Does age discrimination exist within the recruitment process?

Yes, very much so! Both for the 55+ age group and the millennials of today.

The 25+ year old is many times considered lacking experience and to low level for many customers.

The 55+ year old is often labeled too experienced and high level, with an expensive pension to top it off. Basically, too expensive package!

This results in many companies preferring to recruit a candidate who, as we say in Sweden, “lagom”. This means the most ‘ok’ candidate. A person fitting between experience and salary, someone between 35-45 years old. But this may not have been the best candidate for the position. 

Year 2018 Sweden had approximately 1.5 million people in the age group (40-50) and then looking at candidates with the right competence and skills for the job, the target group is narrowed down to almost nothing in the end. This is, unfortunately, a fairly common situation in headhunting and why a lot of us discuss age as a problem within the processes of recruiting people in Sweden.

In general, Sweden is to focused more on age compared to other countries and cultures.

CIP’s focus is on finding the right candidate vs business strategy and overall goals.

CIP recruits the 55+ as well as the 25+ age group, depending on role and customer. Both age groups are discriminated, but in different ways.

A 25 year old Programmer and Java Developer can be more skilled with higher competence and experience than a 55+ person with longer life experience, but less digital experience in time and skills. Depending if you are hiring a CEO or a Programmer/e-Com manager? Experience is no longer just life experience, but also competence-based experience.

Isabelle

Stockholm 2019-10-25

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