Need-to-know basis makes age a thing of the pas

While Asda is to be applauded for removing the date of birth from its application form (Personnel-
Today.com, 29 August), the fact this piece of information was still being asked for as a matter of course is shocking.

What took Asda so long? Any best-in-class recruiter knows that, for the majority of jobs, age is irrelevant – so why ask for it in the first place?

First, it can potentially prejudice a person’s application, even if unconsciously. And it lays an organisation open to claims of discrimination if questions are asked that have no bearing on the selection criteria or a person’s ability to do the job.

Second, it wastes applicants’ time when they are asked for information that is not readily used in the initial screening process.

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Ask for what you need, when you need it, not indiscriminately just because that’s the way it’s always been done.

Lesley Nash
Managing director,
Changework Now