When experience outpaces age: Why employers hesitate at senior titles in your 20s

A 26-year-old Singaporean marketing professional recently sparked debate on Reddit after sharing how her resume—filled with leadership titles and campaign successes—was creating friction instead of opportunities. Despite six years of experience across MNCs, SMEs, and freelance clients, she has found herself undercut by hiring managers who question her age, her salary expectations, and even her right to hold titles like “Marketing Manager.”

In her post on r/askSingapore, she described how she has built a portfolio of over 80 campaigns and led small teams while managing marketing functions from strategy to execution. Yet, feedback in interviews ranged from "You’re so young and already a manager?" to "Why are you applying for a Senior Executive role if you’ve already been a Manager?" and even "You’ll be managing people older than you."

The most troubling encounter? One interviewer reportedly laughed at her salary expectation of S$5.2k, stating, "People your age usually only earn S$3.5k–4k."

To her credit, the jobseeker made it clear she isn’t attached to titles. She’s willing to accept a more junior role in a larger firm if the scope is meaningful. Her concern lies with being unfairly penalized for past roles she earned fairly. “I’ve worked like a dog the past six years,” she wrote, expressing concern about whether she should consider “downgrading” her job titles to get through initial filters.

This incident sheds light on a deeper mismatch in hiring practices. In today’s job market, accelerated career paths are becoming more common—especially in startups, agencies, or SMEs where lean teams require broader responsibility. Titles like “Manager” or “Lead” may not reflect a large team, but they often reflect autonomy, accountability, and real strategic ownership.

Unfortunately, many recruiters and hiring managers still evaluate candidates through traditional corporate lenses. They equate job title with age and assume a linear progression: intern, executive, senior executive, assistant manager, and only then manager. When a candidate defies this path, the assumption is often skepticism, not curiosity.

But this mindset ignores the reality of modern work. Many young professionals run their own businesses, manage campaigns, or lead cross-functional teams before age 30. The tools, access, and platforms now available mean that leadership experience is increasingly decoupled from age.

Some jobseekers consider toning down their resumes—removing senior titles or softening descriptions—to avoid seeming overqualified. But career experts warn against this. Former Disney executive Carrie Stone says that adjusting your past roles to look more junior can backfire. “If job seekers misrepresent credentials, they are seen as dishonest, and employers will question their integrity,” she told employment site Monster.

Sociologist William Finlay adds that this kind of strategic omission is often a deal-breaker. “It calls the candidate’s honesty into question,” he said. Instead, experts recommend tailoring the resume—not toning it down. That means customizing it to highlight what matters most to the target job. Resume writer Tracy Parish advises listing key accomplishments, responsibilities, and results that match the position, while leaving out what’s not relevant.

If a past job involved managing a team, don’t hide that—but be clear about the scope. Did you lead a team of three? Oversee a budget of $20k? Manage internal comms or coordinate vendors? Specificity removes ambiguity.

Cover letters can also help. This is your chance to address any apparent mismatches directly and turn them into assets. For instance: "While I held a Manager title in a previous SME role, I understand that larger firms have different internal structures, and I'm excited to bring my cross-functional skills to your team, regardless of formal title."

Let’s be honest: age bias remains entrenched in many Asian workplaces. The assumption that authority should increase with age is deeply cultural. But it's increasingly out of sync with how work actually gets done. Comments like “You’ll be managing people older than you” reflect an outdated hierarchy where seniority equals leadership. But leadership is not age-dependent—it’s competency-dependent.

This isn’t just about age. It’s about an employer’s discomfort with career paths that don’t look like their own. Some hiring managers interpret a candidate's growth as threatening, arrogant, or suspicious. Others simply don’t know how to benchmark SME or freelance experience against corporate structures.

It’s a form of unconscious bias. And it results in missed opportunities for both sides.

1. SME titles and experience deserve better calibration: Companies must evolve how they interpret non-MNC experience. Wearing multiple hats and leading small teams shouldn’t be penalized—it should be valued as proof of resilience, adaptability, and initiative.
2. Resume filtering tools need nuance: Too many hiring systems use automated keyword filters that don’t capture nuance. Someone who led a team of three on 20+ digital campaigns may be more valuable than a "senior executive" in a passive MNC role. Recruiters need training—and better software.
3. Early-career leadership is not a red flag: It’s a sign of agility. With flatter orgs, cross-border freelancing, and digital-first industries, many 20-somethings are capable of running projects, handling clients, and mentoring juniors. Employers that cling to old hierarchies will lose out on this talent.
4. Interview etiquette matters: Laughing at a salary expectation is unprofessional, full stop. Feedback should be constructive, not dismissive. Otherwise, companies risk reputational damage and missed hires.

Singapore’s job market talks about agility and innovation, but too often reverts to traditional assumptions when evaluating talent. The idea that a 26-year-old can’t lead, or shouldn’t expect a certain salary, contradicts the reality of modern work. Titles may vary across company sizes, but impact and responsibility are what matter.

Instead of penalizing high-achieving young professionals, hiring managers should upgrade their evaluation frameworks. Use structured interviews, contextual performance questions, and case-based assessments to go beyond surface impressions. And jobseekers? Don’t shrink your resume to fit someone else's mental model. Your experience is valid. The right employer will value it.

Ultimately, this Reddit post isn’t just a vent. It’s a case study in how career structures are evolving faster than hiring mindsets. And that evolution deserves a better response than disbelief.