Preceived age descrimination in the job search process in later life

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of legislative change to extend working lives and protect against age discrimination on the experiences of older job seekers following a period of economic decline.Design/methodology/approachThe research was informed by two focus groups. The research followed an inductive and iterative approach, interviewing 27 older job seekers to explore the barriers to seeking employment they faced. Themes from these interviews were then used to create a representative case study video to further highlight, share, and educate people on the barriers to employment that older job seekers face, and the strategies they use to overcome them.Findings - Perceived age discrimination, change of identity, motivation and insufficient feedback were identified as significant barriers to finding employment. Social support, coping strategies for identity change and detailed feedback were reported as positive facilitators of the search for work. The findings suggest that older job seekers face significant age related barriers to securing employment, which require age specific support to overcome. A statutory requirement for minimum standards of feedback provided to job applicants may increase transparency, and reduce the prevalence of discrimination in the job application process. Originality/value - This paper adds to the limited literature investigating the psychological impacts of the job search process in light of age related legislative change. With each new protected characteristic there is a lag between change in legislation, and change within employer attitudes and behaviour. This research investigates the impact of legislative change on the identity, morale and strategies of the older job seeker. The case studies from this research may also reach an audience beyond the traditional academic community offering a voice and new audience to the barriers older job seekers face.