Stop Hiding Your Age: The Job Market Needs to Grow Up

In recent weeks, two of my coaching clients told me they had deliberately “dumbed down” their CVs when applying for jobs. Both felt their age and depth of experience were disadvantages in the recruitment process, so they trimmed them back to “level the playing field.”

This should trouble us. In 2025, why are we still in a world where experience is seen as a handicap?

The data backs up their instincts:

• Only 6% of those working in UK advertising are over 50 (IPA), even though a quarter of the population is now in this age group.

• At Google, just 7% of employees are over 40 (Zipia).

Ageism is particularly rife in sectors like tech and marketing, where the assumption persists that “new” automatically means “better.” But the reality is different. Older workers bring not only expertise but also reliability, adaptability, and strong work ethics. With the right training, they are every bit as capable with technology as their younger peers.

The answer is not to hide our age but to reframe its value. Employers must widen their lens. Big corporates may cling to outdated recruitment filters, but smaller and more agile organisations are often more open to the contribution of experienced professionals.

And for individuals, the model of a single full-time role may no longer be the only answer. A portfolio career—blending part-time work, consulting, and even voluntary contributions—can be both financially sustainable and deeply fulfilling.

Crucially, this isn’t just about fairness. Improving employment among the over-50s brings significant economic value to the UK through higher productivity, greater consumer spending power, and increased tax revenues. In an ageing society, we can’t afford to let experience go to waste.

It’s time to stop treating age as a liability. The workforce is ageing, and the sooner businesses harness this reality, the stronger they’ll be.