Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Research has shown that hiring discrimination is a barrier for older job candidates in many OECD countries. However, little research has delved into why these job candidates face discrimination. Therefore, we have conducted an online scenario experiment involving recruiters to empirically investigate 15 potential stigmas related to older age drawn from a systematic review of the literature. We found that older age particularly signals to recruiters that the applicant has lower technological skills, flexibility, and trainability levels. Together, these perceptions explain about 41% of the effect of age on the probability of being invited to a job interview. Additionally, we found that the negative association between age and the invitation to interview probability is smaller when recruiters work for firms with a higher percentage of older employees.