Age related interview question: How old are you?

Just because it is illegal doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen

Age related interview questions

How would you answer “How old are you?” in a job interview?  This question isn’t illegal. Discrimination against a candidate based on the answer is illegal when age is not a factor. This question is legal if you must be 18 or 21 to do the job.

The above being said, I would say that this is the wrong interview question in most cases. Mostly, if you are asked this question in an interview, the interviewer doesn’t know any better. They asked the question and will base their overall opinion on not just your answer but how you answer.  This question usually throws folks in the loop, costing them the interview.  Are you going to let some dumb-ass interviewer ruin your opportunity? Not in this economy.

If you do not answer this age related interview question, avoid the question, or hesitate in your answer, we are done.

The interviewer will have no choice but to think that even YOU, as a candidate, feel you are too old to do the job. This is a shit sandwich, and you need to take a big bite.

When I practice interviewing skills with folks over 40, I always ask a few age-related interview questions. I won’t ask it in a real interview, of course am a paid professional. I want folks to be prepared for it because most job interviewers don’t know any better.  It’s usually not their fault. I blame it on the person who sent them to the interview, who was ill-prepared. Put into perspective, we have all driven over the speed limit, and yes, we put lives in danger.  Sometimes, we knew what we were doing, but oftentimes, we just didn’t realize what the speed limit was.

These are classic answers I usually hear 

• “I am old enough to have experience but young enough to do the job.”
• “Isn’t that an illegal question?  I don’t have to answer that”.
• I get no answer.  Just a blank stare that reeks of disgust, mistrust, and attitude.  Their look says, “Did you REALLY just ask me that question, you little punk ass?”

All of the above answers just lost any momentum we had. We lost all the rapport that had been built previously.

Remember, the company called you in. The company determined your approximate age based on your experience and education.  They found a picture of you online somewhere. They still called you in. You are physically sitting in front of them, so you are not going to tell them anything they do not already know.  Own it.

Take your own advice

How often have you told a young person something similar to the following?

• “You need to believe in yourself before you expect others to believe in you.”
• “You need to like yourself before anyone else can believe in you.”

It’s called eating crow, so dig in.

Again, is it an illegal interview question? In most cases, yes. Does age affect job performance?  In most cases, no, but fight that fight AFTER you get the job offer. Avoiding the question or making a scene gives the company a reason to decline you. You want to receive an offer and THEN have the option to figure out the “why and the ignorance” behind the question. Only then do you decide to work or not work with the group.

NO ANSWER = DO NOT PASS HOME, GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL

Let’s put this into perspective. If you know a job requires 8 years of experience, and you only have 5 years of experience, how would you answer the pertinent question, “How many years of experience do you have?”  You are not going to say, “I only have 5 years of experience,” and be embarrassed about it with your head hung low. You aren’t going to avoid the question. I am not going to ask you to lie. We need to OWN the question and make it your bitch. You are going to look your interviewer straight in the eye and, with confidence, say:

“I have 6 years of experience.  I learned a ton in those 6 years because three were in a fast-moving environment. Everything was accelerated.  I have 6 years of experience on paper, and I feel my knowledge reflects closer to 9 years of experience.  During the 18 months of those 6 years, we added 25 employees to our group. I taught others how to use this particular skill.  I went to conferences and read four books on the topic.”

BOOYYAHHH! 

We didn’t use the word “but,” we didn’t hide from the question, and most importantly, we didn’t lose momentum. Let’s revisit the original age interview question. Let’s think about how a 28-year-old candidate would answer this question. They would probably say, “I am 28 years old, and I feel like I am in great shape. I run a few miles a day, and I eat healthy. Last month, I ran a 5K race.”

The way to avoid calling attention to the age related question is to answer it like someone younger would. I would much rather hear something like this: I am 45 (55, 65, you pick the number) years old, and I feel in great shape. I run a few miles daily (I practice yoga, play on my Wii, and play golf), and I eat healthily. Last month I ran a 5K race (took a 5-mile hike, practice soccer with my son, etc.)”

Answer with the cadence and tone of any other answer

“I am 50 years old, and I feel better than ever. I swim 3 times a week and remodel our kitchen on the weekends. Right now, we are putting in a granite counter, which weighed 400 pounds, but we got it in”. 

If the above answers sound corny on paper, you didn’t own it. This is how to answer an age related interview question.  

Answer the age-related interview question with confidence and a smile because if you don’t, someone else will. This answer doesn’t have to be the answer that gets you the job; it just needs to keep you in the game.

If you hesitate in your answer or avoid the question, you can be certain that your game will be off for the rest of the interview. Do you think you have a shot at the position if you avoid any questions?  Here are a few more reasons you should answer this question.

Consequences

• The person conducting the interview may have made an honest mistake. They didn’t know the question was illegal.
• Someone else took the above advice and answered the question. They didn’t lose momentum in the interview. That candidate still has their name in the hat.
• Have you ever heard of anyone avoiding a question during an interview and getting the job?
• If age isn’t a factor, then give it to them. You won’t see these people again if you don’t get the job. If you get the job, you will know you weren’t judged by age.
• Just because you answer the question doesn’t mean you need to take the job.  You can still decline the offer. But let’s get FIRST, GET THE OFFER.

Next time you are asked any age-related interview questions, don’t hesitate.

See you at the after party,

HRNasty

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