Visual from Indeed’s (the largest job board in the world) career stage article Last week I posted about @Indeed’s ageist and outrageous website content because I was absolutely incensed. I posted “that” visual because I am 59 ¾ and often searching for new work opportunities or assignments as part of my portfolio career, and when I found the article on LinkedIn, it really cut to the core. The effect it had on me and thinking about the effect it would have on 50+ job seekers who get signposted to the site made me furious.
I am so proud that bang in the middle of my #CareerDecline, and as a Gen X’er who’s rising 60 before the end of the year, I have caused a perfect storm against #Ageism and #AgeDiscrimination which has gone viral on the world wide web!
A part of my portfolio career. I run a job search community called Be Inspired Get Hired and the purpose of this group is to keep job searchers (or business problem solvers) company, reduce job search overwhelm and fatigue, treat job search like a game, have fun and connect with a tribe to keep you motivated and moving forwards. So I know how these individuals feel when the assignment or the role doesn’t come off and when they’re applying for role after role and get rejection after rejection, when they come second, but don’t land the role and have to start all over again. It’s tough, it’s really tough, Job search in 2024 is Brutal, Inhumane, Endless and Rude. And if they used the Indeed (largest job board in the world) website, which they are encouraged to do by the job centre in the UK (I know because I went there to seek advice on local employment and was told to apply for roles on Indeed) and came across this article it would shake their confidence and impact their mental health.
The slide depicts a career stage theory from the 1950s by Donald Super, so academics recognised the model, but it’s obviously not fit for purpose in this day and age. And even more shocking is that fact that if you search for Career Stages with ChatGPT you will come up with this model too.
I shared the article with some incredible change makers in the longevity and future of work space and it took on a life of its own. It was a perfect storm. Victoria Tomlinson shared the post and gave it some massive momentum late last Thursday evening which was Labor Day eve in the US and Janine Vanderburg caught it before her holiday and accelerated progress and gave some very clear calls to action. She has since written an article about it here.
The impact of my post written on a Thursday evening, in a school holiday during UK Bank Holiday week has been incredible. And I was only at home because my 16-year-old daughter wasn’t well, otherwise we would have been at the beach like everyone else on a sunny day. A16-year-old daughter and a parent who’s rising 60, that’s another story, but please don’t make any assumptions about me based on my age #ShatteringStereotypes.
So what’s the impact of the article been?
Indeed took down the article and apologised
And the Indeed apology
“We deeply apologise for the content contained in this article – the content was wrong, full stop. It does not reflect our values of inclusivity, our hiring practices, or the way our website operates. We are committed to our mission to help all people, of all ages, get jobs.”
“That” visual has gone global and created a perfect storm across LinkedIn
The Independent in the UK has published an article about it
Forbes have published an article too
There has been collective and collaborative action to make change happen and highlight this faux pas
There have been conversations worldwide to shine a light on ageism and age discrimination
And it’s still rolling, so there might be a Perfect Storm Part 2
Indeed have suffered reputational and commercial damage. I have seen many comments with people saying they will not work with them again, people have stopped following them, so it’s not been a great week for them.
This is something organisations need to take very seriously, we have an ageing population and this problem is not going to go away.
Here are some stats for you:-
Almost 50% workers will be 50+ in the UK workforce within 2 years
The 60+ will grow by 40%
By 2050, UK working population will have reduced by 25%
7m young people entering the workforce and 10-12m more experienced workers exit
There are 16% fewer 20-29 yr olds than 50-59
So can you see where this is going. We don’t have enough young people, the birth rate has dropped and we will need to rely on 50+ talent.
@Unilever are leading the way with their head of age, longevity & new employment models and that sounds like the perfect role or assignment for me.
Like with many Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging issues, many people are talking the talk, there are many policies around but it’s actually walking and walk and ensuring culture reflects these values that’s important and employees and potential employees feel them, so it probably conversation led.
What can companies do to avoid this scenario for themselves.
Diversity Check Everything Don’t rely on AI to give you all the answers and if you ask ChatGPT about career stages, you will get Donald Super’s model from the 1950s, so sense check and diversity check copy and content posted
Build Intergenerational Teams Ensure age-diverse teams in decision-making—different perspectives catch biases others miss and this would have been spotted. Have 50+ hiring managers?
Test Your Hiring System Have leadership apply for their own jobs to experience and understand the struggles job seekers face, especially older ones.
Offer Job Shares and Phased Retirement Solutions Use flexible work structures to keep older employees engaged and productive, experienced individual don’t fit into a job box
Promote Intergenerational Collaboration Foster relationships across age groups for better problem-solving and innovation. I can look back down the age groups and have empathy with them all, I’m not sure that is possible the other way around.
Rethink Career Development Offer zigzag career paths and 45+ development programmes. Don’t brand them as mid-life MOTs, we’re not broken
Use Inclusive Imagery and Language Avoid language that stereotypes age. Show diversity in visuals and celebrate experience, not decline.
Combat Age Stereotypes in Hiring Remove biased language from job descriptions. Focus on skills, not age, to attract diverse talent.
Partner with Age Advocacy Groups Collaborate with experts in fighting ageism to ensure your practices are up to date and inclusive.
Respond Quickly and Transparently to Mistakes If you make a mistake, own it, apologise, and make clear, public actions to fix the issue. Transparency builds trust.
As we navigate an era where ageism and outdated career stereotypes continue to hinder opportunities, it’s clear that the perfect storm created by this incident has spotlighted a critical issue that’s long overdue for change. We’ve seen how quickly the world can respond when these biases are exposed, but now it’s time for companies to take real action.
It’s not enough to apologise and move on. We need lasting reform that ensures every job seeker, regardless of age, is valued for their skills and experience. The future of work depends on intergenerational collaboration, flexible career paths, and a commitment to updating outdated models.
Let’s keep the momentum going, together. Age shouldn’t define our worth or limit our potential. As we face an evolving workforce, let’s ensure everyone has a seat at the table.
I’ve got lots more to say about sustainable careers for the over 50s and attracting, onboarding, retraining, engaging and retaining over 50 and returning talent
Follow me and connect.
And come along to our webinar on Monday at Midday UK time where we’ll provide a contemporary take on career stages which consists not just of age but lifestage and BIG events too.
#AgeIsAnAsset #InclusiveHiring #ZigZagCareer #60YearCareer #BeInspiredGetHired #Ageism #AgeDiversity #CareerRevolution #AI
Sarah started her career in fmcg marketing working as a brand manager on Clover and as an interim manager on Clover (twice) and Quorn. She founded a start-up interim management company in Gloucestershire and that business changed the percentage of women and diverse talent in senior marketing and HR roles. Sarah specialises in attracting, onboarding, developing, engaging and retaining diverse talent into forward thinking businesses to improve productivity, performance and profit. Flexible working and wellbeing play a large part. Since covid-19 wreaked havoc on the job landscape, Sarah has a created an innovative programme to get senior experienced professionals back into work or fine-tune their current role so that it makes happy.