Why mature women are undervalued in careers

♦️The Invisible Years♦️ I shared a post on aging a week ago, it has had over 125,000 impressions. A topic that obviously needed to be given a voice. I’ve heard from so many of you who shared a common struggle: finding a role when your 50+ is extremely difficult. These women and men have incredible resumes, years of leadership experience, and proven track records. And yet, they feel invisible—overlooked for roles they’re more than qualified to fill. I’ve experienced it first hand. When I was 54, I was laid off for the first time in my life. I didn’t think it would be difficult to find another role—I had the qualifications, the experience, and a strong network. But what I didn’t expect was how much my age would work against me. At one point, I removed the dates from my resume —anything that could hint at how long I’ve been in the workforce. Almost immediately, I noticed a difference. I got more callbacks, more interviews. But then, when I met people in person or on Zoom, the responses changed. I started getting ghosted or told they were “moving in another direction.” And I’m not alone. Research backs up what so many of us are experiencing. • A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that older job applicants receive significantly fewer callbacks than younger ones. Older women, in particular, face even steeper challenges than older men. • The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) highlights this issue as well, reporting that older workers represent less than 5% of new hires at most organizations. The bias is pervasive, and it’s soul crushing for those of us who have so much left to contribute. Why is this happening? Some of it is perception. There’s a false narrative that older professionals aren’t as adaptable, innovative, or tech-savvy as younger candidates. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’ve adapted to more change in our careers than most younger professionals —whether it’s technological evolution, economic shifts, or cultural transformation. But the reality is stark: Experience is often viewed as a cost rather than an asset. And the result is that highly capable professionals, particularly those over 50, are sidelined in favor of younger, less experienced candidates. This isn’t just a personal frustration—it’s a systemic problem. Companies are losing out on diverse perspectives, institutional knowledge, and mentorship that experienced professionals bring to the table. If we don’t challenge this bias, we’re perpetuating a culture that devalues people at the peak of their careers. I’m calling on leaders and decision-makers to take a hard look at hiring practices. Let’s stop ghosting qualified candidates because of their age. To anyone out there feeling this struggle, you’re not alone. To those who’ve overcome it, I’d love to hear how you broke through. ⬇️ Let’s keep this conversation going—because the more we speak out, the harder we are to ignore!

Stop Underestimating The 50+ Crowd! Recently, I had a conversation with one of the smartest women I know, who was explaining to me that she'd hit a stopping point in her current position. She’s over 50, has a stellar track record, and is brimming with wisdom and leaderly qualities. Yet, she lamented, "What am I gonna do? I'm over 50. No one is gonna hire me." This hit me hard. Here’s a brilliant woman with decades of success who feels like she has nothing left to offer. Why? Because of an outdated mindset that sees age as a barrier instead of an asset. We need to be done with that way of thinking. Our 50s today are not our mothers’ 50s. We are healthier, cooler, and more engaged than ever. According to a study by AARP, nearly 50% of older workers plan to work past traditional retirement age, and many seek new career challenges. You can’t put a price tag on the wisdom, experience, and vision possessed by those over 50. These folks have weathered economic turmoil, led teams, and seen industries evolve. Their contributions are not just valuable; they are indispensable. Research suggests that older workers are highly motivated, reliable, and bring a depth of knowledge that is critical for business success. But also - are those over 50 'older workers'? Really? Some of the strongest, most competent leaders I know are well into their 50's and 60's. Ageism is real, and it’s a barrier we must collectively address and work to eliminate. Companies with generational diversity see higher performance and increased innovation. A National Bureau of Economic Research study found that mixed-age teams are more productive than homogenous teams, benefiting from a blend of experience and fresh perspectives. To leverage this wisdom, we need to foster environments that value experience, diversity of perspective, mentorship, and sponsorship. We need to be proactive in creating opportunities for seasoned professionals to share their knowledge and even learn from younger generations. Reverse mentorship is a gift for everyone involved. And these relationships aren’t just beneficial—they’re essential for future-proofing our businesses. The concept of retirement is evolving. Many people over 50 are not looking to wind down but to ramp up. They want to explore new directions or career moves, take on new challenges, and make meaningful contributions. The traditional retirement age is shifting, increasing the possibilities for late-career reinvention. If we want to benefit from this change, we have to contribute to it. We need to recognize and amplify the value of this talent pool. Let’s challenge ageist attitudes and build workplaces that are inclusive of everyone with skills and smarts to offer. Remember, your career doesn’t have an expiration date. Maybe you've only just begun! So, how will you help shift the culture to something more age-diverse?

There are players who never put up great stats, but you keep them around because they make the people around them better. Back in my corporate life in the automotive industry, we had 6 product managers. One of them was Lisa (name changed). She had a small portfolio She had no visible ambitions for promotion She had an average performance So when Lisa was let go, nobody blinked. The decision was rational. KPI-driven. MBA-approved. 6 months later: → Collaboration died. → Trivial conflicts exploded. → Toxicity flourished. → The team fell apart. Why? Because the invisible glue had left the building. Lisa was the glue. She wasn’t the loudest. She didn’t care for credit. But she made others better. She kept things human. She did what every leadership book forgets: 👉 She made people want to come to work. But glue work isn’t seen. It’s not in your OKRs. It’s not in your bonus calculation. It doesn’t show up on dashboards — until everything breaks. And here’s the uncomfortable reality: ➡️ Glue work is gendered. Most of it falls on women, especially those who are "nice", "team players", or "not career-driven". (Translation: socially conditioned not to say no.) ➡️ Glue work is undervalued. Once the glue is gone, companies hire expensive consultants to run "culture transformation" projects. ➡️ Glue workers are punished. In promotion rounds, they are seen as steady — but not "high potential". Steady doesn’t win the race. Loud does. So, what’s the solution? ✅ Name the glue. In performance reviews. In team calibrations. In leadership rooms. Make it explicit. ✅ Make glue work valuable. Give it weight in promotions. Allocate part of leadership KPIs to it. Because team performance is performance. ✅ Stop romanticizing ambition only in one direction. The "hungry for the next title" narrative is corporate monoculture. Stability, humanity, and creating cohesion are also leadership. 👩👉 For women: Stop doing glue work unconsciously. Do it STRATEGICALLY! If you hold the team together, own that narrative. "Without me, you’re paying McKinsey to fix your mess." (And you won’t even get my discount.) Lisa didn’t fail. The system failed to see what she did. And many teams today are quietly rotting… ... held together by invisible glue that is unpaid, unnoticed, and one resignation away from chaos. Glue is never urgent.... until it’s gone. And when it’s gone, it’s not the glue that breaks. It’s everything else.

There comes a moment for many women in midlife when, without warning, the career they’ve spent decades building starts to feel like it’s slipping out of reach... You’re still performing at the highest level, often better than you ever have, but the recognition begins to fade. The opportunities quiet down. And slowly, you start to feel invisible in an industry you helped shape. It’s not because you’re less capable. It’s because the world isn’t built to value women as we age. Especially not in the workplace. But aging out of a role doesn’t mean aging out of purpose. It doesn’t mean your experience stops mattering. And it certainly doesn’t mean you have to shrink to fit into someone else’s idea of relevance. Not everyone can upend their career overnight. I couldn’t either, not right away. But I could start listening to the voice that said there’s more. That this chapter doesn’t have to look like the last one to be meaningful, powerful, or worth pursuing. If you’re in that place, questioning what’s next, just know you’re not alone. You haven’t missed your moment. And even small shifts can lead to something bigger. We deserve careers that evolve with us, not ones that push us out the door the moment we change.