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Gendered ageism: Older women's experiences of employment agency practices

Doreen Davy

Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This study investigates the relationship between mature female job-seekers and private employment agencies in the Auckland region. Twelve women who were made redundant after age 40 were interviewed about their experiences of using agencies to find clerical work. Five agency staff were also interviewed to discover their views on placing such women in work. Although the two groups occupy contrasting positions within the employment relationship, several complementary themes emerged from the two sets of interviews. Both groups described gendered ageism as a key issue for older women seeking office work and identified a range of strategies employers use to avoid employing them in permanent positions. In contrast to most previous research, which emphasizes perceived skills deficits, both groups saw problems of appearance and ‘team fit’ as more formidable barriers to re-employment. The findings are discussed in relation to the expanding role of employment agencies and policy approaches to combating gendered ageism in employment.

Key Words: clerical occupations • employment agencies • gendered ageism

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