Is age really just a number?

There is unquestionable evidence of age bias against women preventing them from promotion, according to a new Government report. Dr Ros Altmann published the results of his research, as the Business Champion for Older workers, in the beginning of March 2015. Explanation of the above phenomenon has not been found yet. Lamees Al-Haidari, senior Recruitment Consultant at Elite International joins our research for the real reason that keeps this age barrier going, for so long.

 

Lamees has been working as a recruiter since 2013. Still, it is not completely clear to her either, what is driving this age barrier, which strikes women at the ridiculously young age of around 45.

In terms of female employability, sometimes companies will tell her, off the record, if whether they are looking for a male or a female candidate, for each particular position. Usually, if a position requires more travelling, they will be seeking a male rather than a female, because males are believed to be more flexible with mobility. In the sector of finance, and specifically corporate finance, again male professionals are preferred.

“Especially women of young age should try to understand why they have been rejected for a position they applied to. They should always investigate the reasons, in order to get better results next time”, she advises.

Female workers, on the other side, are more favored when it comes to the human resources field. Also, they would easily be hired as part of the administration staff of any company.

“When you declare single, the company knows you will be devoted more to your work. But when you are almost 30, you are in a phase where you have to rush to marriage or you want to have kids”, she predicts. For Lamees, it’s not only the age, but also the relationship status of woman that makes her more or less likely to be hired. Companies tend to informally look for males only, when they want to fill in a position that requires a longer commitment.

 

If you’re into finance, you shouldn’t be disappointed just yet. Lamees explained to us the process of a new “talent program”, embraced lately by more and more companies. In these programs, female population seems to have an advantage.

But hold on girls, I’m not done with the good news yet: the female candidates participating in these programs are usually recruited fresh out of their universities! Thereafter, the companies aim to develop them so they can be the future leaders.

Remember: “good things come to those who wait”. So take a seat and wait, because these programs will take some time. The process differs from one organization to another, but focusing on the banking sector, there is usually a rigorous recruitment selection process that will take up to three months. “They usually choose people from the top universities first, they wouldn’t tolerate ranking University unless few exceptions, in case of female candidates”, she warns us. Make sure you apply as soon as you can, to avoid huge periods of idleness.

By Yorva Tsiakara