RGF Connect is helping the over-50s conquer age discrimination

Veroniek Platevoet (age 55) is an experienced, all-round office manager. For more than 30 years she worked at a large international law firm in Brussels, until a major reorganization was announced and she was told that she would be made redundant. 

“That was a complete surprise,” she looks back, “I didn’t see it coming. What I did know, almost immediately, is that I didn’t want to sit back and wait. I wanted to go out there and find a new job. Some people thought I would opt for early retirement, but nothing could be further from the truth. I still have so much to offer. I have always enjoyed my work, and working with colleagues.”

Facing age discrimination

Nevertheless, Veroniek understands why some people would react differently in her situation. “I know enough people my age who have had to apply dozens of times without even getting an interview, simply because they’re considered too old. That must be mentally exhausting.”

Unfortunately, there is more than anecdotal evidence to support Veroniek’s impression. “Research at the University of Ghent has demonstrated that age discrimination is the most common form of discrimination in our country,” says Michael Vercauteren, RGF Connect Lead in Belgium. “For people over 50, it can be incredibly hard to find a job, even though they have so much to offer.”

Veroniek Platevoet: “What I did know, almost immediately, is that I didn’t want to sit back and wait. I wanted to go out there and find a new job. I still have so much to offer. I have always enjoyed my work, and working with colleagues.”

Veroniek agrees. “We’ve got experience, and we’re often very flexible. We no longer have to look after small children. Speaking for myself, I’ve got a well-filled resume, I speak several languages, so there should be enough jobs around for which I’m qualified.” Michael: “And let me be clear: there are very good and objective recruiters around. So for someone like Veroniek there are definitely opportunities.”

Preparing for a new job search

Yet Veroniek realizes that in order to seize such opportunities, she may need some practical help and advice. “So when my daughter pointed out that RGF Staffing was organizing a Work Readiness Training for the over-50s, I decided to give it a go and enroll.”

The course in question is one of several initiatives by RGF Staffing’s Belgian brands, which are aimed at supporting a variety of groups who encounter barriers on the labor market. “For years we have partnered with a foundation sponsoring youngsters from socio-economic vulnerable backgrounds, who with the support of a coach are helped to progress through secondary education and a degree to professional positions,” Michael says. “We’ve also organized support for people with hearing impairments, and recently organized the second edition of a job fair specifically for the lgbtq+ community and allies.” 

The work readiness training for over-50s that Veroniek decided to attend, fits seamlessly into this portfolio of activities. The 3-day training, which will be offered again this week as part of the RGF Connect Global Week of Impact, provides participants with all kinds of practical insights and skills to help them navigate the challenges of applying for a job in the face of age discrimination.

Michael: “We want to help them understand how the labor market has changed in recent years, and how they can communicate more effectively and convincingly, for example by developing a strong elevator pitch. We also review digital skills and tools, to counter the common prejudice that older employees are less digitally savvy.”

Playing your strongest cards right

More generally, the training aims to equip participants to understand their strengths and how to highlight them. Or, as Michael puts it, “to know what cards you hold and to play them to maximum effect.”

Veroniek enjoyed the course. “I learnt a lot about how to present myself, using an elevator pitch and personal branding. It was also interesting to learn to think from a recruiter’s perspective, which allows you to anticipate the type of questions you will be asked. How to take control of the conversation by asking questions yourself. And, more generally, the importance of being authentic and not being too quick to make concessions because you may be afraid you won’t get another opportunity.”

Michael Vercauteren: “We know that talent can be found everywhere, regardless of the limitations and challenges people face. But we need to listen to the people themselves and to their advocacy groups, to ensure that whatever help we provide is truly valuable to them.”

In other words, one of the key challenges is to be more confident in yourself, and to appreciate your own strengths. Veroniek: “As part of the training, we even spent time going back to our younger days, even into childhood, to identify the things that made us proud, the things we’re good at and the things that we really enjoy.”

The week’s program

During the RGF Connect Global Week of Impact, a new cohort of candidates over 50 will follow the same course. It’s part of a program full of activities supported by employees at the various brands of RGF Staffing Belgium. Michael: “Some colleagues have set up a job fair, specifically for people with a refugee background. We partner with one of our clients to conduct workshops for youngsters and eventually they will get their first job. We’ve also partnered with Pink Ribbon, an awareness campaign group for breast cancer, who has organized a walk with our own employees. The idea is that we get a better understanding of the impact breast cancer has on people’s lives and careers.”

Such cooperation with community partners is an important part of the RGF Connect approach, Michael emphasizes. “We know that talent can be found everywhere, regardless of the limitations and challenges people face. But we should never assume we know what their particular needs are. We need to listen to the people themselves and to their advocacy groups, to ensure that whatever help we provide is truly valuable to them.”

In the case of the Work Readiness Training, Veroniek feels it hit the mark. “It really was worth the time. The group dynamics were good, and the people who led the workshops – almost all younger than ourselves – listened well and helped us to feel more confident about what’s ahead.”

This story is part of RGF Connect’s Global Week of Impact, highlighting initiatives that connect people to education, training and work across the world.