JOBSEEKERS aged 50 and older are being written off by recruiters and automatically filtered out by employers due to a “quiet bias”, experts have warned.
Much of the debate around today’s labour market has centred on Gen Z struggling to find work, but many experts argue that another group is being quietly overlooked.
Despite decades of experience and many years still left in their careers, applicants over 50-years-old say they are increasingly being filtered out before they even reach the interview stage.
Critics say outdated stereotypes continue to shape recruitment decisions, with some employers assuming older workers are less adaptable, less technologically capable or more expensive to hire.
Yet experts argue the opposite is true, pointing to the communication skills, emotional intelligence, reliability and commercial judgement that often come from years of workplace experience.
They also argue that while younger workers may bring strong digital skills, older employees frequently offer greater stability and lower long-term recruitment costs.
Jobseekers who are 50 and older are being written off
Renford Marsden, author of A 50+ Jobseeker Footprint, said older candidates are automatically filtered out.
He added: “In my experience, jobseekers who are aged 50 and above are being written off.
“The 50 plus are often denied even an interview because of HR filtering systems used to separate the wheat from the chaff, when sifting through applications.
“It has crippled the recruiting system, and is resulting in the loss of valuable people that are employable, willing to work and who are not shy of work.
“Because of their life skills and experience, older people can expediently find solutions and execute them with confidence, and most importantly they are trusted pairs of hands in relation to their proven abilities.”
Dawn Maria France, Editor-in-Chief at Yorkshire Women’s Life Magazine, said older workers can “foster a vibrant and dynamic work environment”.
She added: “The idea that older workers struggle to keep up is slowly disappearing. Many seasoned professionals actually bring a wealth of experience and a great ability to adapt. Their strong communication skills can really enhance teamwork and collaboration. There are plenty of success stories of older individuals who have embraced new technologies, showing that they can definitely keep pace.
“On the other hand, while Gen Z job seekers are digital natives, they sometimes find traditional communication methods more challenging — something older workers often excel at, such as reading emotion cues in phone or face-to-face communication rather than text.
“Hiring candidates aged 50 and up can create a wonderful blend of deep industry knowledge and valuable interpersonal skills, adding to workplace diversity. Unfortunately, age biases can still lead to some truly talented individuals being overlooked. When we embrace all age groups, we foster a vibrant and dynamic work environment.”
They are filtered out before a person sees them
Harvey Dhillon, Founder & CEO at Zmartly, said older people are viewed as “overqualified”.
He added: “They are filtered out before a person sees them: software ranks the CV down, the advert asks for a ‘digital native’, and ‘overqualified’ finishes it. No reason comes back, so they assume it is their age and stop applying. That is being written off.
“The stereotype is that they cannot learn, yet most over-50s have re-skilled several times already; the steadiest hires I have made were in their fifties, people a CV filter skips. So I do not see a better or worse generation, only different strengths, and treating it as a contest is the mistake.
“Over-50s bring judgment and will pick up the phone and settle something, where many younger hires would rather message, Gen Z bring digital fluency and newer tools. The fix is simple: strip the coded language from the advert, screen the shortlist blind to age, and put both on the same problem. People over 50 are not unemployable, they are unseen. Hire the person, not the birth year.”
Paul Denley, CEO at London-based Oakham Wealth Management, said candidates over 50 are often overlooked as they command higher salaries.
He added: “There’s a risk some employers overlook candidates over 50 based on outdated assumptions about adaptability. That stereotype is often misplaced. Many bring stronger judgement, communication skills and resilience than younger applicants. The business case is also often misunderstood.
“Graduates are typically cheaper to hire, but losing them after two or three years, once they’re qualified, can be an expensive cycle. Candidates over 50 may command higher salaries, but they can also offer greater stability, shorter learning curves and lower recruitment costs over time.
“Hays research found that 81% of professionals over 50 who felt disadvantaged in the hiring process cited age as the main reason. If age is indeed influencing hiring decisions, that’s not only likely to be unlawful, but also commercially short-sighted. The best hiring decisions should be based on capability, experience and cultural fit, not assumptions about someone’s date of birth.”
Many bring stronger judgement and communication skills than younger applicants
David Stirling, Independent Financial Adviser at Belfast-based Mint Wealth, said an ability to answer a phone is a big plus for older workers.
He added: “The jobs market has a quiet bias nobody talks about. If you are over 50, you are apparently one step away from the corporate knacker’s yard. Workers in this age group can hold a conversation, read a room and, revolutionary concept, actually answer the phone.
“While some Gen Z candidates are reportedly anxious about making calls, their 55 year old counterparts are closing deals on them. Experience, emotional intelligence and a functioning relationship with voicemail ought to count for something. Writing off a decade or more of productive working life is not just discriminatory, it is spectacularly bad business.”
Scott Gallacher, Director at Leicester-based Rowley Turton, said some of his best hires have been more experienced workers.
He added: “Writing off jobseekers over 50 is not only potentially unlawful, it’s also bad business. Early in my career, I was conscious that managing people with far more experience than me could feel daunting. But that was a management challenge for me to grow into, not a reason to overlook good candidates.
“The reality has been the complete opposite. Some of our best hires have been experienced professionals who brought judgement, resilience and communication skills that only come from years in the workplace. Experience isn’t a substitute for talent, but nor should it be seen as a disadvantage. The best employers recruit the right person for the job, regardless of age.”
It shouldn’t be framed as one generation versus another
Graham Nicoll, Financial Planner, Chartered FCSI at NCL Wealth Partners, said skills and potential should be looked at rather than age.
He added: “Many over-50s are still overlooked despite bringing experience, resilience and strong interpersonal skills. Stereotypes that they cannot adapt or learn new technology are often unfounded. Many employers value their reliability, judgement and customer-facing communication, while younger recruits may bring different strengths such as digital fluency.
“It shouldn’t be framed as one generation versus another. We also see many clients in their 50s choosing to ‘go plural’, combining portfolio careers, consulting and non-executive roles, while others seek more social, people-focused work after 60.
“The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise, before it closed, demonstrated the demand for helping older people start businesses following redundancy or a career change. With people working longer, employers and policymakers should focus on skills and potential, not age.”
Photo by Ernie A. Stephens on Unsplash.
