Displaying items by tag: experience

I’ve recently come across a few articles about age discrimination in the workplace.  They focused on either older workers (specifically 50 or older) or on younger workers (e.g. high schoolers).  But there is another group that often faces discrimination that is not often addressed: recent graduates entering the work world.

I know that may sound strange – people graduate college and go to work, at least that is the goal for many college students.  Yet, in many environments these new employees may not be taken seriously.  Fresh out of school, these workers are often assumed to not have the experience to make decisions or contribute effectively when other employees have more years of experience.  Yet, that is exactly why recent graduates should be and are hired – excitement, energy, fresh thoughts.

One day this week I was in a meeting and was told that I looked like I should be in high school.  To be fair, I haven’t heard that for a long time until this week.  But does age affect our ability to be effective in our roles?  What can be done to change that perception if it is the case?

We often hear about age discrimination being an issue for older workers – but what about the other end of the spectrum?  I don’t have the answer.  Just food for thought.