“It’s a young department — how will you cope?”: The brutal reality of ageism in British recruitment
A seasoned television professional’s shocking interview experience exposes how Britain’s creative industries are systematically excluding experienced workers in favour of ‘trendy’ youth — and why this obsession with age over ability is failing everyone. Katherine Steiner-Dicks reports
“It’s a young department — how will you cope?”
The question hung in the air. Natalie Brook-Reynolds, a television professional with over 20 years’ experience in TV, film, and theatre production, had to replay that question in her head along with so many others like: Who asks this type of interview question in 2025?
The interviewer — someone of similar age to Natalie, with greying hair and perhaps slightly more experience — had apparently decided that her decades of expertise mattered less than fitting into their vision of a “young, vibrant team.”
I actually want to work. I always have. But freelancing in an industry that increasingly overlooks experience in favour of shiny newness is exhausting.
The interview that exposed everything
Natalie’s experience began with two interviews. The first, with a much younger person, covered preliminary HR questions, including salary and role details. The second interviewer, however, revealed the company’s true priorities.
“They appeared engaging and informative, but their approach felt somewhat chaotic,” Natalie recalls. “It quickly became apparent that the interviewer hadn’t read my CV thoroughly and had only scanned it, as his initial questions were based on only part of the information.”
When confronted with the discriminatory question about coping with younger colleagues, Natalie responded professionally:
I explained that in a previous role I worked with a very young department, and in fact the person I reported to was younger than me. I emphasised that I have no issues working in a young, vibrant team and that I always strive to foster a collaborative environment, as I firmly believe that the best departments are those where everyone learns from and supports one another.
But the damage was done. The interviewer had made assumptions without exploring what Natalie’s experience might offer that his younger workers didn’t possess.
A pattern, not an isolated incident
Sadly, this interview experience wasn’t an isolated incident. Natalie has been without regular television work for 954 days — a drought that’s both financially devastating and emotionally draining.
“This drought isn’t just financially awful. It’s emotional and mentally draining, too,” she shared in a LinkedIn post. “I actually want to work. I always have. But freelancing in an industry that increasingly overlooks experience in favour of shiny newness is exhausting.”
Her career spans 20 years in television and 13 years in theatre as a stage manager before transitioning to TV. Yet despite this wealth of experience, she finds herself repeatedly overlooked.
Pay wasn’t the issue in this particular interview. “It seemed more likely to be about culture and the image that media companies often like to project — young, trendy, and dynamic,” Natalie explains.
Natalie feels you don’t have to wear a “trendy” uniform to work to give clients what they want:
Unfortunately, senior roles naturally tend to attract experienced professionals who have earned their stripes over time. I suspect that whilst I had the necessary experience, I may not have appeared ‘trendy’ enough for the image they were looking to maintain.
The coded language of age recruitment discrimination
Natalie’s experience has taught her to read between the lines of job descriptions. She’ll now most likely avoid applications that include phrases like “young, vibrant team” or “digital native” — buzzwords that Natalie believes often translate to “don’t apply if you’re over 30.”
“‘We’re a Gen Z-first brand’ might as well say ‘experience not welcome,'” she observes.
This coded language reflects a broader cultural shift that mirrors the premise of the comedy film The Internship. The older protagonists face similar assumptions about their ability to work with younger colleagues at Google, initially dismissed as “old-school” and out of touch with digital-native culture.
Whilst the film offered a feel-good resolution where experience ultimately proved valuable, real-world professionals like Natalie are still fighting an uphill battle against these entrenched biases.
Calmness is learned and earned
Like the older characters in The Internship who succeeded by leveraging their distinct strengths rather than trying to be younger, Natalie argues that experienced professionals bring unique value to creative teams.
“We bring calmness under pressure, and a wealth of knowledge,” she says. “We support those colleagues who are less experienced and are not there to take over. We also understand the current landscape of budgets being squeezed and adapt accordingly.”
The film’s portrayal of intergenerational teams as mutually beneficial — where older characters learn new skills whilst contributing wisdom and perspective — challenges the zero-sum thinking that experience somehow threatens youth.
An industry-wide problem
When did experience become not valued, and even sidelined? Natalie’s question touches on a shift in how Britain’s creative industries value their workforce.
The obsession with “cultural fit” over competence, the assumption that youth equals innovation, and the belief that experienced workers can’t adapt to modern working methods are failing everyone. Young professionals miss out on mentorship and institutional knowledge, whilst experienced workers face systematic exclusion despite their proven abilities.
“Yet we are often overlooked in favour of buzzwords and assumptions,” Natalie says. “It’s 2025. This needs to change!”
Where do you go from here?
Natalie’s experience highlights the urgent need for the media and TV industries to confront its age bias. Arguably, companies that prioritise image over ability are not only engaging in illegal discrimination but also undermining their own success.
The best creative teams, like the diverse group in The Internship, combine fresh perspectives with seasoned wisdom. They create environments where everyone learns from and supports one another, exactly the collaborative culture Natalie champions.
“I genuinely believe my skills are transferable,” she reflects. “I just need to find a home for them.”
Her story serves as both a wake-up call and a rallying cry. In an industry built on storytelling, it’s time to recognise that the best stories — and the best teams — draw from the full spectrum of human experience and characters, not just the shiniest new chapter.
For those of you aged north of 50 who have streamed the series ‘The White Lotus’, you’ll be happy to know that the fans’ favourite character was Tanya McQuoid played by actress Jennifer Coolidge (age 63).
Yet, for Natalie and countless others facing similar age discrimination, the question isn’t whether they can cope with working alongside younger colleagues. It’s whether the industry can afford to keep wasting their expertise.
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