Some job search sites might be giving one group the upper hand over you #ageism

Equal opportunity … nope

If you think that everyone has the same chance of hearing from potential employees on job sites, think again.

Recent claims of ageism have been made against many major online job sites, which make it harder for older job seekers to join the workforce.

The run down

Over the past few years, Attorney General Lisa Madigan of Illinois has been researching the practices of job sites and she’s come to a conclusion:

Certain sites put older workers at a disadvantage through their resume and profile restrictions.

Madigan alleges many popular sites like CareerBuilder, Monster, Beyond, Ladders and Vault as being guilty of these practices.

How does it work?

It may not be apparent for everyone, but most of these sites have restrictions when it comes to what year workers’ education and experience begin.

For example, some sites make 1980 the earliest start date for entering in education.

Most others have cut off ranges between 1950 and 1970. Older workers, who do not fall into these ranges, lose out on the opportunity to fill out an online application. This prevents them from reaching potential employers.

Career builder, more like career killer

Though a spokesperson at CareerBuilder said that this feature was simply “an oversight,” nothing has been done to correct it. Furthermore, research conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank states that workers over age 49 are 30% less likely to hear back from potential employers than people under age 31.

This is not good news for the aging American workforce.

In the next 10 years, workers over the age of 55 are expected to make up 25% of it. However, who knows if this statistic will remain true if those same workers do not have the chance to find jobs.

Do your due dilligence

Before filling out an online profile on a job seeking site, make sure to research any possible restrictions. Some may choose to contact the employer directly.

Be aware of the sites that have been accused of age discrimination.Click To Tweet
If possible, use alternative sites or research those that cater to your age level.

#AgeIsJustANumber