How to handle a job interview when you are over 50

Think of the hundreds of online applications that likely come in for each new job opening, which are then screened by an AI “black box” — that is, a mathematical model whose decision making is opaque — and you may feel that just getting an interview is an accomplishment, whether you’re over 50 or under it.

Of course, the interview is only the beginning of the hiring process, and being older can be a real disadvantage. “Unfortunately, ageism exists,” says Stela Lupushor, founder of ReframeWork, Inc., a consulting firm that tells clients how to develop innovative and inclusive workforces. “It’s one of the last ‘isms’ that we haven’t even begun to tackle as a society, and it’s driven by culture and amplified by HR practices.”

By HR practices, she’s referring to the biases that get reinforced by technologies like the algorithm that screens applications. But you can also face subtle and not-so-subtle discrimination in an interview. Perhaps it’s a comment that implies that you’re slow or you don’t have the desired “hunger” anymore. Or maybe it’s a pointed question that assumes something about people your age.

For Wendi Aarons, 57, who was up for a social media job, the offending question was about her familiarity with new technologies, or lack thereof.

“It was a panel of five people asking if I had ever used all of these different programs and platforms,” says Aarons. “I kept saying yes, and they kept coming at me with more. I swear they were either showing off for each other or making up names just to catch me.”

Needless to say, she didn’t get the job, though Aarons, who was bluffing by the end, did turn the ordeal into a funny story, which she tells in her satirical memoir, “I’m Wearing Tunics Now.” Most of us, however, hope to avoid such situations as well as ace the interview and get the job.

The key, as for most things, is preparation: identifying the potential landmines and planning for them. To help you get started, here are five common ways an interview can go wrong that your college career counselor probably didn’t warn you about — and what to do in each situation.

Jam 1: While waiting for the interviewer to join the video call, you notice how much older you look on camera than you are (or feel).

The fix: In a pinch like this, use a filter. In Zoom, you can find a slider that takes years off your face by clicking on your profile picture, then selecting: Settings > Background and effects > Touch up my appearance.

That said, filters also make you look blurry and potentially unreal, says John Smock, a professional photographer. Instead, he recommends taking the time to optimize your light and camera set-up before the meeting. “You want strong light, and you want it elevated and in front of you, a little to the right or left of center,” he says. “If it’s behind or above you, it will cast shadows and accentuate any wrinkles, bags, hairs out of place or receding hairlines.”

As to the perfect positioning of your camera, you want it at eye level, which means that you will likely need to place your laptop on top of a stack of books. “When the camera is at a low angle, it’s looking up at you, which is really not flattering, especially to your neck,” Smock explains. “And it’s a wide-angle lens, so things like your nose and ears get exaggerated.”

If you have the spare money and expect to do a lot of interviews, Smock suggests investing in a ring light and a web camera.

Jam 2: You advance to the round where you’re meeting your potential boss — and you’re mortified to discover that he or she is half your age or even younger.

The fix: If this is truly upsetting to you, you’re probably not being honest with yourself about the compromises you’re willing to make for your next move. “It’s one of the biggest impediments to making a work transition,” says Vivian Garcia-Tunon, an executive coach and founder of VGT People Advisory. “You need to be clear about what you want so that you can articulate it with passion and conviction.”

In this situation, it’s tempting to go through with the interview. “I figured I’d decide if I really wanted the job when I had an offer,” says Patty D., 59, who pursued a junior-level job in her field, despite her misgivings, because it offered health insurance. But you’re probably better off withdrawing from the running as graciously as you can.

That’s because getting hired takes time, effort and psychic energy, all of which are in limited supply. Also, as Patty, who made it to the final round but ultimately didn’t get an offer, says, “After I got over the shock and then the disappointment, it occurred to me that in the manager’s shoes, I wouldn’t have hired me either! Even if I believed that someone like me wanted to take a few steps down, I would have thought that they’d quickly get bored and quit.”

Jam 3: Maybe it’s how often they mention late nights or fast pace. Or maybe it’s how they keep talking about “culture fit” and being cutting-edge. Whatever coded language they’re using, you get the sense that the interviewer thinks you are too old for the job.

The fix: Sometimes the hiring manager doesn’t even have to say a word for you to know that they think you’re too old. For Carol B., 64, who was up for a job as a beauty copywriter, it took just a look.

“I’ll never forget how the woman’s face fell the second she saw me, and this was back when I was still in my 50s,” Carol recalls. “To this day, I wish I’d asked why she called me in, since she knew from my résumé how much experience I had.”

When the interviewer told Carol that she was overqualified for the job, she felt too crushed to object or try countering the manager’s bias against her age. But assuming you want to stay in the running, you should address what they’re wondering: Why does someone with your background want the job?

According to Lupushor, these are three good reasons to speak up: 1. The company’s values align with yours. 2. You believe in the company’s success and want the stability it offers. 3. At this stage of your career, you want to focus on doing good work without the distraction of other responsibilities.

Of course, you should say only what is true for you. But what if you really just want to work less or have more flexibility? “If those are your main reasons, the job posting should have promoted those aspects, so you can talk about them,” Lupushor says. “And if it didn’t mention them, you really aren’t right for the job.”

Jam 4: You may be touchy, but you think you’ve just been asked a slyly ageist question, such as how do you feel about mentoring teammates or what are your long-term goals.

The fix: Your response depends on your read of the room. For example, while Aarons felt panel members had already made up their minds by the time they were barraging her with technology names, she felt an earlier question about mentoring could be sincere, although she doubted they asked it of younger candidates, and gave a real answer. “It was starting to feel like I was wasting my time, but at that point, I wasn’t sure, so I decided to take it at face value,” she says.

That said, if you think the question is, indeed, pointed, it could be that they’re fishing for information they can use to disqualify you. “They need a legitimate reason for not moving you forward, since they can’t say on the record that they think you’re too old,” Lupushor explains. “This is why I tell people that if you are asked about your salary expectations at the beginning of an interview, you should say something like, ‘Let’s make sure this is a good match before we discuss salary.’ ”

Jam 5: You know for certain that they just asked or said something that’s outright ageist or otherwise discriminatory.

The fix: When faced with a clearly illegal question, whether it’s about your age, health or stamina, you could decide that it just came out wrong and give them a chance to explain what they mean.

But probably you should just end the conversation by saying that you didn’t realize (fill in the blank) about the role and that it changes your interest in it. After all, do you really want to spend some of your last working time at a company that hasn’t properly trained its hiring managers?