In the past three years, 41% of Russian employers have raised the age requirements for job applicants, with half of these employers being small and medium-sized businesses. According to a survey conducted by analysts from the cloud-based CRM system Talantix, which is part of the HR ecosystem of hh.ru services, this change is driven by demographic shifts.
According to Rosstat, Russia’s population is nearly 146.5 million, with 83.4 million being working-age citizens. This is 2.7 million fewer than ten years ago. There are 11 million people aged 30-34, born between 1989 and 1993, which is 311,000 fewer than ten years ago. There are even fewer Russians aged 20-29, numbering 7.5 million, reports “Gazeta.Ru.”
In April, the number of job vacancies increased by 28% compared to 2023, while the number of active resumes rose by only 7%. This led to an increase in the hh.index to 3.3 points, indicating heightened competition for job seekers and prompting employers to reconsider age restrictions. Consequently, 52% of small and 44% of large companies have more frequently hired older candidates.
Overall, 41% of employers have improved their attitude towards candidates over 40 years old, whereas only 7% of firms have hired them less frequently. Notably, 23% of respondents stated that among their recently hired employees, the majority are aged 41-55.
However, 39% of companies still focus on hiring candidates aged 36-40. Meanwhile, 43% of companies reported that candidates aged 41-55 most frequently apply for their vacancies.
The survey also revealed that 20% of companies invest in hiring young specialists, a strategy popular among 28% of employers with 100 to 500 employees and 23% of large companies. Additionally, 17% of employers have most frequently hired young specialists (18-25 years old) over the past three years.
The average age of employees in one in five companies is 41-55 years, in 41% of companies it is 36-40 years, and in 27% it is 31-35 years. In 9% of companies, workers aged 26-30 predominate, while in 2% the majority are 18-25 years old.
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