Too young? Age quickly for next interview

Late this summer, after writing a column that included advice for older job seekers, I received a letter from a man who fears he is experiencing discrimination from the other end of the spectrum — because of his youth, rather than his advanced years. Following is an excerpt from his letter.

“I am an Atlanta native and was searching the AJC classifieds on Sunday and came across your ‘Overqualified’ article. I was intrigued by your theories and wanted to let you know that I am dealing with age discrimination of a different kind. I am 30 years old, but I don’t look a day over 23. I have almost 8 years of professional experience and a fairly substantial portfolio. I lost my job a while back, and have had close to 20 unsuccessful job interviews since. … I would be grateful for any advice you may have to offer. Thank you for your time.”

This letter strikes a chord for me, in the “been there, done that” vein. I too got an early start on my career and encountered reactions that ranged from dismissive to downright patronizing.

AMY LINDGREN

WORKING STRATEGIES

Irritation aside, I can see now what I couldn’t see then: The view from the other side of the desk. For others seeking to add gravitas to their job search presence, here is some advice I wish I had had earlier.

» Age your wardrobe. It’s a sacrifice, but the best way to seem older is to dress older. Don’t go frumpy, but do veer to the conservative in your fabrics and styles.

» Age your face. Of course the studs have to go — you knew that already. The next step should be a visit to a stylist or cosmetology counter, to get advice from someone neutral. Growing a mustache, changing your makeup, choosing new eyeglasses, redoing your hairstyle — you’d be surprised how much older you can look if you really try.

» Age your speech. Sounding young is probably the biggest setback in this campaign. You need to eliminate all the “ums” and “ers” that signal low confidence, as well as nervous laughs and speech patterns that end sentences in a question mark.

» Show your leadership. One way to do this is to join the board of a nonprofit organization. Another option is to join a service group, such as the Rotary. Joining isn’t the key, however; participating is.

» Start hitting the issue head-on in interviews. For example, “Something I wanted to touch on, that I know you can’t bring up, is the issue of age. I know that I look very young, and in your shoes, I might have questions about my ability to gain credibility with your clients. That’s why I brought some work samples and letters from past clients, to give you an idea of how I build successful client relationships.”

One other idea is to solicit the help of a mentor in your field who can make some calls on your behalf and lend a hand with the networking. You risk looking like someone’s protégé, but that may be a small price in humility in exchange for the help.

- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecaree rservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.