5 Ways to Beat Age Discrimination in Hiring

By Arnie Fertig

"We need someone with a higher energy level," is one coded way of an employer saying: "I won't hire you because you are too old." There are many more excuses out there, and after hearing them over and over, talented older workers often give up looking in frustration.

Put simply, age is a weakness for job hunters in today's American economy. The over 50-year-old "senior worker" is often victimized by age discrimination, which he or she feels helpless to combat. This is the case despite the fact that age discrimination in hiring is illegal, and often self-defeating as a strategy for effective business workforce development.

Ever the advocate for American seniors, AARP recently commissioned Aon Hewitt to prepare a detailed study: "The Business Case for Workers Age 50+: A Look at the Value of Experience."