Martin writes:
Career experts advise that older applicants remove educational dates from resumes that would enable the reader to determine the applicant’s age. What do you recommend when the response to your resume is to ask specific questions such as “what is your year of graduation?” (from university). From this information, it is usually easy to estimate a person’s age to within a year or two. This seems to have deferred the problem, not solved it. I hope you can advise on this.
The Career Doctor responds:
Before I get to your question, let me add that besides taking dates off your degrees you should also remove any work experience longer than 15 years old (unless there is some key relevancy, and with experience from that long ago it is unlikely). Some experts even suggest leaving dates off your work experience, though I believe you should keep the dates as long as you drop all the older stuff.
But, to the heart of the matter… The good news is that if you made it to the interview; the employer definitely saw something appealing in you. But the bad news is that I agree with you that the question sure seems like a blatant attempt to get at your age. It may simply be curiosity, but it may be much more. You could respond with something along the lines of, I’m not sure of the relevancy of my college graduation date; can you explain? Or you could be even more direct: “I’m sensing you may have an issue with my age. If so, let me assure you that I am the candidate most qualified for this position because ___.” (Fill in the blank with keywords and qualifications.)
Of course, you could also be more direct, even threaten to report and/or report the employer. These are personal decisions only you can make.
As the Baby Boom generation continues to age, these kinds of issues and questions will continue to arise. Most of the interviewers will be folks much younger than you, and some may be intimidated while others may be suspicious of your motives. Some say as more and more boomers continue working later in life, these age issues will decline.
Read more strategies for older workers in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Mature and Older Job-Seekers — Including the Baby Boomers.
