Middle Age Job Seeker

by Brenda
(Chicago, Illinois)

I am 57 years old and am interested in applying for a job at a company that has a predominantly "young" work force.

I am in great physical shape and look much younger than my 57 years. Am I obligated to disclose my age at a job interview?

Brenda,

Congratulations on your job interview. 
The quick answer to your question is “No”.  An interviewer should not ask you about your age, race, religion, sexual preference, ethic background or marital status.  Therefore,  you are under no obligation to disclose any of this information.

However, if you refuse outright, you may come off as “defensive” or “aggressive”. This may ultimately lose you the job.
If you are asked this question, the best approaches are:

1- Try to determine the intent of the question: is the interviewer simply asking because you have so much experience? There may not be an intent to discriminate, but rather an “awkward question” from an inexperienced interviewer.  In this example, the intent would be to clarify your vast experience.  A good answer would be: “ My 20 years in this field has allowed me to gain a great amount of experience and success”

2-Deflect the question : Change the subject or deflect the question.  A good way would be “ Age is only a number, what I bring is years of experience and  a vast amount of knowledge”.
I suggest you also look through your resume and remove any age “giveaways” or “signs”.  Only include the last 15-20 years of work experience.  When including education, just write your the name of your degree and school- no need to indicate the graduation year.

Finally, remember that in this economy many companies are looking to fill their workforce with experienced employees.

Good Luck finding your perfect job