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THE NARRATIVE ARC | PERSONAL ESSAY
I Was Refused a Job Interview Because of My Age
Don’t let anyone tell you age is just a number — It’s a gatekeeper
How hard is it to find someone’s age online? Not hard at all.
Old. That’s what must have happened, I thought. For a week, I felt like I’d been smashed into the dirt. I wanted to tell people, but I was too ashamed. My age had to have been the reason. Too old to get hired. My self- esteem plummeted, and I quit talking for a few days. I didn’t know what to say and felt like my ideal version of the world shifted.
In my world, older employees matter. Especially when they’ve proven themselves. Maybe I would sour the company culture with my ridiculously driven work ethic.
No, I thought. Everyone at the company works hard. Then they play hard, and they collaborate and plan. All the things I’ve always done.
Not getting hired is one thing. I didn’t even get an interview. Given how hard I worked for the company, didn’t it seem like I would at least be offered an interview? Even a kind, patronizing, “No, thank you”?
The form letter sat in my email inbox. It’s still there — the cheery little no. The same email sent, no doubt, to hundreds of applicants —…
