Older image conscious jobseekers in Ireland are taking drastic steps to compete with their younger counterparts.
Dyeing hair, whitening teeth, visits to the gym and even Botox are the lengths some are going to in order to appear younger to potential employers.
That is the findings of Irishjobs.ie, who carried out a survey of jobseekers in Ireland.
The results clearly show that older applicants are concerned that their age may put them at as a disadvantage compared to the younger generation.
As many as 38% of older job applicants have considered dyeing their hair for an interview, while 33% have thought about whitening their teeth and 85 have even considered having Botox.
Orla Moran of Irishjobs.ie said: “While it’s illegal to discriminate against employees because of their age, it’s obvious that older jobseekers are concerned about how their date of birth will impact on their search for a new job.”
The results of the survey come as no surprise to medical and cosmetic professionals who have seen an upturn in business in recent years.
Skincare specialist Katie McGarr said: “A huge trend for sales people would be to use Botox, because it gives them more confidence.
“People are going for preventative Botox, to save them in the long run. Typically they’d be in their late 20s, early 30s.”
Gillian Smith, of the Irish Dental Association, added: “I’ve had my own practice for five years now and I’ve certainly seen an increase in cosmetic dentistry in that time.”
Older jobseekers turning to cosmetics to compete with youngsters