If you are like most of my clients, you are at the mid-point of your career and ready for a change.  If you are also like many of my clients, thoughts about your age have snuck into your brain.

You wake up in the middle of the night thinking…

…will employers worry I am too old to fit in?

…will they think I’m outdated and want someone who is younger and fresher?

…will someone younger snag the opportunities I want?

…will someone with less experience and a lower salary requirement beat me out?

And the worrying goes on and on until you realize you haven’t slept well in weeks or even months because you can’t stop thinking about this issue known as “ageism”.

Let me ease your mind and share with you 5 myths of ageism and the realities behind them.

Myth #1: Employers are hiring younger workers to save money.

Reality: It is actually often much less expensive to hire a more experienced employee because they already come with a wealth of knowledge and need less training…therefore, they can be up to speed much faster.

Myth #2:  Employers don’t hire older workers because they cost too much in lost time and health care costs.

Reality: Employers are hiring younger workers to save money.er workers are actually found to have lower incidences of injury at the workplace that can result in lost time at work than their younger counterparts.  Further, while older workers tend to take more time off for long-term health issues, they are less likely to need time off to short-term illnesses.  Further, younger workers often are in their child-rearing years and with children at home means that they are often more expensive to employers in terms of time lost and health care costs.

Myth #3: You didn’t get the job because of “ageism”.

Reality: There are a million reasons you didn’t get the job.  Maybe the job went to the boss’ daughter and the job posting was only a formality.  Maybe you didn’t get the job because the company went on a hiring freeze.  Maybe you didn’t get the job because a more qualified candidate came along. Often you will never know the real reason you didn’t get the job so I encourage you to not just assume it was due to your age.

Myth #4: “Ageism” has to do with your actual age.

Reality: If you think you are being discriminated against due to your age it’s important to take a look at a few other factors that might be going on.  Do you think employers might be concerned about your adaptability to a new product/environment/company?  Do you think they are concerned you are set in your ways and won’t be open to feedback and being managed?  Do you think they are concerned you aren’t up to date on the latest industry trends or technology?  Do they are worried you will be overqualified, bored and leave?  These are often the underlying reasons an employer will not hire a more experienced candidate so be sure to ask yourself these questions if you suspect “ageism” might be at play.

Myth #5: Older workers are less valued.

Reality: Many employers seek out older workers because they recognize the value that they have to offer.  It’s important for job seekers to research companies and find ones that value the ideas, insights and experience the older workforce has to offer.

So, even though “ageism” might not be the reason you aren’t landing jobs it is still extremely important to do everything you can to communicated to an employer why you, your age and your experience is a valuable asset to them.

Check out my next blog post, where I’ll be continuing this conversation by sharing what you can do to combat “ageism” and make sure that your age isn’t what keeps you from landing your next great opportunity!

In the meantime, I want to encourage you to to think about how you view your age and experience as a valuable asset.