Hiring Used to Be Fair

Imagine this…

You’re scrolling LinkedIn and see a post from a former coworker:

“Back in my day, if you worked hard, you got promoted. No games. No ATS. No nonsense.”

You nod.

Because last week, you applied to a role you were perfect for…

And never even got a rejection email.

Later that night, you talk to a friend in HR.

“Honestly,” she says, “candidates are worse than ever. Every year it gets more frustrating.”

But then you realize something.

She’s said that every year for the last five years.

Why does everyone believe hiring is getting worse?

Declinism.

We romanticize the past.
We forget the layoffs.
We forget the bias.
We forget the closed doors.

The job market isn’t worse.
It’s just more visible.

Now here’s what most people aren’t talking about.

New hires are getting older.

Recent workforce data shows:
• The average new hire in 2025 is 42
• The share of workers 25 and under has dropped sharply
• Hiring for workers 65+ is up nearly 80%
• Customer-facing roles are increasingly filled by experienced professionals

Why?

Because in the age of AI, companies are prioritizing:

• Experience
• Judgment
• Signal clarity
• And people who can deliver fast

Hiring didn’t become unfair.

It became more selective.

And most jobseekers are still playing by the old rules.

If you’re not getting traction, it’s rarely because you’re too old, too junior, or “out of the game.”

It’s usually because:
• Your story isn’t clear
• Your signal is weak
• Your strategy is outdated
• Your experience isn’t translating fast enough

The market isn’t punishing you.
It’s just misunderstanding you.

Ready to improve your career search? If you’d like, we can hop on a quick call and I can walk you through how I can help.
You can book a chat with Matt at 👉 https://calendly.com/mjwcareers and get you some Matt Magic (client’s words, not mine).