Gen-X Vs. Boomers - Who Has the Edge in Today's Job Market?

They say that getting a job becomes tougher as you age. This has been proven by a recent study. Hiring managers think that mid-career job seekers have weaker skills as compared to the younger candidates despite the fact that the former outperformed the latter.



A non-profit organization called Generation conducted the study and found that "the most overlooked employee bracket" are Gen-Xers. For those of you who are unaware, people who were born in the mid-1960s to early-1980s or are older than that belong to this category. The study was done in many different nations, including the US, the UK, India, Singapore, Italy, Brazil, Spain, etc., and the results were almost the same.

The study found that 63 percent of the job seekers who were older than 45 have been unemployed for over a year. In contrast, just one in three workers between the ages of 18 to 24 were in the same boat. The mid-career workers who self-identified as an "underrepresented community" in their country also shared that they felt they had to face a tougher hiring process.

The people in this group stated that they had to engage in 53 percent more interviews to land a job offer. Only 31 percent of younger peers felt the same.



The survey was conducted from March to May 2021 and recorded 3,800 responses from unemployed participants and 1,400 from hiring managers.

Researchers also noted that people aged 45 and older had been unemployed for the long term also. They noted that since 2015, 40 to 70 percent of people in this age group were constantly among those who were unemployed. These people belonged to Spain, Singapore, the United States, and Canada.

The study also unveiled that hiring managers often showed a strong bias against job seekers and believed that "younger candidates are more application-ready, have more relevant experience, and are a better fit with company culture." The hiring managers also thought that mid-career and older workers were reluctant to learn new skills.

About 74 percent of the people who switched careers in mid-life opined that training was essential for them in landing a job. The study revealed that around six to 10 employees who were older than 45 weren't excited about training. It was also highlighted that 71 percent of people who were reluctant to train were making just enough income to meet the daily needs, or not even that much in many cases.



To help in addressing the trends that were highlighted in the study, the authors said that the national governments need to release statistics unemployment figures with narrower age brackets. They also called in policymakers to offer more stipends for employees who were aged 45 or older so that they could get new training.

Here are some myths and truths about job searching after age 40

If you are looking for a job in Canada, you can check out the list of 12 best job search websites in Canada for 2021 over here.  


by Shruti , CNS Canadian News Source


Source:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/it-s-harder-for-gen-x-people-aged-45-and-older-to-land-jobs-new-study-finds-1.5526586


Previous Post Next Post