Four in ten people in Latvia have encountered discrimination in various areas of life – in education, in their professional activity and in healthcare.[1] “People in Latvia most often report that they encounter discrimination on the grounds of age and disability,” says Evija Šalte, an HR expert and head of the company “Nextra”. “Only 30% of Latvian employers would be prepared to fill vacancies with employees of pensionable age,[2] even though people of pre-pensionable and pensionable age make up a considerable untapped labour reserve.”

Prejudices of this kind are an “invisible” element that nobody really voices out loud, yet simple observation shows that preference is not always given to experience alone, but also to drive and youth. Employers tend to assume that younger people have a greater appetite for learning something new and possess a flexibility that amounts to good soft skills, but it should be borne in mind that there are exceptions. “As a result of these prejudices, some employers even offer fixed-term contracts, for example for three months. If you start taking a lot of sick leave or disagreements arise, the contract is not extended, which of course does nothing to strengthen the social protection of older people,” the expert adds.

The results of an experimental study show that candidates over the age of 50 were half as likely to be selected as younger ones, even with identical experience and education. Older people not only face difficulties in finding work, but are often also paid less.[3]

According to CSP data, in 2023 only 70% of people of pre-pensionable age and 28% of those of pensionable age were in employment, even though, amid a shortage of labour, the Latvian labour market could gain an additional 20,000 workers if the employment rate among seniors reached Estonian levels.[4] Tellingly, that number of additional workers would have filled 80% of the job vacancies available across the country in 2023.[5] That would mean a considerable gain for employers, since 80% of the vacancies available in the country would be filled. Yet the prejudices that persist in society about the effect of age on the ability to work may have a negative impact on making full use of this potential, creating not only social injustice but also a serious obstacle to economic development.

“In the Latvian labour market we still see situations in which the age factor is judged excessively critically, even when the candidate's professional skills, experience and motivation are of a high standard. Our experience shows that experienced specialists (40+ and 50+) are very often a genuinely valuable resource for a company – they bring stability, perspective and often strong loyalty too. Working in executive and expert recruitment, we see every day just how professional and motivated experienced candidates are,” comments E. Šalte.

1. Practise good digital hygiene. Employers often “google” candidates and look at how their social media profiles appear. Assess your own profiles with a critical eye – that is, the posts you write, the photographs you publish and the comments you leave. Swearing and arguments online, rudeness and unpleasant remarks about sensitive topics and politics will all have a negative effect on your image.

2.       Do not put the year where it is not needed. Even the most ethical recruitment specialists may unconsciously shy away from hiring older people. “To avoid inadvertently becoming a victim of unconscious discrimination, do not write the year you left school or graduated from university, because it does not actually matter. What matters is the fact that you obtained the qualification. To highlight your abilities and your wish to keep up with modern trends, add information about courses you have taken recently. Suitable platforms include: Coursera, Udemy, Linkedin Learning, LU open minded, and others.

3.       Emphasise your values and achievements – this is your strong suit. Give 3-5 successful examples from your career, thereby demonstrating your ability to deliver results and succeed, and then nobody will pay any attention to your age.

4.       Look for employers with an ethical corporate culture – pay attention to companies that take part in social or inclusion campaigns. On company websites, study the “Careers” and “About us” sections – these often describe values and culture. This will help you find a respectable employer who does not look at the numbers in your passport.

5.       Acquire new skills. If you feel that your existing knowledge and experience will not be enough to find a good job, try consulting a career coach – this will help you take an outside look at your rich professional experience and will highlight those skills that you have genuinely developed to a high level. If necessary, the coach will suggest what you should learn and study in order to land the job you want. You still have 10-15 professional working years ahead of you, and it is up to us whether they will be exciting or bleak and boring. A great many programmes and courses are currently available that allow you to retrain or supplement your competence with new skills. Many of them are free. Acquiring new knowledge will not only make you more attractive for practical reasons, but will also demonstrate your motivation and your “fire in the eyes”, the human resources specialist stresses.

At the same time, do not be shy about standing up for yourself if you encounter age discrimination while looking for work or in your professional activity. “Unfortunately, the statistics in Latvia are still bleak – 40% of the population encounter ageism in their daily lives, yet at the same time they are reluctant to report it to the competent authorities, or do not believe those authorities will be able to help. But if nothing is done, the situation will not change. Protect yourself if you encounter discrimination!”

About “Nextra Latvia”

“Nextra Latvia” is one of the leading talent acquisition companies, founded by its current head, Evija Šalte. The “Nextra Latvia” team has more than 20 years of experience in providing talent acquisition solutions for global companies and senior executives in Latvia.