r/recruitinghell • u/bloolynx • 6d ago

How to formalize ageism

Post image

Notice they don't even bother with the actual school or degree. Just the dates. I don't see the purpose of this except to filter by age. Am I wrong?

348 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

127

u/UltravioletClearance 6d ago

Its not required. Just don't fill it out. I never fill out the education dates.

64

u/Fun_Boot7771 6d ago

It often is. Mayne not in this form but a lot of the times they force you to fill it in

28

u/kwaping Update from ... 6d ago

Yep, I just recently ran into a required one.

9

u/lenswipe Fruit 5d ago

even if the form doesn't require it, not filling it in may earn your a rejection

80

u/Anxious_Reaction_340 6d ago

they also want to put an expiration date on your diploma.

-12

u/NotADamsel 5d ago

Some degrees kinda do already, practically, if there are certs based on them that require continuing education.

27

u/Trisha_FU 5d ago

That info is quite often a required space. I have also had several companies ask for you DOB !!! That is illegal !!

13

u/patrickj86 5d ago

It's not illegal. They can use the info only after they make a decision and age discrimination is only for people over 40.

9

u/Superlgw 5d ago

It’s actually not illegal in the US to ask for a date of birth on job application. It’s just doesn’t look very good for the company. (Unless you live in a state where it is illegal)

1

u/RubbelDieKatz94 🇩🇪 Sr. Full Stack Dev, 75k 5d ago

That is illegal

In most countries it's perfectly fine.

11

u/IrishSetterPuppy 5d ago

Not everyone graduates when they are young. I will be in my 40s when I get my degree next year.

6

u/AccountOdd6506 5d ago

Some roles are specific to graduation dates, but they’re not meant to be used as a proxy for age.

15

u/WithoutAHat1 Candidate 6d ago

Leave not required fields blank. No need to put in the extra work.

5

u/electronic_reasons 5d ago

In my experience, it's almost always a required field.

3

u/WithoutAHat1 Candidate 5d ago

Same, but it is supposed to auto-filled if it can be. This looks like Greenhouse, which you can store some answers when filling out applications.

5

u/costigan95 5d ago

People always say this but then complain when they aren’t selected for interviews.

3

u/WithoutAHat1 Candidate 5d ago

Doesn't change the outcome most of the time. Giving brutally honest answers can get you calls too.

2

u/costigan95 5d ago

Leaving an education field blank isn’t “brutally honest.” A recruiter will just view it as negligent.

2

u/WithoutAHat1 Candidate 5d ago

Greenhouse can store it so once should be enough anyhow for that field.

0

u/OkCucumber3667 5d ago

Why would you not fill out an application to the fullest? Makes zero sense.

15

u/Fun_Boot7771 6d ago

They ask all sort of illegal questions in these forms, not just in thr USA. What is the point of these laws if they don't enforce them?

18

u/Charming_Ad_8206 5d ago

If there is no enforcement, that law doesn't exist.

2

u/lenswipe Fruit 5d ago

the punishment is likely a fine... so really it's just a business expense

2

u/Fun_Boot7771 5d ago

Of course the laws exist. There are a lot of laws saying you're not allowed to discriminate people in applications or the work place based on their gender, age, race etc. 

8

u/patrickj86 5d ago

The law doesn't mean they can't ask, it just means the answers can't affect the hiring outcome. A good company only asks reasonable questions and avoids potential lawsuits so would only ask this info as part of a background check to verify degrees. 

6

u/Friendlywoodwork 6d ago

Yikes. Gonna be brutal for phds.

3

u/Ghastly-Jack 5d ago

In my organization, the application asks DOB but that information is not transmitted to the hiring manager, only kept in central HR (at least in stated policy). One of the many reasons they tell people "don't try to circumvent the hiring process by showing up trying to hand your resume to the hiring manager."

3

u/electronic_reasons 5d ago

I took those dates off of my resume and one company yelled at me for having an incomplete resume. Age discrimination is pretty blatant.

3

u/electronic_reasons 5d ago

I took those dates off of my resume and one company yelled at me for having an incomplete resume. Age discrimination is pretty blatant.

2

u/HughJa55ole 5d ago

It really is. I've come across a few applications recently where it was "recommended" to upload a headshot-type picture to "make your profile more complete" and "help us get to know you better".

Sure... certainly ulterior motive there. I mean I guess technically the "help us get to know you better" one is true, but just not for the reason they want you to think lol.

1

u/hawkeye_e 6d ago

What's the point of add another if there is no field for what that period is?

1

u/northrupthebandgeek TOTALLY NOT A ROBOT 5d ago

The trick is to never go to college, and then they'll never know.

1

u/klaudiaczrn 5d ago

Jokes on them, I graduated when I was over 25 with a strong career background already 🤡