‘Malta has an ageism problem’ – Recruiter Francesca Ellul

At a time when talent shortages are a top concern, when company action and national policy alike are scrambling to fill in the gaps in skills and talent, Maltese business leaders need to take a step back and consider whether their prejudices are impacting their hiring decisions.

Francesca Ellul, Founder of Pursue Consultancy, has drawn attention to the issue in a personal post that exposes the harm done to both employers and candidates when assumptions trump facts.

Drawing on her experience, she shared that after 11 years working in recruitment, “there is one thing that genuinely worries me about my career: getting old.”

She makes it clear that “Malta has an ageism problem,” with the most common feedback she receives when introducing older candidates revealing a bias that is damaging to all parties.

“They’re good on paper, but I’m not sure they’d fit within our team dynamic.”

Without dismissing the businesses’ concerns, Ms Ellul points out that employers are overlooking an entire segment of the workforce that “is ready, willing, and highly capable.”

“In many cases, the role actually benefits from someone more mature,” she says, but “what I see instead is bias – often unconscious.”

The assumptions that go along with age mean that the issue is less prevalent at an executive level. “In fact, we often expect leadership to come with age,” notes Ms Ellul.

But not everyone is career-driven. Not everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder. Most people simply want stability, a decent income, and a good quality of life.”

This results in a large population of experienced, capable candidates working in administrative and middle-management roles who suddenly become “too old” to be considered, she warns.

That judgement is based on the assumption that older “means less fun, less flexible, less energetic, less engaged.”

Turning back to personal reflection, the Pursue Consultancy Founder notes that “the older I get, the more I realise I’m still the same person at my core. Just with more perspective, resilience & more life experience.”