Conversation Starter: Ageism concerns on the rise
Katherine Engelman
Data Scientist | Sep 2, 2025
With mass layoffs and the job market slowing down, finding a job is difficult right now. However, some users on Glassdoor believe that their troubles are being exacerbated by a problem as old as time: ageism. Mentions of ageism skyrocketed in Q1 of 2025 with a 133% increase year-over-year. While they have since dipped slightly last quarter, mentions are still 20% higher than last year’s peak in Q3 of 2024.
While people in industries like marketing and big tech are more sensitive to age-related discrimination, many users over 50 are struggling, stating that they are unable to even land an interview. And for those who do, they are unfamiliar with current interview techniques as it may have been over a decade since their last interview. While these users acknowledge that they are in the last leg of their career, many are not yet ready for an early retirement. Commenters are supportive, ranging from providing a sympathetic ear to providing strategies on how to combat this prejudice.
Strategy #1: Don’t list your entire work history
It may be tempting to list all of your work history to show off all that you have accomplished in your career. However, as the saying goes, experience comes with age. The general rule of thumb is to list only the last 10 years of work history, as that is most likely the most relevant to the jobs you are currently applying to. Further, leave off the years of graduation for degrees, as that can be another way for potential employers to approximate your age.
Strategy #2: Explore careers that value experience
Some career paths offer unique advantages for older workers. Teaching, for example, rewards experience — the ability to pass knowledge forward — and often comes with the added protection of strong unions. Similarly, local government jobs also provide a steady paycheck, great benefits especially related to retirement, and a comfortable way to finish off your career. For those considering a pivot, these fields may provide both purpose and practical support.
Strategy #3: Start your own business
Being your own boss is every employee’s dream! Over your lifetime, you’ve accrued a great amount of knowledge, both related to your field of expertise and what makes or breaks a great boss. Seize the opportunity to forge your own path.
Strategy #4: Adopt a growth mindset
Applying for jobs today isn’t easy! The resume conventions of years ago may lead to employers overlooking your application. Additionally, think about if there are any skills on job applications you could brush up on through online learning sources or your community college. Think about how you can strengthen yourself and your resume to be the best representation of who you are.
Methodology: Our analysis is based on posts and comments from users on Glassdoor community. Posts were analyzed by performing a word frequency analysis to track how often “ageism” and “ageist” was discussed between 2022 and 2025 and then compared to the number of mentions during the same time period the previous year with mentions normalized against the total number of posts or comments within the corresponding time period.
Katherine Engelman
Katherine is a data scientist on Glassdoor’s Economic Research team. Her expertise lies in telling clear, approachable, data-driven stories. Previously, Katherine worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York where she analyzed large geospatial flood zone datasets. She has a master’s degree in computer science from The Georgia Institute of Technology and a master's in mathematics from Bryn Mawr College.
Tags:AgeismCareer AdviceHow-To
