Sure, your boss is impressed that you can reach a different demographic through social media and is amazed that you can use “the twitter,” but unfortunately he or she still says things in front of staff and clients like “Wow, my children are older than you!” or “Oh come on, you’re just a baby!”
Why don’t we feel flattered when we hear comments like this? Because we aren’t being taken seriously as a professional.
Many young professionals suffer from ageism, or discrimination based upon a person’s age. The term ageism is usually applied to discrimination against older individuals, but in fact, studies have shown that it is young people who suffer the most from age discrimination. A poll by Royal & SunAlliance found that 14% of young people under 25 years old felt discriminated against in the workplace because of their age, compared to only 12% of people over the age of 45.
While no one wants to be Benjamin Button, many do want to get ahead in their jobs—causing a dilemma. So what can be done? Here is some advice:
- Dress professionally all of the time, and don’t dress too trendy in the office.
- Don’t stress about your age, but do act maturely.
- When someone makes a comment about your age, simply reply: “Yeah, I get that a lot”—then move on to business.
- If you’re age systematically holds you back from promotions at a company that values age and experience over ability, look for another job.
- Perhaps most importantly, ignore the fact that you’re young, and do good work. It is you that has to believe you are capable before anyone else.
