By Bob McIntosh
I was searching around LinkedIn for some questions to answer. It’s been awhile and I miss my old routine of answering tons of questions. I came across a great question from Matthew Levy on ageism, but instead of answering his question, I decided to write this blog article in response to a very important topic—ageism and how to break down the barrier of age discrimination.
Let me start by saying that Matthew’s article was very insightful, albeit lengthy even for a verbose writer as myself. He suggests three methods for the 40+ crowd to use in combating possible age discrimination. The first method he talks about is modifying your appearance to make you appear younger. Second, he urges you to dive into social media; and third, he advises a strategic approach to writing a résumé.
Modifying one’s appearance. Matthew writes that one day he advised a gentleman to shave his beard, which according to Matthew, took five years off the man’s appearance.
I also witnessed a man who had shaven his beard and took years off his appearance. For some men it’s hard letting go of a beard he’s had for a good part of his life; but once the job is secured, the beard can return. » Read more: Laid Off After 40: Talking about Ageism; Three Pieces of Advice from Matthew Levy
The economic recession saw a lot of talented, well-qualified people over forty losing their positions all across the country, and many people who have found themselves in this situation have struggled to find work due to their age. The sad reality is that they were the first to lose their jobs because it was felt that they did not have a life to dedicate to larger companies, or that their knowledge had become outdated. And now they cannot find work because they are not in a position to work their way up, and would have to slot in higher up on the job » Read more: Laid Off After 40: Finding Work over Forty
