Do you believe there is age discrimination today? Yes, it’s alive and doing really well.

Recently I met with a number of people in my networking sphere that have applied for 50-60 jobs over the last few months and not one of them had been interviewed. Not once. Not ONE interview. All of them with great credentials, well-rounded experience and not looking for large salaries.

So we talked about it and we realized that the common denominator for all of us is that we are around the dreaded age of 60. And no, we haven’t said that anywhere, and we have knocked off loads of roles on our resumes and done everything short of photoshopping our LinkedIn picture.

The reason for this article is not to call attention to the fact that such discrimination is illegal rather than to point out that such discrimination is just plain stupid. You are wasting potential brilliant resources. Us.

We have an aging population that does not want to retire when they used too. Fitness regimes, medicine, and intellect have combined to make us live longer. Couple this with more sedentary roles as physical jobs get automated means we can use our brains longer. Those that do want to work longer have plenty to offer and have the energy and motivation to deliver.

So, why are you afraid of age? Here are six reasons why you need to stop being afraid of age and embrace it and use it:

1. We don’t want your job

We’ve done your job. We don’t want to do it again. But we are happy to help you learn what we learned, only quicker. Offer us a contract term if you feel threatened. We don’t need to be full time.

2. We believe in a career and work ethic

Baby boomers were brought up with a vision and goal of a career. We stayed at companies for longer than 2 years, we worked long hours for the company because we were brought up with a rigid work ethic. We take jobs seriously and care little about the balance of life.

3. We no longer have something to prove

By now we have come to terms with our shortcomings (well most of us have). We are not trying to be the smartest and quickest and brightest. We are balanced and mature about providing advice and feedback. We want people to succeed.

4. We are not out of touch

Most of the people I mix with are more au fait with technology than many people that are years younger. It’s because we grew up with the changing technology and can handle all different types. We are not confined to the phone and text.

5. We have a ton of experience and knowledge

If you have done any research on how long it takes to learn about industries, a job role and just understanding how to to do a job, it can take from 9 months to 2 years for new roles to become productive. We can do it in less than 3 months. It’s just like putting on our favorite jacket again.

6. We are economic

For the most part, we are financially secure. We are not after the highest salary. We don’t want to abuse expense accounts (been there, done that). We naturally look to be financially prudent.

So, stop being afraid of age. Age is your friend, your colleague and could be your savior. Use age responsibly.

 

 

Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway Photograph by Danuta Otfinowski — Fortune Most Powerful Women