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If you’re interviewing with a manager who is younger than you, they may feel awkward about the situation. They mainly feel awkward because they know that you’re a decade older than them or whatever it is, and worry YOU feel awkward. So it’s actually on you, the older person, to dismantle any of those feelings. Here’s how you do it. Acknowledge how the manager has more or different experience than you. So let’s say that you’ve work mostly in a different industry, you would say things about this new opportunity, such as, “I’m excited to work in this new industry. I saw you’ve been in this industry for over 8 years. I’d really like to hear your perspectives and learn from it in this job.” That is different than what most people who feel like they’re facing ageism do is they lead with their experience and say, ”I have so much wisdom. I have so much I can teach you and I can help you with.” That makes the manager turn off. It doesn’t matter the age, we can all learn something from each other. And so you need to bring that energy. Because the manager does want to hire you, but they don’t want there to be a strained dynamic. PS - 43% of my clients report ageism as one of their top job search concerns, but then are able to land jobs at the same rates as those in other age brackets. If you’d like to land better job offers sooner, go to madelinemann.com/coaching