How Ageism in Hiring Hurts Older Workers: Can Mandatory Feedback Fix the Bias?

More than 50% of recruiters confessed to believing that 57 is too old for a job

Ageism – the ‘ism’ that we all face. In hiring it’s worse than we think. More than 50% of recruiters confessed to believing that 57 is too old for a job.*

(OMG! Can mandatory feedback help solve the problem?)

And the scary part? Ageism starts at 40.

Older job seekers are resorting to desperate measures to avoid it, submitting age-blind resumes—removing anything that could give away their age like career history and education.

But the bias still lingers.

Worse still, take away the last 10 to 15 years of their work life and you are sentencing many to poverty in retirement.

Working in the talent industry for over 25 years, I’ve heard the same tired excuses:

“They’re overqualified for the role.”

“They’ll have difficulty reporting to a younger manager.”

“They’re too expensive.”

“They won’t fit into the culture.”

“They’re just looking for a job until retirement.”

And the list goes on...

We’re better than this, right?

So, here’s an idea: Can mandatory feedback help eliminate ageism?

Openness and transparency might be the key to solving this.

Take the case of Nick Screnci PMP® MBA, a coaching client of #CareerAGILITY, who applied for a Project Manager position at a Big 4 bank— a place he had worked before. He tailored his resume perfectly and ticked all the right boxes.

Yet within three hours, he was rejected without feedback.

What's even more alarming is that the application system required him to enter his date of birth.

No feedback. No clarity. Just a standard, impersonal rejection email.

Without feedback, candidates like Nick are left wondering whether their rejection was based on age rather than ability.

That’s why mandatory, honest feedback is so important in the hiring process.

It’s not just about fairness—it’s about accountability for recruiters and employers.

And with the exponential advancements in generative AI, providing meaningful feedback should no longer be a burden.

Let’s make feedback the norm, not the exception. Recruiters and employers must stop ghosting candidates and be open and accountable.

Are you with me?

Shout out to Nick Screnci PMP® MBA, Michelle Morgan and Jane Evans for inspiring this post.

*Source: The Times, https://shorturl.at/L9dSv