Are your job ads ageist?

One of the UK’s largest insurance companies recently made headlines for banning words like “energetic” and “enthusiastic” from their job adverts to avoid putting off older applicants. This has caused a flurry of reignited interest around the topic of ageism within job listings. 

As with any promotional activity, the key is understanding your target audience and how best to communicate with them. And with over a third of the UK workforce now over the age of 50, it is vital that their needs and desires are considered in all parts of the hiring process. 

A recent article has suggested that some recruiters are purposely trying to slip words into their job listings to discourage older people from applying. This is an example of an intentionally ageist agenda, but what if your job advert is inadvertently using words that appeal to a certain age group? And what can hiring managers to do avoid this?  

The power of language 

A recent report surveyed the language used in job listings and found that although it did not markedly affect an older candidates’ likelihood to apply, certain words impacted how successful older candidates thought their application would be.  

The older age groups identified several phrases relating to young age-stereotypes as off-putting. Terms such as ‘adaptable’ and ‘technologically savvy’ were associated with a lower perceived likelihood of getting an interview and offer. ‘Innovative’ also negatively impacted whether older jobseekers felt like they would ‘fit’ within the recruiting organisation.  

The report also found that younger-age stereotypical words appear more often in job advertisements than older-age stereotypical words. For example, the word ‘knowledgeable’ which has a strong appeal to older workers, is used much less than ‘innovative’ or ‘dynamic’. 

What was revealed however, is that using language that appeals more broadly to older candidates, does not seem to deter younger applicants from applying, although it did sometimes affect perceptions of their success.  

So, what can employers do?  

As with most recruitment challenges, there is no universal solution. The most important thing is to ensure that you are carefully considering the language that you use, and to get a second or third opinion from others in your organisation who might be able to supply differing perspectives.  

That being said, research has highlighted some specific wording to consider: 

• Including words such as ‘dependable‘ and ‘knowledgeable’ will likely increase how older applicants think they will fit in.  
• Replacing age-stereotypical words such as ‘technologically savvy’, with specific skills, such as ‘programming skills’. 
• Including a diversity statement in job advertisements emphasising age-inclusivity. 

Job adverts should primarily focus on the skills required for the role, rather than personality traits. Words such as ‘enthusiastic’, ‘energetic’ or ‘high-energy’ should arguably be something deduced from a candidate’s attitude in an interview rather than the job specification. This might mean tweaking certain words such as the often-used ‘innovative’; with specific competencies such as ‘problem-solving’. 

Advertising for ‘digital natives’ for example, explicitly leaves people out just because of the time period in which they were born, whereas you could just as easily ask for specific digital skills instead, such as ‘proficient with photoshop’.  

Is changing the wording enough? 

Alternating the language used in job adverts can only go so far however, and employers must understand it as one small aspect of the broader need to consider how and where ageism operates throughout the recruitment process.  

Adapting employee incentives to benefit the entire workforce is one way to do this. Saga announced in December that it is giving employees paid leave when their grandchild is born. Others, including the fashion retailer ASOS, have started offering paid leave to staff going through menopause. 

Ultimately an awareness of the challenges faced by job seekers will go far in ensuring fair recruitment. As highlighted by the Centre for Ageing Better, applying for a new job when you’re younger feels like an opportunity, whereas applying for a job when you’re older can feel like a risk.

Inclusive and diverse recruitment = business growth 

What's more, tackling ageism and diversifying your hiring process is a win-win for all parties. Any form of exclusion removes valuable members of the workforce and will ultimately impact the growth of businesses. A report estimates that workers aged 65 and older are likely to be responsible for more than half of all UK employment growth over the next 10 years, and almost two-thirds of employment growth by 2060.

Anything that can be done to support inclusion and diversity in the workforce will only ensure that you are attracting the very best talent.

Robertson Bell places financial experts into meaningful roles in the charity and third sectors. For advice and support on hiring the best talent for your organisation, please get in touch with one of our experts.