Date Of Birth on Application Forms

hello2007

I have had companies ask me old I am when they are giving me a telephone interview and I just say that I am over 18. However if I get asked that question again I going to ask what has my age got to do with anything the only thing that should matter is my abilty to do the job.

t0rt0ise

The opening question at an interview I went to some ten years ago was "and why do you want this job at your time of life?" I was mid 40s at the time.

Mistral001

t0rt0ise wrote: »

The opening question at an interview I went to some ten years ago was "and why do you want this job at your time of life?" I was mid 40s at the time.

LOL Not very PC.

But at least you got an interview.

paddedjohn

Dangermac wrote: »

Do you not know your date of birth?

he's from Birkenhead, he wont remember that sitting in Spuds all day;)

hcb42

Dangermac wrote: »

Do you not know your date of birth?

Of course, just not sure why it is relevant to assessing one's ability to do the job.

hello2007 wrote: »

If you do not fill it in looks like you have something to hide. I understand where you are coming from but it unlikely that they will invite you to a interview if they do not know your date of birth.

I only give my date of birth when I am offered the job but I do fill it out on application forms. I mainly send CVs for jobs so I rarely have to give out my date of birth when making job applications.

I would probably omit it on an application form, but like you, rarely fill these in anyway as most jobs are CV applications. In fact, if I had to fill in an application with this question, I would question the organisation as this is so old school thinking, and I dont think I would fit in such an environment. I don't agree it shows I have anything to hide any more than my marital or parental experience is relevant to the job. I just got a new job, first job I went for at age 43. Skills are important, on a CV/application, not age.

EconomicsGirl wrote: »

Personally I would fill it in - I know at one interview they told me they were grateful that I'ld put my D.O.B on my CV as otherwise they have to calculate from when people took their degree. Generally they do try and work it out anyway.

I would run a mile from aforementioned company, if I heard that at interview - if they are that narrowminded about someone's age, what the heck are they going to be like to work for.

I am staggered that in this day and age so much is made of one's age. I am recruiting at the moment, and I have a specific and narrow brief, it involves the industry specific systems and related job knowledge the candidate brings. Beyond that, I dont care if they are 19 or 59!

I would hope it is only small privately owned companies, who are not keeping themselves abreast of legislation who still think it is ok to sift on age/sex etc. I sadly know that there are still a lot of people in junior and middle management who do not get this however.

smileylondongal

hcb42 wrote: »

Of course, just not sure why it is relevant to assessing one's ability to do the job. QUOTE]
I think this is the point that a lot of people on here are missing, surely?!

You don't have to put it down and any recruiter worth their salt won't give a twig as it has absolutely nothing to do with the job. You do what makes you comfortable.

hcb42

it's weird. I am in middle of recruiting for a brand new operation (established brand name) in the East Midlands.

Everyone, or practically everyone, puts their DOB on their CV, along with quite a few who give the ins and outs of their family makeup i.e. they volunteer their children details etc, none of which is actually ANY use to me. (not that I am not interested in their families, but there is a time and a place, when I recruit them, I will of course be interested in hearing about their families etc!!)

Bizarrely, I am getting CV applications from ALL OVER THE UK and even all over the WORLD who are not at all local and who do not enclose a basic covering letter stating why they are applying for this specific job in this specific location. Instead I am meant to second guess where they live or what they have been doing sincce they left xyz organisation in Egypt/Dubai/Germany etc.....I dont even know if they are available for interview at short notice!!! Or people who are actually working in a management role 2-3 levels above what I am recruiting for, but applying for what seems to be a massive backward step to me, in my industry. That would actually be more relevant!

Infidel

I've always thought that some job application forms are just a sneaky way to get you to part with information that is not obligatory to put on a C.V. - D.O.B., marital status, previous salary etc. etc.

Infidel

t0rt0ise wrote: »

The opening question at an interview I went to some ten years ago was "and why do you want this job at your time of life?" I was mid 40s at the time.

Did you get the job?

Birkonian

he's from Birkenhead, he wont remember that sitting in Spuds all day

I am not an alcoholic (Spuds is a local pub BTW)
_________________________________________

Do you not know your date of birth?

Sarcastic and unhelpful

________________________________

I was on a 'Back To Work' training course recently and we were told by the tutor that it is illegal to ask somebodys DOB, except after an interview when they decide to employ you, but maybe this is not strictly true.

The only reason I am asking as that most application forms I have filled in recently don't ask your DOB. The application form in question was done in Word and emailed to me by an agency, and I feel that if they know my age at this stage, they may not proceed with the appplication dispite my experience.
Very few agencies actually reply to me and the consensus of opinion is that agencies are reputed not to be interested in over 50's for certain types of work.