Beyond the Age Filter: How Employer Branding on LinkedIn Represents Young, Mid-Career, and Experienced Professionals

Given demographic changes and aging employees, age-inclusive employer branding is therefore relevant for organizations aiming to attract diverse talent. Although diversity and inclusion have been an important corporate communications topic, relatively little has been said about age. This thesis examines how various age categories; young professionals (18- 34), mid-career professionals (35-54), and experienced professionals (55+), are presented in employer branding campaigns on LinkedIn. Although the platform offers the opportunity for inclusive storytelling, little research has been conducted analyzing age representation. The central research question guiding this study is: How do employers represent different age groups in employer branding campaigns on social media? To answer this question, a qualitative content analysis was performed of 150 employer branding posts on LinkedIn from ten well-known companies in five different sectors: Communication Technology, Industry & Engineering, Financial Services, Transport & Infrastructure, and Fashion & Luxury. Using a coding framework based on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), Dual-Process Model of Diversity Management (DPM), and Career Stages Theory, the posts were examined for visual and textual indicators of warmth, competence, and inclusivity. Findings show that mid-career professionals dominate employer branding posts and that they are portrayed as competent and reliable. Young professionals also have a strong presence, especially in Communication Technology and Fashion & Luxury. Young professionals are frequently framed as emotionally warm and dynamic rather than professionally competent. Experienced professionals are mostly absent across all sectors and where they did appear they are depicted as mentors or support roles. This resembles the SCM stereotype of "high warmth, low competence". These portrayals suggest that organizations may unintentionally perpetuate age-based biases, even while claiming to support inclusion. While some companies, like Google, Stedin, Schiphol, and Rabobank, showed signs of structural inclusivity (e.g., mentorship programs, inclusive HR policies) most companies relied on symbolic representation. These companies showed diverse imagery but without tangible evidence of inclusion. Humor, which could serve as a bridge across generations, was notably absent in all analyzed content. Visual and tonal strategies varied by sector, but a consistent pattern of marginalizing older professionals and idealizing youthful energy emerged. This study contributes to the existing theory by applying stereotype and generational frameworks to the visual and discursive realm of employer branding. It highlights a disconnect between corporate diversity rhetoric and the reality of representation when it comes to age, thereby making a case for organizations to engage in more structurally inclusive and age-diverse practices in branding. Practically, the results offer applicable advice for communications professionals that want to target to multigenerational audiences in an authentic manner.