How Age Affects Career Progression

Marsha was in her 50s and hoping to make a career pivot. "Have I got chance?" she asked me. I'll tell you what I told her: Ageism in the job market is real. But, if you are prepared, you can overcome the obstacles. It had been years since she'd applied or interviewed for a job. We worked together on her resume, LinkedIn, networking, and interviewing to package her for the job she wanted. When she called to say she'd gotten an offer for a great new job in pharma, with a 30% pay increase, I was jumping up & down!! I want to be clear that this was not easy. It took a lot of focus. Here is the multi-pronged approach we worked on together: 🎯 Resume Strategy: ↳ Focus on impact ("Delivered $2M in savings" vs "25 years of experience") ↳ Go back no more than 15 years  ↳ Highlight current technical skills, leave off old ones ↳ Take the graduation year off all degrees ↳ Contact info should include only city, state (no street address) ↳ Ditch the AOL, and hotmail email addresses; they date you 🌐Networking Strategy: ↳ Reconnect with former colleagues & give them an update ↳ Practice talking about your skills and abilities ↳ Speak to others who've successfully overcome the age barrier ↳ Make sure your LinkedIn profile follows best practices ↳ Work toward 500+ connections ↳ Post and comment on LinkedIn weekly 🏢 Employer Strategy: ↳ Target 40-50 companies with age-diverse cultures ↳ Talk to people in similar roles & ask about key skills ↳ Ask HR/recruiters about their hiring process ↳ Follow each employer on social media to learn priorities 💡 Interview Strategy: ↳ Lead with energy and genuine interest ↳ Show you've done your research with deep preparation ↳ Be ready with stories that include cross-generational work ↳ Share examples of your adaptability and growth mindset ↳ Talk about new skills you've built and show you're on top of trends ↳ Communicate your experience working with diverse people 🤵🏼Personal Strategy: ↳ Take additional courses & certifications to keep your skills fresh ↳ Stay current in your field with podcasts and social media ↳ Make reasonable adjustments to your appearance ↳ Clothes should fit well and be current, but not "trendy" ↳ Avoid language that "dates" you (ask a trusted younger friend) Remember: You're not "overqualified" You have battle-tested wisdom. That, along with these strategies, will set you up as a strong candidate! ♻ Repost to help people who are facing ageism in their job search 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more strategic career insights

Todd spent 18 years in the health & wellness industry. Then…𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥. Bored. Burnout. Exhaustion. A voice in his head saying, “It’s time for something new.” He set his sights on Medical Device Sales. But there was a problem… ❌ He wasn’t getting interviews. ❌ He was getting passed over—again & again. After every rejection, the same thought crept in: “𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓.” Let’s talk about it ⤵ 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦 Especially in sales. Especially in Med Device. Todd’s resume looked like it came from someone over 50. He didn’t mean for it to. But it was filled with outdated language that screamed “senior.” And in interviews, he tried to explain his age instead of owning his value. So we went to work ⤵ 5 things we did to help Todd enter Med Device Sales: → Removed age-revealing language. No more “20+ years of experience” or “seasoned sales professional.” We replaced it with specific wins, numbers, and impact. → Modernized his formatting and email. Goodbye, Yahoo. Delete, “References available upon request” Hello, clean, modern resume with his RESULTS. → Focused on his last 15 years. No need to list every job since the 90s. We kept it relevant. → Practiced age-neutral interview language. No “young at heart” or “back in my day.” Instead: CRM adoption, recent seminars, modern selling skills. → Enhanced his confidence. Because it’s not just about the words on the paper— It’s how you walk into the interview room. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭? Todd is now in Medical Device Sales. Earning more. Working less. And uses his age as an advantage. To every experienced professional reading this: 🛑 You are not too old. 🛑 You are not out of date. ✅ You are capable. ✅ You are valuable. Curious—what’s one outdated resume phrase you’ve seen (or used)? Drop it below ⤵ <><><><><><><><><><> ♻️ Repost this if you believe talent doesn’t have an expiration date.

Career transitions at 47 present unique challenges that younger professionals never face - but remaining in unfulfilling roles for the next 18 years isn't a viable strategy either. The reality of mid-career pivots: you're simultaneously overqualified for many positions and underqualified for others, while facing systematic age bias that companies won't acknowledge but consistently practice. However, experienced professionals possess advantages that create strategic opportunities when properly leveraged. The strategic pivot framework for seasoned professionals: 1. Execute bridge transitions to adjacent industries rather than complete career overhauls 2. Activate peer networks who now hold decision-making authority 3. Establish consulting relationships to demonstrate value before seeking permanent placement 4. Target growth-stage companies that value experience over cost optimization 5. Position wisdom and judgment as competitive advantages rather than apologizing for experience level The fundamental shift required: viewing two decades of experience as strategic assets rather than hiring obstacles. Organizations struggling with inexperienced talent often welcome seasoned professionals who can contribute immediately. Your career pivot timeline is compressed compared to younger professionals, but your network, expertise, and refined judgment create acceleration opportunities they lack. The cost of remaining professionally unfulfilled for the next 18 years far exceeds the risk of strategic career repositioning. Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/32tm3 #careerchange #careerpivot #careeradvice #midlifecareer #careerstrategy #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #professionalreinvention

It is so frustrating to be judged based on your age. In a highly competitive job market, my older clients are expressing their increased frustration with the misconceptions that they lack adaptability and energy, or that they'll retire soon. According to a recent AARP Survey, about 64% of workers aged 45 and older believe that age discrimination impacts their job search. Ageism is very real and continues to challenge experienced professionals in their job search! Here are specific strategies to apply in the resume, cover letter, and interview to divert the hiring manager away from your age and toward the reasons why you are a good fit for the job. 1. 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐞. Rather than listing "30 years of experience," highlight recent achievements that demonstrate the positive outcomes you have achieved. 2. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥. If you're applying for a mid-level role despite having executive experience, explain why. You could say, “I’ve reached a place in my career where I want to apply my expertise to help grow a high-potential startup.” 3. 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. Employers may worry about your longevity. Speak directly to your excitement about the work and express your dedication to staying with the company. Example: “My passion for this field remains strong, and I’m excited to contribute for years to come.” 4. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. Emphasize your willingness to learn, signaling adaptability and motivation to stay current. Mention recent training, certifications, or other learning efforts relevant to the role. 5. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧-𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝. Communicate a willingness to learn from others, including younger team members. This can help disarm biases about older workers being “set in their ways.” 6. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦-𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭. Describe projects where you worked in a supportive role, even if you held a leadership position. Emphasize that you’re comfortable in team settings and value collective success. 7. 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲. In your resume, cover letter, and interviews, use words like “agile,” “driven,” “passionate,” “flexible,” “innovative,” and “committed” to demonstrate energy and stamina. 8. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲’𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. Ask for equity in the company. Expressing interest in equity shows a commitment to the company's success over time. This signals a desire to be invested in the organization for the long term.

When Rex was laid off at age 58 he wasn’t too worried at first. After all, over his career he had earned valuable skills and had 40+ years of experience to his name. It was only a few months into his job search, that he began to worry... He applied to 35 positions. The result: only 3 interviews and 0 offers 😬 Rex suspected age discrimination could be the culprit, even though it was never explicitly said. Luckily, Rex was a journalist in a past life. So, the first thing he did was to contact the recruiter at his previous company and ask him for feedback on his resume. 👨💻 The recruiter said: “Lose the bullet points about having 40 years’ experience. Delete the work experiences from the 1980’s and 90’s. Drop the year you graduated from the University of Michigan. Oh, and the AOL.com email… it has to go. Nobody uses AOL anymore, get a gmail account.” Rex got busy making changes. A LOT of changes. 👉 And guess what? He started landing a LOT of interviews! Age discrimination is very real. But, it's also very much something you can overcome (I help job seekers with it every day). Let's be clear, your age & experience is your greatest ASSET 🎯 BUT, you need to know how to present it the right way. 👉 If you feel like age discrimination could be holding you back, send me a message and I'll send you a free guide I co-authored with Rex's learnings. P.S. Do you use a non-gmail account? I'm guilty of still using Yahoo 😅 _