A 52-year-old single mother is going viral after sharing her job-search journey in an Instagram post and being profiled by several U.K. newspapers. Journalist Stacey Duguid said long and fruitless attempts at finding work in midlife made her "convinced ... [she] was unemployable." At one point, a friend even recommended she erase years of work experience from her resume in order to seem younger. Duguid's story has resonated with other women and job-seekers on LinkedIn. Read their takes below.
📣 I have to write about something that's bothering me, and it's everywhere I see as I look around the media and communications industries:
Ageism.
In the past week alone, I've read an article by the FT's Claer Barrett about ageism in the workplace, watched Stacey Duguid go viral on Instagram about sending off 100s of unanswered job applications, and read my friend Grant Currie's Substack on the topic.
I don't know Stacey, but it's clear that she is an extremely successful, well-qualified fashion editor. She is 52.
I have worked with Grant for 20+ years in many capacities. He’s recently written a well-regarded e-book about AI in comms and is certified by MIT in AI and business strategy. Yet he was not even considered for a head of communications role in B2B AI. He is 55.
I’ve been speaking to peers who are not getting to the interview stage for jobs where they would surely be one of the most qualified people on the market.
Is this not completely at odds with the perceived wisdom that people with experience are (for the time being) safe, because AI cannot replicate our abilities to judge and advise at a high level?
Also, Gartner now considers reputation a critical competitive advantage that directly impacts organisational resilience and growth. Reputation management cannot be delegated to those without requisite experience.
This is not necessarily about £. While it’s important for pay to be commensurate with value, many who've reached the top of their game just want to work with interesting people and keep learning and contributing to the industry to which they’ve dedicated their careers.
Is it then about AI, which is generally agreed to have completely broken the hiring process?
Or is it something more sinister to do with attitudes towards older generations? In many cultures (e.g Italy and China, where I have family and therefore some knowledge), older people are viewed with great respect and deference. They are sought after for their knowledge and ideas.
I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that in a world where two highly prominent global C-suite reports were released only this week explicitly framing geopolitics as either the top risk or the "multiplier" of all business risks, ageism poses a dangerous threat in itself.
Here's what AI says I’ll look like in 20 years (I'm 50)! Admittedly, I need better suncream, but I’ve never let this industry burn me out, and I don’t intend to let it age me out either.
Now, what can we do about this?
"Ageism in the recruitment process, often described as “soul-destroying”, has a negative impact on older workers’ job prospects, their wellbeing and their financial situation". Centre for Ageing Better
Some people can't get a foot in the door because systemic problems, youth-centric cultural biases, coded job descriptions and automated AI screening tools block their path.
Even if you get an interview, you may be considered too experienced or too expensive.
You can try going down a few levels, but the whole recruitment process and how you should position yourself are so different.
How do you maintain your confidence in these situations?
And this isn't a new issue!
Drapers regularly surveys and reports on hidden biases and the impact of ageism in the fashion industry.
The Financial Times published an article in 2018, "Ageism in the workplace ‘starts at 40’ for women", which included a comment from Lynda Gratton, co-author of The 100 Year Life: Living and Work in an Age of Longevity, that ageism in the workplace began at 40 for women and 45 for men.
The Times has just published 'I was a high-flyer. Now, I'm broke and unemployed', sharing the story of a former fashion editor, Stacey Duguid, who bravely shared her situation.
We can call it out publicly, but behind the scenes it's personal!
Many of my 50-something clients, men and women alike, share age-related concerns about job hunting in our private conversations.
Is it time we had an open conversation about ageism, the silent taboo?
Ageing is inevitable; ageism shouldn't be too.