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Quick Hit: Today Show promotes ageist job requirements

This is just horrid. Via ShAARP Session:

"Whoever thought 20 plus years of experience would be a liability?" questions experienced film reporter Lisa Johnson Mandell in this morning's TODAY show segment on "De-Aging Your Resume."

So what exactly is it that folks should do to downplay years of valuable experience? According to TODAY show contributor Jean Chatzky, "For women, shorten your skirts a little bit. Cover your grays."

Lovely.

Posted by Vanessa - July 15, 2008, at 05:04PM | in Sexism , Work

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8 Comments

I vow to never "cover my greys" in an attempt to look younger. Never. I may even go so far as to dye my hair silver when it starts going grey -- wait, does that count? I love my (artificial) red hair, but I wouldn't mind looking distinguished with some greys.

You know what's kind of hilarious? When Andy Warhol first broke into the art scene no one took him seriously cause he looked too young, so he dyed his hair silver (yes, that's where I got the idea) so that he would look a little older. That was 50 years ago. Now people can't look young enough!

[0+] Author Profile Page rhowan said:

Jezebel had a post about a similarly themed Wall Street Journal article titled "Botox for the Resume".

I confess, I deliberately don't advertise how old I am when I apply for a job, and I leave out dates and trim off older jobs from my resume. Generally this seems to work for me, though it did get awkward once when my boss started talking about setting me up with his 20 year old son...

[0+] Author Profile Page Tara K. said:

After their segment comparing stay-at-home moms to cold-hearted career women, I vowed to switch to GMA. Not perfect, but I feel better.

And Kathie Lee Gifford? She says some racist stuff.

I'm 25 and I have white hairs! Oh noes, should I cover them!??

I tend to find grey hair very attractive. My mom's best friend has very long hair that has been completely grey for years, and I think it's gorgeous, and I have a friend with grey temples at 28, and it suits him very well. Then again, I'm not some ass who wants to find any excuse whatsoever not to hire a woman.

I mean, really. Either you're a liability because you might, god forbid, decide to have kids and, even worse, spend time with them, or you're too damn old and therefore they can't make you a sex object, so clearly you're not worth hiring. Older men get respect and promotions. Older women get told to look younger. Gah.

[0+] Author Profile Page Adele said:

When my mother and I both look at something and think "No way. They did not..." you know it just has to be bad as we hardly ever see eye to eye. Then again, this is my mother who proudly sports silver streaks in her long dark brown hair. I then showed this to my mother's step-sister, who was completely silver by 30, and my 21 year old significant other who is already sporting some silver. Personally, I think the world needs to get over the whole gray equals old thing. I have a few already at 23. My brother, 21, is also starting to get a few. I've noticed that there are actually a number of younger people (college age), usually with dark hair, that are already bearing a bit salt and pepper up top.

[0+] Author Profile Page hbsweet said:

I personally think there are few things more beautiful than a woman with long silver grey hair. She displays the confidence and beauty of age.
Then again what can we expect from a TV network that discards any woman over 35 who isn't botoxed to the back of beyond.
Age is beautiful, people!

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