Mfcttrf

I have had a similar situation when working in Europe - although not identical.

The later age of graduation in some countries relative to the UK (especially with an MSc or PhD) can mean that when you are under about 28-30 it can be hard to establish professional credibility.

At 28, someone from the UK can have an MSc and 6 years of practical experience in their role, where in Germany or the Netherlands they might have only just started work professionally.

I found the best approach in these situations was to be extremely "hardcore" from a technical perspective in the initial project start-up meetings, and to continually refer back to situations in previous projects ("ah - that's like something I worked on five years ago...") Over a few meetings people learn to park their age-based prejudice to one side, and focus instead on what you actually have to say.

Similarly projecting an experienced, professional style will also help, as a jmort253 has commented, emulating the dress style, composure and focus of those who are significantly older that you may help.

Unfortunately none of this will prevent the prejudice you are seeing, but may help you to mitigate it more rapidly. And take heart that as jmort253 also implies, in 10-15 years time, this will be working in your favour.

I used to have this problem. People have finally stopped asking if I'm in high school. I did mention my age (or how long I've been with the company or year of graduation) for years when a new person started on the team so they wouldn't think I was brand new.

The key is to do it in a way that doesn't sound awkward. For example "Hi. I'm Joe, I'm 25." does make you sound immature. Vs "Hi. I'm Joe and I've been in sales since I graduated in 2008. Today I'd like to discuss how our product meets your needs."

The other ways of dealing with it are to be really good at what you do or establish a relationship without being seen. (Email, phone to start - before meeting.) Granted neither of these does anything for first impressions which seems to be what you are asking about.

I agree with enderland's answer quite strongly but wanted to add a few other unrelated thoughts...

Along with making sure that you are absolutely dead on with "acting your age" - I found that my young-looking coworkers also had another trick or two. They wouldn't say "Hi I'm name and I'm 25" but they would find ways to drop indicators of their age including:

• Role - usually in a professional environment, the role of someone who's 25 is quite different than the role of someone who's 19.


• Certifications/credentials - having gone to college, having a professional certification is an indicator that one didn't just finish high school.


• Life status indicators - seroius significant others, renting apartments, owning homes, buying your own car, other signs of adult living.

These are all gentle tips to the listener to hopefully get them consciously clued in that you are older than you look without having to come right out and say it. I've also seen younger-looking folks have some funny stories worked in, if they are particularly comfortable with making a joke about it (not for every collegue, every situation or every individual).

Also, once or twice I've taken on the cause as a friend and peer and when someone in my presence mentioned that a certain collegue was "young for that position" or "young for a promotion" - I'd step in an make them question why they were saying that - if it was just perception, or was there a behavior that seemed young because the individual in question has a young face.

I'm not necessarily saying motivate every colleague, but if you have a few peers you're close to, having a PR campaign can be useful.

Some additional "superficial" things not mentioned in the other solutions:

• Use accessories that are mostly linked to senior professionals: a leather case for your phone, a watch, a high quality pen and notebook


• Chose dark colors in your clothing and accessories


• Some tricks to make you look older: shorter hair, glasses, relaxed body movements, shirt in pants, leather belt, conservative shoes


• If you talk privately to someone who is condescending to you, chose sophisticated topics. The book you have read, something in the news. Not your last party, the band you are playing in or the multitude of girls (or boys) you are dating.

So three years down the line and I still look the same age, lucky me.

I have found that I have shaken this problem though and I would attribute that to several points.

1. 
   

   Confidence

   
   
   
   • I speak my opinion in meetings, even if it's just to
     affirm or highlight additional benefits/drawbacks on a point someone
     else has raised. Which I know I didn't in the past. As I work
     elsewhere now I've seen younger people do the opposite, or speak and
     sound unsure of themselves, it definitely makes them seem less
     mature.
   
   


2. 
   

   Appearance - I wasn't so bad on this point but I have polished my
   appearance somewhat.

   
   
   
   • My hair style was letting me down especially, it
     wasn't a mess but it wasn't smart or professional looking. This was
     purely because my hair is awkward to work with and I hadn't found a
     style that suited me well at that point in time.
   
   
   • I also think Hitting the gym helped - I weigh about 14 lbs more than I used to, in muscle, so while my face appears the same my body looks like more "manly" and adult
   
   
   • This also helps with the confidence point, as looking good raises your self esteem.
   
   
   • I've found that I rarely get asked for ID when I'm out as well, so despite the baby face clearly just visually I'm not projecting teenager/student any more.
   
   

I feel that with getting these two main points down meant I never really have to drop in subtle references to my age.

People assume I am younger than them at first, but after speaking to me for a short while they can tell my maturity level doesn't fit their initial impression.
This usually ends up with people actually just asking my age.

So as advice I would say; dress well, go read a few fashion blogs - you don't have to copy their style or buy a new wardrobe that's not "you" but there are a few general tips like making sure your clothes fit right that make a big difference.
Assert yourself and make your voice heard and keep doing it, it will get easier. Build up your reputation, so do your job well and work on your personal PR.

Have you ever seen the commercial with the middle-aged looking guy who goes to a job interview? The product being sold is the Touch of Grey mens hair dye. The commercial emphasizes looking young enough to have the energy to get things done while looking old enough to know what you're doing.

The commercial shows the interview candidate both with a full head of dark hair sitting next to himself with a full head of grey hair. An attractive woman is seen in the foreground discussing with a male colleague whether or not the guy will have the energy and experience to do the job. The two versions of the guy is then seen merged together into a guy with slightly greying hair. The woman making the hiring decision walks into the room and welcomes the man into the organization. She might even be biting her glasses if memory serves.

Although this is just a commercial, there is a lot of truth to the ageism ideas presented. Men that appear young are likely to not be taken seriously while older me may be looked at as being inflexible or incapable of adapting to the organizational structure.

As much as I would like to tell you that this doesn't exist, it does, and it may be helpful for you to make changes to your hair and your dress that will make you appear older. For instance, you might consider investing in a more conservative suit or more conservative clothing.

Look at the men in your organization who are in their thirties. How do they dress? Consider adapting a similar style.

Now, don't think this is something you're doing for others; instead, this is something that you're doing for you. Consider that when you dress differently, this may make you feel more your age, and it may help you feel more confident and change your behavior. By doing things that make you feel more confident about your age, you'll notice that people will treat you differently, with more respect!

From personal experience I've found that experience can offset a youthful appearance quite well - if you know what you are talking about and speak with confidence about a given topic you will probably come across as older.

There is also an issue here of the communication channels - I would say that convincing someone of your knowledge / worth (and how it doesn't relate to perceived age) differs substantially in person than on the phone.

In person (i.e. with colleagues) - you will almost certainly have a greater scope to portray your experience and knowledge. The best way to prove the validity of your suggestions is to make note of changes / ideas you have implemented (or recommended) and the gains they resulted in. Oftentimes people perceive that length of experience is the best measure of its depth, and this is a fallacy: show people consistently that you know what you are talking about and they will start to listen (especially if you truly believe in what you are saying).

On the phone (and especially with clients) can be harder (particularly if your voice sounds particularly youthful(?)), but I would not suggest mentioning your age as it can only ever be held against you. Instead take time with what you are saying (as this adds gravitas to your point), and if necessary change your tone / words used to match more with how the clients talk, as this will make you appear to be more comparable in age even if this isn't the case!

When I was younger, a very wise man suggested that I respond by addressing my age upfront by saying something like:

I get the feeling that my youthful looks may have surprised you ...

or I have a problem that I want to share with you before we get started ... in the past my youthful appearance has been considered a distraction, but I've found that if I bring it up before I get started the distraction tends to disappear.

In other words diffuse any perceived challenges including youthful appearance before you get started.