I am 33 and have gone through enough jobs, projects, successes and failures over the last decade to claim that I can perform well in any interview. But the other morning, when I stepped into the waiting room for a recruitment interview, my heart suddenly sank.
There were more than 20 applicants in the room, all of whom looked young, eager and full of energy. I looked around and realized that I was the only applicant in my 30s, while the rest were Gen Z fresh graduates. I heard them talking excitedly about artificial intelligence, user experience, hybrid work and being “cultural fit” – concepts that I understand but have not been keeping up with as much as they do.
While I quietly organized my documents, they were chatting and joking with human resources staff with a casual ease that suddenly made me realize how old I am.
The interview itself went smoothly. I answered with depth and decisiveness, citing real-world cases I have experienced. Yet I sensed a subtle hesitation in the recruiter’s eyes as they silently compared me with those younger candidates.
When they said that they were looking to build a “young, dynamic, creative and flexible team,” I instantly understood that my age was an unspoken disadvantage. Perhaps they worried I would be hard to fit in, slow to adapt or simply expect a higher salary than fresh graduates. It was painful to realize that even with experience, age could still be such a huge deterrent.
I had always believed that the job market cared only about capability. Now I see that capability is just a part of the equation, one that is increasingly not enough to outweigh age. Youth is equated with “flexibility,” “potential” and “changeability,” while candidates in their 30s or 40s are often deemed “rigid,” “conservative” or “hard to adapt.”
But is it true that older professionals cannot be creative or continue learning? I know many in our 30s and 40s who embrace new technologies, seek out challenges and remain passionate about their work. The difference is often that we are no longer given the chance to do so.
Age makes me more cautious, more thoughtful and sometimes less noisy. But employers often mistake that for “lacking energy.”
I left that interview uncertain of the outcome. But I walked away with a new understanding: the market does not only exhibit bias based on gender or appearance, but also age. I hope employers will reconsider and look beyond a candidate’s birth year to focus on their character, capability and passion.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.
