Employment discrimination can prevent people from achieving the success they deserve. It does not matter whether the discrimination is intentional or unintentional. It can still limit a person’s opportunities.
One area that has come under scrutiny in recent years is job postings. People have recognized that many of the phrases and terms employers used were discriminatory against some people. Despite improvements in this area, some of the postings employers write are still inappropriate.
Ageist wording
Ageism is the area where it is easiest to encounter phrases that could make someone feel they are not welcome in a particular company. Language that excludes someone based on their race or gender stands out more and is likely to be called out and removed immediately than ageist language.
Digital technology is one area where age discrimination commonly occurs. A problematic phrase some employers use is “digital native” – a term applied to those who grew up with technology. Pre-millennials are unlikely to feel included.
Mentioning specific technology could also make people of a certain age feel excluded. An example would be saying applicants must have a good working knowledge of TikTok. Someone in their 40s or older may be more used to using Instagram and Facebook. If they see the posting, they might not bother applying, believing that the company would consider them too old.
Even just describing some of the perks and atmosphere of the company could convince people they are too old to apply. Most people over a certain age are not going to be tempted by the promise of “weekly beer pong and beanbags” as a company perk.
It can be hard enough to progress in the workforce without being hampered by an employer’s discriminatory attitudes. Learning how to call out discriminatory postings can help you get a fair chance to compete on your merits.