Managing Age Discrimination: An Examination of the Techniques Used When Seeking Employment

Purpose: This article examines the age-related management techniques used by older workers in their search for employment. Design and Methods: Data are drawn from interviews with individuals aged 45–65 years (N = 30). Results: Findings indicate that participants develop “counteractions” and “concealments” to manage perceived age discrimination. Individuals counteract employers’ ageist stereotypes by maintaining their skills and changing their work-related expectations and conceal age by altering their résumés, physical appearance, and language used. Implications: This research suggests that there is a need to reexamine the hiring practices of employers and to improve legislation in relation to their accountability.