When Should a Candidate's Age Be An Issue?

Is it me, or does it feel like we should be going to the polls to vote for the President any day now?

A month ago I mentioned how I was enjoying watching the current political frenzy, but now it’s starting to wear on me. And we’re still a full pregnancy term away from the election!

Relax, this is not morphing into a political blog; however, as a recruiter, I think a high-profile election like this one presents a fascinating study as to how our culture makes important candidate decisions. Not only are we able to watch the qualification process play out right before our eyes, we’re able to participate.

In a corporate hiring scenario, much goes unspoken. From the employer’s side, participants in the interview process will make judgment calls regarding a candidate’s qualifications but won’t always reveal their true concerns for fear of being accused of discrimination. But all that changes in a political contest. The gloves come off. Everything that is unspoken in a corporate interview is unabashedly brought into the open during a political contest. Why? Because the stakes are too high to make a mistake. If we voice our true concerns then we give the candidates an opportunity to defend themselves and prove us wrong.

So while Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to go at it, it looks as though John McCain, an unlikely contender 6 months ago, has all but wrapped up the Republican nomination. Despite being a distinguished veteran, POW, and Washington fixture for the last 25+ years, McCain has one significant obstacle he’ll need to overcome if he’s to win the presidency: his age.

"McCain was too old to be president 10 years ago,” said one comedian. “His vice president will have to be a nurse." Questions concerning his age have already been brought up by his own party and once the Democratic nominee settles into his or her role and this contest swings into full force, expect them to bring McCain’s Achilles heel front and center. I expect the mud to start slinging by late spring.

So my question is: as an employer, should a candidate’s age be a legitimate concern? And at what point does it become outright age discrimination?

With McCain, I think the concern is more than justified. If elected President, he will be 72 when he’s sworn into office. To put it in perspective, Ronald Reagan was 3 years McCain’s junior when he was elected President for his first term and his age was also called into question. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the life expectancy of an American male is 74.4 years (2001). Voters want to be confident that the President can physically and mentally withstand the pressure and stress inherent to the position. We don’t elect a candidate based on how well the VP will do if he or she dies in office.

Ageism is by far the most prevalent form of discrimination I have witnessed in my time as a recruiter. You don’t have to be an expert at reading between the lines when a client tells you:

• “We need someone that’s motivated and hungry.”
• “We don’t have the time to train someone on how to use basic technology.”
• “I’m not interested in candidates that want to use this position to ride off into retirement.”
• “I don’t want someone at the end of their career.”

All legitimate concerns that I do not consider to be discriminatory. It’s the candidate’s responsibility to address these issues the same way they would answer questions regarding their industry experience or performance record. It becomes an issue of discrimination when they are not given the opportunity to do so.

For those candidates that suspect their age might be an issue (often unspoken) when interviewing, my advice is to acknowledge and address these possible concerns during the interview in a tactful way that won’t make the interviewer feel uncomfortable. “Listen, I have been in this industry for the last 20 years, and I’m as excited about it as when I first started. Sure, I plan on retiring sometime in the next 8-10 years, but until that time, I can assure you I’ll be as motivated and productive and I’ve always been."

Age is only an Achilles heel if it truly is your Achilles heel.