Over 50 and Overlooked? How to Fight Ageism in the IT Job Market
- May 6
- 2 min read
“Trevor… I’m over 50. I’ve applied for dozens of jobs and I feel like I’ve been completely overlooked. Should I start colouring the greys out of my hair just to get noticed?”
This came up in this week’s CareerAGILITY Group Job Seeker Coaching Session, and let me tell you, it wasn’t a joke. It was said with vulnerability. With frustration. And with quiet desperation.
And sadly…it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard this story.
We ended up having a raw, real conversation about ageism in recruitment, especially in the IT industry, where youth is often equated with innovation, and experience is unfairly mistaken for obsolescence.
Let’s call it for what it is:
Ageism is a silent discrimination.
It’s rarely loud or obvious.
You either get:
• A vague, non-sensical rejection: “We’ve decided to go in another direction.”
• Or worse - ghosted altogether.
No feedback. No closure. Just silence.
And yet, the impact is deafening.
💥 Confidence takes a hit.
💥 Doubt creeps in.
💥 Even the most capable professionals start questioning their worth.
So why is ageism so rampant in IT?
Because somewhere along the way, we started believing that:
• Fast = young
• Agile = under 35
• Tech-savvy = digital native
• Old dog = can’t learn new tricks
It’s absolute nonsense. But it’s happening.
And the stats back it up:
📊 Ageism starts at 40
📊 58% of job seekers aged 50+ in Australia report experiencing age discrimination during their job search.
📊 1 in 6 Australian employers admit they won’t hire someone over 60.
📊 Most recruiters in the tech sector are under 35 - and studies show we’re naturally biased toward those closer to our own age group.
So what’s the remedy?
It’s not hair dye. It’s building and leveraging real relationships.
👉 Start with your own professional network -people who know your value, who trust your judgment and who care far more about your capability than your birth year.
👉 Lean into supportive, mature IT recruiters who get it. The ones who’ve seen behind the curtain, who understand that ageism exists, and who choose to advocate for people, not just placements.
Relationships beat ageism.
Always have. Always will.
Don’t believe me?
Give it a go.
- Call five people from your professional past this week.
- Reconnect with an ex-client, a trusted colleague, a leader who believed in you.
- Find a recruiter who’s not just looking for a quick fee but is actually interested in what makes you you.
What do you have to lose?
And to the person who asked me if they should dye their greys - only if you want to. Not because you think it’ll make you more employable.
Because your wisdom is not a weakness.
Your age is not a liability.
Your career is not over.
Let’s keep fighting the silent bias - and rewriting the narrative. Together.
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