausvisitor]

12 hours ago, s713 said:

I found ageism much more prevalent in Australia. Bunnings launched a campaign to get older workers in but, in the industry I work in, IT, Aussie companies were very judgemental. Being over 50 and applying for any job in the UK is much more accepted.

I have seen very little ageism in IT in this country and I'm working at the top of that profession with the C suite of salesforce, atlassian and others every day.

We all agree that mediocre people use this as an excuse but honestly if you are good you won't have a problem, if you think people are being ageist towards you maybe have a look at your abilities and team working skills, you'll probably find it's your poor skills that make you unemployable not your age.

Other industries may vary, but IT (at least big IT) couldn't care less about your age just your ability 

[Parley]

They don't know how old you are until after the interview.

Only show the last 10 years relevant experience on your CV. (No one cares what you did when you were a new graduate 30 years ago)

[Ausvisitor]

52 minutes ago, Parley said:

They don't know how old you are until after the interview.

Only show the last 10 years relevant experience on your CV. (No one cares what you did when you were a new graduate 30 years ago)

Or as your signature shows, if you really are old and incompetent move to the US not AUS there is no limit to how far you can rise if you are old and doddering in that country !

[Blue Flu]

On 03/03/2023 at 04:08, Bulya said:

Business all around the world want young, fit staff.  Those rotting on JobSeeker here are anything but. Every day I read and watch what’s going on at the Robodebt Royal Commission.  Sadly being ignored by most of the media. 

What they want is compliant workers, often from countries paying a pittance to Australian earnings. The Robodebt affair put on display the total disregard of vulnerable people against the machine of government. It is even admitted that it was known it did not add up  by those in charge.  Another case of the silence being deafening. Another Royal Commission where the likelihood of little being achieved most likely outcome. 

The media is compliant in so much going on in this country. (so much is ignored and swept under the rug.) 

[Bulya]

4 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

What they want is compliant workers, often from countries paying a pittance to Australian earnings. The Robodebt affair put on display the total disregard of vulnerable people against the machine of government. It is even admitted that it was known it did not add up  by those in charge.  Another case of the silence being deafening. Another Royal Commission where the likelihood of little being achieved most likely outcome. 

The media is compliant in so much going on in this country. (so much is ignored and swept under the rug.) 

Just like the U.K

[welljock]

How stupid is agism,  most employers must realise that employees these days only give you 5 years max, a 50 year old (with more experience) will probably go through to retirement.

[s713]

22 hours ago, Parley said:

They don't know how old you are until after the interview.

Maybe that's the problem.

I'm not just talking about this from an applicant's point of view. I know how my company (Telstra) viewed recruitment.