Date Of Birth on Application Forms

realshannon

sorry, but if there are say 100 application forms for this job, if I were the employer, take away the forms that arent completed very well, ie scruffy etc, ones that arent fully completed, that havent got the correct qualifications needed and as stated in the advert and then analyse the rest. It seems to me a bit picky and it bothers you that much you have written a question on here - umm - most forms will have a section asking for your dob - just do it - whats the big deal for heavens sake - you either want the job or you dont, the company are either looking for a younger person or they are not, you cant change that, but you wont know unless you get an interview!! best of luck

Jarndyce

_______________________________

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.

Of course it is not "illegal" to ask for someone's date of birth on an application form. It is however unlawful to discriminate against someone on the gfrounds of their age when they are an applicant for a job.

So if they act upon the DOBs given by, say, sifting out all the over 50s :mad:, then anyone so sifted out might have a claim for age discrimination.

But please, if you are applying for a job, and you actually want the job, why would you not do everything that was humanly possible to give yourself the best chance of getting that job?

Its obvious that people's general age can be ascertained from other dates, levels experience and so on, so if an employer is determined to discriminate they will. So sure, if you don't get the job, and you see suggestions of ageism, then fine, complain, but why ruin your chances before you start?

spadoosh

SarEl wrote: »

What on earth is "arsy" about accidentally failing to notice the box that asked for your date of birth - probably the lest important question on the form? I didn't suggest writing "I refuse to answer this question" across the box - that would be arsy. Simply not filling in the box is not. If what is in this box - or isn't in this box - is the most crucial thing the employer wants to know, rather than your skills and experience for the job and how good an employee you are likley to be, then the employer has some weird priorities.

No but when at the start of the document it says 'please fill in this form' when they see a gap that hasnt been filled in they would assume you are an idiot and thus no interview

Really, whats the harm of you entering your D.O.B?

josie.d

You don't have to fill in your date of birth, but it may put you at a disadvantage if you don't.

Technically they shouldn't be asking any questions that could potentially be used to discriminate against you.

If the job is age restricted e.g working in a bar/off linence serving drinks, a betting shop, etc then they can ask you for confirmation that you are over the appropriate age. It is not necesarily against the law to ask for date of birth on application forms, as long as it isn't used to discriminate.

However, some organistations do still have a particular age range in mind when recruiting (minimum wage is much less for young people, older women might have already completed their family etc). Maybe they want someone without children or a man/woman in particular (one interview I went to, they told me that they particularly wanted a woman for the role as 'women can do the job better')! They just don't make it known because then they really would be in trouble.

Really, employers don't need to ask you your date of birth on the application form or at interview, only that you can do the job, but they do unfortunately, so personally I'd put it down even though I don't agree with it, as I wouldn't want to risk being turned down for not filling in the form properly.

t0rt0ise

Infidel wrote: »

Did you get the job?

No, it was obvious there was no way he was going to give me the job. It still bugs me because I keep on thinking about the replies I should have given before walking out.

I also went for a job in a housing rental agency office where all he talked about was my husband and what he did. I was divorced which didn't go down well but I did tell about how he had been in the army which was a plus point. In the end he told me he wouldn't employ me because I'd always worked in the public sector so would be too soft.. LOL

And then there was the admin job at the army barracks.. LOL.. that was a weird interview... what did I think about the royals, gulp.. I turned that job down myself.

hcb42

I find it really weird that people think they are automatically discriminated on age. I think the issue can often be in the eye of the beholder more than anyone else.

I interviewed someone on Monday who was 3 years older than me (mid 40s). She felt her age was a barrier, (she told me her age without prompting during the course of my competency based questioning, I couldnt care less) whereas I have long believed it is totally irrelevant to my skills and experience (after all I could still have 25 more years work in me to pension age, and who stays 25 years in a job any more!)

some comments on a newspaper thread in response to an editorial about our recruitment day recently suggested my organisation would only be looking to hire people under 30. We did a quick tally around the office, and we actually only have one person under 30 (he is 29), and most of us were well into 40s!!! So clearly we are not discriminating on age then!

(I still dont think there is any need to mention age on an application form or CV!)

Middy

I don't put my dob on my CV. When I got the job, I filled in a form which contained my DOB, emergency contacts, medical problems etc.

Mistral001

hcb42 wrote: »

I find it really weird that people think they are automatically discriminated on age. I think the issue can often be in the eye of the beholder more than anyone else.

I interviewed someone on Monday who was 3 years older than me (mid 40s). She felt her age was a barrier, (she told me her age without prompting during the course of my competency based questioning, I couldnt care less) whereas I have long believed it is totally irrelevant to my skills and experience (after all I could still have 25 more years work in me to pension age, and who stays 25 years in a job any more!)

some comments on a newspaper thread in response to an editorial about our recruitment day recently suggested my organisation would only be looking to hire people under 30. We did a quick tally around the office, and we actually only have one person under 30 (he is 29), and most of us were well into 40s!!! So clearly we are not discriminating on age then!

(I still dont think there is any need to mention age on an application form or CV!)

Perhaps those comments, which are admirable, should be directed towards other employers. Employees only want to know what is the best thing to do in order to have a better chance fo getting a job. My view is, on balance, put youir DoB on the form when asked, it will not count against you.

Savvy_Sue

josie.d wrote: »

You don't have to fill in your date of birth, but it may put you at a disadvantage if you don't.

But equally, it may put you at a disadvantage if you DO put it, and you are in the 'wrong' age group for this short-sighted employer. Whether you'd want to work for such an employer is of course another matter.

josie.d wrote: »

Technically they shouldn't be asking any questions that could potentially be used to discriminate against you.

Well, the ideal solution (and maybe this was the case here) would be to have a detachable section for personal details, which is taken off before the shortlisting team see the applications.

If the DOB question is on a page with name, address, contact details, referees etc, and the real questions start later, and especially if the form states that the 'personal details' page will be removed before shortlisting, then there's no problem at all in answering it, IMO.

Our 'personal details' page also asks whether you have a full driving licence, any points on it, whether you have criminal convictions to disclose (because we'll be carrying out an enhanced CRB check!), whether you wish to make us aware of any disabilities or other reasons for requesting adjustments either at interview or if you get the job, whether there are restrictions on your right to work in the UK, how much notice you need to give and whether you're free on our proposed interview date. But NONE OF THAT will be seen before the forms have been shortlisted. All we shortlist on is your employment record, qualifications (if required) and how you fill in the personal statement page.

hcb42

Mistral001 wrote: »

Perhaps those comments, which are admirable, should be directed towards other employers. Employees only want to know what is the best thing to do in order to have a better chance fo getting a job. My view is, on balance, put youir DoB on the form when asked, it will not count against you.

well no not necessarily...

I agree, there are a lot of short sighted employers out there...but equally I have met a LOT of people who automatically think they are on the scrap heap because they are over 40, and they dont actually portray themselves well as they seem to think the job is going to go to someone younger than them!!!! For those that are, rethinking how YOU position yourself will help enormously in terms of confidence and ability to do the job.