Almost Half of Americans Say They've Experienced Ageism

A OnePoll survey of 2,000 American adults found 47 percent said they have suffered ageism in the workplace, reports the New York Post . Furthermore, 40 percent have witnessed ageism, and both victims and witnesses said this was mainly evidenced by not getting hired. The poll also found 15 percent of respondents have been stood up on a date because of their age, while another 15 percent have been dumped. Forty-seven percent of respondents felt that society looks down on people older than 50, while 56 percent agreed that women older than 50 are perceived more negatively than men. However, 33 percent admitted they were occasionally aware of themselves viewing people in a negatively because of age. Forty percent were concerned that their age may hurt their chances for promotion, with baby boomers especially worried about this. Nearly half of polled baby boomers said they are afraid of being turned down for a job once their age is determined from their resume, and 36 percent of respondents in this generation saw writing a resume as a challenge.