Indeed’s Ageist Career Guide, Viral LinkedIn Reaction, and the Impact on the Ageism Debate

It Gets Late Early: Career Tips for Tech Employees in Midlife and Beyond

In this solo episode, I break down the recent controversy surrounding a career guide published by Indeed, the world’s largest job site, with 365 million daily users and over 3.5 million employers. Here’s a teaser: The guide labeled ages 45-55 as “late career” and 55-65 as “decline,” sparking an outcry over its ageist language.

I stumbled across the uproar late one night on LinkedIn and decided to post my thoughts, which quickly went viral. Indeed responded within hours, issuing an apology and removing the offensive content, but the damage was already done!

The guide perpetuated harmful stereotypes, like the idea that workers in their 40s and 50s should aim for less demanding roles and stop learning new skills. This couldn’t be further from the truth—many of us are thriving in our careers at this stage, with plenty of energy and ambition.

While I appreciate how quickly Indeed responded, I still question how the management allowed the guide to be published in the first place. It raises concerns about whether they truly support an age-inclusive work environment. But this situation has opened up an important conversation about ageism, and I’m hopeful it will lead to lasting change.

Can several viral posts on LinkedIn really change how a major corporation thinks about age? Join me as we explore how this Indeed debacle can serve as a catalyst for real change in tackling ageism in the workplace. Don't worry—we'll get some solid career advice and probably a few laughs too.

In This Episode:

-Introduction and overview of Indeed’s corporate values

-Personal experience with the career guide controversy

-Career stages in Indeed’s career guide

-Critique of the career guide's advice

-Raising a successor for your position

-Retirement in your forties: myth or reality?

-The "decline" era: what to expect

-The reality of ageism in the workplace

-Indeed's apology and future steps

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

-Indeed’s live webinar on November 7, 2024, titled “Success and Satisfaction in the Later Stages of Your Career”: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7237487552620843009/

-Indeed’s article, “Ageism in the Workplace: Its Impact and How to Prevent It”: https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/ageism-in-the-workplace

-Indeed’s article, “ADEA: An Employer's Guide to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act”: https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/adea#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20ADEA,ability%20when%20making%20those%20decisions.

-Maureen’s LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maureenwclough_are-you-over-55-indeed-as-in-the-one-that-activity-7235228512918388738-wIYC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Connect with Maureen Clough:

-Instagram: @itgetslateearly - https://www.instagram.com/itgetslateearly/

-YouTube: @itgetslateearly - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGrHwk-y7ERaq7bCSjZYf1A?sub_confirmation=1

-Website: itgetslateearly.com - https://www.itgetslateearly.com/

-LinkedIn: @maureenwclough - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenwclough/

-Facebook: It Gets Late Early - https://www.facebook.com/people/It-gets-late-early/100088694515585/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy