Application form age required

[Loveforthe80s]

I have found a job I would really like to apply for. However on the application form it asks for my age range. As I am in my late 50s I am wary that I may be discrimined against. There is an option to choose 'would prefer not to say' would it raise a red flag for employers if I choose that option.

If you're going to be discriminated against they could just as easily do that at interview (I am not condoning this, just saying that if they don't want older people for the role, they don't get past first round interview).

It's hard to avoid. I had the same problem, even if you don't put your age on they ask for education history.

Yes it so difficult. I wish it was a CV application 😕. I just wondered if it would get employers backs up if I put would prefer not to say

I bet it’s an old form and they don’t even realise they’re asking.

Even on a CV, though, you've presumably got dates for your first jobs, and education? So it's easy to work out a general age - and if you google someone's name, you can usually find a photo on LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram that will give you an idea of how old they look.

I don't think you'll get their back up. They shouldn't care, but if they do, it's probably not going to be the job for you anyway.

Best of luck!

Is it an online application or a form form?
Our online application does ask for those details (DOB etc) but we don't see them as the recruiters. It's filtered off the application that comes to us and we can only see the sections needed to determine whether they are qualified for the role.

Its an online application form ( not the usual seperate monitoring form)I've just notice it asks for school dates as well so I guess there is no way around it.

As a recruiting manager, I only get to see qualifications , experience and your answer to any competency we ask. That's all I need to assess whether to interview you

I get names the day before the interview.

I only get personal details after you start your new job.

Thats is good news. Thank you for your reply.

I think it's dates of education that give it away. An older person may not go as far back as their first job on their CV. I always have done, but read recently that going back 10 years is enough.

Yeah, we do look at school dates. We tend to ask for fully checkable work history so if someone left FT education in 1990 and their first job listed was 2000 we would fail their application.

But as said, we would not discriminate on age at all. We have recently employed people over aged 60.

I really hope this company is the same for you :)

'...we would not discriminate on age at all. We have recently employed people over aged 60...'

This phrasing worries me as it highlights how unusual hiring people over the age of 60 may seem.

This is 7 years (or so) below retirement age where the over 60's still have to pay the bills...

It concerns me how what will happen if I lose my job (office based) at this age as I don't think the chances of getting a permanent decent job are very high.

Having said all this, I don't know what this answer is...

its probably for their data and monitoring purposes. I try and look for the positives in these situations