Does Age Matter When Looking for Jobs? Most Boomers Say Yes

Many older adults are worried that age discrimination will hurt their chances of getting hired, according to a new survey, from the American Staffing Association (ASA).

More than 3 out of 4 boomers — 78 percent — said they thought their age would be a contributing factor when being considered for a new position, according to the ASA Workforce Monitor survey. The ASA is a membership organization for agencies that help businesses with recruiting and hiring workers.

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Boomers, who range in age from 60 to 78, show significantly greater concern about bias than do younger generations such as Gen X (51 percent) and millennials (39 percent). After boomers, the age group most worried about age bias is Gen Z, who range from 18 to 27 years old. Among that group, 55 percent of respondents said their age would be a factor when being looked at for a new job.

The online survey of 2,094 people ages 18 and older was conducted from Jan. 5–9, 2024, by the Harris Poll. The survey reinforces concerns that age bias limits jobs opportunities for older adults despite federal, state and local laws protecting people age 40 and older from discrimination in employment.

“Discrimination based on age is illegal and cannot be tolerated, but rooting out persistent and growing ageism requires much more than stepped-up legal enforcement,” says Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer at ASA. 

“Policymakers and HR leaders need to work together to correct and overcome the misconceptions, stereotypes and biases — conscious and unconscious — of the past,” he says. “Mature workers have the knowledge as well as the workplace skills accumulated over a lifetime that America needs today and will need even more in the future.” 

Age discrimination in hiring also can cause older workers to stick with the jobs they have rather than pursue new opportunities that could lead to more money or career growth. In the ASA survey, only 24 percent of boomers said they planned to look for a new job this year. Other generations were much more likely to be on the hunt, with 69 percent of Gen Z, 50 percent of millennials and 37 percent of Gen X eyeing a job switch.

Tips to beat age discrimination in your job search

While age discrimination can hurt the job and career prospects of older adults, there are steps they can take to improve their chances of landing a new position. Wahlquist offers the following tips to older job seekers: