Combating Ageism in the Workplace

I’m 58 – and after my last post, my inbox exploded. Not with trolls or critics. With other women. Brilliant, seasoned, fire-in-their-belly women. Some were over 45. Some were 50. Some well into their 60s. All were saying the same thing: ‘No one’s calling me back.’ They’ve been told to leave dates off their CVs. To downplay their achievements. To pretend they’re less than they are – just to be considered. And it’s not just anecdotal. A global study by Women of Influence+ found that nearly 80% of women have faced ageism at work – and nearly half say it’s still happening. Many are advised to colour their hair, remove dates from their résumés, or ‘soften’ their leadership tone. (I’ve linked the full report in the comments.) And here’s one of the hardest pills to swallow – It’s often people in their 30s who are making the call. Hiring managers, founders, team leads – dismissing smart, capable women as irrelevant, out of touch, or past their use-by date. Not because of poor performance, but because of assumptions. And it’s not just global data – it’s happening close to home. In a recent ABC News interview, an Australian woman over 45 shared how she’s supporting two sons on just $500 a week because she can’t get hired. Watch it. Feel it. Then ask yourself: how many talented women are we leaving behind? (That link’s in the comments too.) So here’s my question: What are recruiters, hiring managers, and decision-makers really looking for? Because I keep hearing: ‘You’re exactly what we need, but we’re looking for someone more junior.’ ‘We loved you, but we went with someone who could grow into the role.’ ‘You might intimidate the team.’ Let’s be clear: These women aren’t applying to be astronauts or DJs. They’re applying for roles they’ve done – in some cases, with award-winning results. And still, silence. This isn’t just ageism. It’s erasure. So I want to hear from recruiters, HR leads, agency heads, and brand teams: – Why are experienced women being ignored? – What does ‘too experienced’ actually mean? – Why does confidence and clarity get mistaken for arrogance when it comes from a woman over 50? If you’ve seen this happen – or if you’ve been that woman – I’d love you to share. And if you’re hiring right now, maybe… just maybe… start by calling back one of the women who’s already done the job. And done it brilliantly. Let’s have the hard conversation. #Ageism #WomenOver45 #CareerEquity #FutureOfWork #InclusionMatters #DiversityAndInclusion #HiringBias #WomenInWork #WorkplaceEquity #LinkedInVoices #MidlifeCareers #AgePositive #ThisIs58 #58AndUnapologetic #ExperienceMatters

Is your company unknowingly throwing away millions in experience? Why ageism in tech is a HUGE mistake (and how we can fix it). Here's a sobering statistic from a 2018 AARP survey: Nearly one in four workers age 45 and older have been subjected to negative comments about their age from supervisors or coworkers. In the workplace, there's a world of difference between raw enthusiasm and acquired wisdom. Picture this: one worker frantically hitting a wall with all their energy, making little progress, while a seasoned professional takes one calculated strike and brings the entire wall down. This video perfectly captures why experience matters so much. I'll never forget early in my career when a seasoned mentor solved a critical product issue in minutes—something our entire team had been wrestling with for weeks. Not only did they save the day, but they taught me the invaluable lesson of what true experience brings to the table. Yet workplace ageism threatens to silence this wisdom. The current reality is troubling. The tech industry is seeing unprecedented layoffs, and unfortunately, senior employees are often the first to go. This not only wastes their invaluable experience but perpetuates ageism in our workplaces. Hiring biases run deep—despite their wealth of experience, senior professionals are frequently overlooked for younger candidates perceived as more "adaptable." While rapid technological changes can sometimes leave seasoned workers playing catch-up, we're overlooking their unmatched problem-solving skills and institutional knowledge. Many organizations fail to invest in retraining their most experienced workers, viewing them as a "sunk cost" rather than recognizing the complex wisdom that comes with years of experience. Here's how we can drive change: ↳ Build truly inclusive workplaces that celebrate age diversity as a competitive advantage ↳ Prioritize upskilling initiatives that benefit workers at every career stage ↳ Champion experience by recognizing and showcasing the transformative impact of seasoned professionals The wisdom that comes with years of experience shouldn't be discarded—it should be treasured. What's your take? ↳How do you think industries can better celebrate and integrate seasoned experts? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. ↳↳One favor? If this resonates with you, please repost ♻️ and share with your network. Source: AARP 2018 Survey on Age Discrimination Video Source: Internet

Today, I experienced something that left me both frustrated and reflective. Anyone who knows me is aware that I’ve been navigating an unexpectedly difficult job search. Despite 14 years of experience in recruitment and talent acquisition, and countless hours spent fine-tuning my resume, I’ve only received responses to 3 out of 400+ applications—none of which led to an interview. This morning, a recruiter reached out, and our conversation seemed promising. I passed every question during the phone screen until we reached one about my overall HR experience. When I shared that I have 14 years of experience, the tone of the conversation shifted. The recruiter abruptly paused and said she needed to consult with the client. When I asked why, her response stunned me: “They’re looking for younger candidates who can be molded.” Mind you, the role required 3–5 years of experience in a specific area—an area where I have 4 years of direct expertise. Yet, the conversation ended there. This experience serves as a stark reminder: while we often focus on discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and religion (rightfully so), age discrimination is a reality that often goes unspoken. For those of us with years of experience, the value we bring is not just in what we’ve done, but in the perspective, wisdom, and adaptability we offer. Organizations miss out when they overlook seasoned professionals in favor of those who are simply “younger.” To my network: Have you encountered similar challenges? How do we, as a professional community, address and combat this subtle yet pervasive form of bias? Let’s start the conversation. #AgeDiscrimination #JobSearch #DiversityAndInclusion #HR

I turned 50 last month. My biggest advice to young(er) women: Time is your friend. Getting older is not an enemy but an asset. Don’t believe me? Your likelihood of entrepreneurial success is proven to increase with age until you hit 60. The average successful start-up founder’s age is in the mid-40s. A 50-year-old founder is 2x as likely to build a business to IPO or exit as a 30-year-old founder. Let me say that again. TWICE as likely. Too many women feel like they’ve already lost if they haven’t ‘made it’ by 30 or 40 or 50. Trust me, after achieving just about every goal of mine, I STILL don’t have everything figured out. I don’t think anyone ever does. So ignore the social media hype of FOMO and 20-something billionaires. You’re only seeing the highlight reel of other people, not their real life. So don’t use that as a measure to compare yourself. You have time. It’s never too late to start that side hustle or set up your business. Today is always the best time to start because it’s all you can control.

Ageism is rampant in the job search right now. I’ve received more requests for help from older job seekers than ever before. Here’s a strategy that’s been working for them: Proactively Handle The Objection. Ageism is the result of bias, which is an awful thing. Instead of letting the hiring team sit with assumptions and unanswered questions, tackle them head on. Here’s how: 1. Make a list of all the reason why your age / experience might be viewed as a "downside" by a company. For example, the cost of hiring you vs. a younger applicant or capabilities with newer platforms and methods. 2. For each “objection,” draft an answer for how you’d handle it. Here’s an example: Objection - We’re not sure if you’re up to speed on industry technology Your Response - I recent got certified in [Technology] and I’m currently taking courses on [Platform A] and [Platform B] 3. Take each of your responses and weave them into a cohesive story. It could start with, “You might look at my background and see somebody who is [Insert Objection 1], [Insert Objection 2], and [Insert Objection 3].” Then incorporate those responses into your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, networking conversations, and interviews. When you’re proactive about objections, they’re far easier to overcome.

👁️ If only women had wives. The kind who clear the runway, catch the flu calls, and make ambition look effortless... Last Friday, a young mother I work with told me her mentor in the company advised her to hide the fact that she has two young children, when she was about to enter the promotion as head of department in a new country. She asks me what I think... Frankly, I didn't know what to say to her, because her mentor is right, she has a higher chance of nailing that role if her peers didn't know that she has caregiving responsibilities at home. Too many women have learned to perform invisibility: to tuck their motherhood into silence, to show up spotless, sleepless, and unshakeable, as if our humanity were a PR risk. 💼 I get it. There is a cost to ambition. Every day, I choose between being an entrepreneur, a mother, a woman who sometimes drops the ball and sometimes carries the world. But to hide my children, that’s a price too high. 🌱 Motherhood didn’t make me less focused. It taught me triage, boundaries, and emotional intelligence you can’t learn in an MBA. When I’m worried about my child, I say so. When I block my calendar for family, I don’t apologize. I’m not working despite being a mother, I’m working because of everything motherhood has expanded in me. 🏗️ The truth is that the system is still built on the assumption that care is a private inconvenience, not a collective asset. Until companies start designing around reality, not pretending people don’t have lives, gender diversity will remain a spreadsheet goal, not a lived value. 💬 Because if advancement depends on having a wife at home, you don’t have a talent strategy ,you have a dependency. Now, What employers can actually do: ✅ Make part-time powerful: leadership, budgets, and promotions included. Stop treating flexibility as a downgrade. ✅ Tie manager bonuses to parent retention and advancement. What gets measured gets protected. ✅ Ban coded language like “less committed” or “not visible enough.” If you can’t quantify it, don’t weaponize it. ✅ Equal parental leave Mandatory for men, normalized for women. Culture follows example, not policy. ✅ Re-entry is not penance. Build structured return paths with sponsors, not "tolerance" ✅ Track promotions, pay, and attrition by caregiving status. If you won’t measure it, you’re not fixing it. 🧨 Because the future of leadership isn’t childless; it’s designed. Either build for real lives, or be honest that you’re selecting for people who don’t have one. ----------------------------- 📢 Hi, I am Jingjin Liu, sharing my Motherhood Diaries every Sunday as a reflection on what it means to self-actualize while mothering. It’s not balance. It’s contradiction. Fulfillment and fatigue. Expansion and erasure. I’m still in the thick of it, wrestling with who I am beyond being needed, and figuring it out as I go.

I've been thinking about writing this for a while, and I think it's finally time to pen it down, because it's SUCH an important discussion: Two conversations in the past few months have stayed with me. Both with brilliant women. Both in leadership roles. And both having the same reason for wanting to step back. The first was a senior team member who wanted to resign. Not because she didn’t enjoy the work (in fact she LOVED the work) — but because she was getting married and wasn’t sure how her in-laws would feel about her continuing to work. The second was someone we were excited to bring on board. She had accepted the offer; we were discussing the new product, she’d been involved in inner–circle meetings, brainstorming sessions even prior to joining.   And then, a few days back, she withdrew — her wedding was in December, and she felt unsure about committing to a new full time role. Both these incidents have left me heartbroken. Not just for the loss of strong talent — but for what it reflects. I’ve heard this narrative too many times: “Don’t hire women at that age, they’ll leave after marriage.” “Don’t promote her, she might start a family soon.” And even though I fight it tooth and nail, I sometimes catch myself wondering: Is this why women still feel like 'risky bets' in the eyes of so many employers? It’s frustrating. It’s unfair. And it’s exactly the kind of systemic conditioning we all need to break — as founders, as colleagues, as families. Because the real issue isn’t women leaving. It’s the silent pressure that convinces them they should. I don’t have a neat ending to this post. Only questions. And a hope that someday, a woman’s ambition won’t be seen as something to “manage” — but something to celebrate...

Gender quotas don’t create a level playing field. They might open the door to senior leadership. But they don’t remove the barriers inside the room. Here’s what many women face after promotion: → Ageism (many are promoted later in life) → Lack of sponsorship or support to succeed → A heavier load at home, especially in midlife → Harsher judgment from peers, reports, leadership One of my clients was promoted to Partner at a consultancy. She had two young kids. No flexibility. No real support. She burned out and left. Equality gives women the same opportunity. Equity removes the barriers so they can succeed. 5 Equity Fixes To Help Senior Women Succeed: 1️⃣ Prevent Burnout By Design 📊 42% of women leave leadership roles due to burnout. ✅ Redesign workloads, spot the signs. Support. 2️⃣ Sponsorship > Mentorship 📊 Women receive 21% fewer stretch assignments. ✅ Match women with senior leaders who actively open doors for them 3️⃣ Flexibility That Fits 📊 95% of Microsoft employees said flexibility boosted inclusion. ✅ Support remote, async work without punishing visibility. 4️⃣ Bias-Aware Promotions And Feedback 📊 78% of women execs face harsher scrutiny. ✅ Use 360° reviews and train leaders to check for bias. 5️⃣ Coaching for Strategy, Navigation, Confidence 📊 Coaching boosts confidence and clarity by 25%. ✅ Provide coaching to help women navigate pressure and politics. Quotas get her in the door. Equity keeps her there sustainably. And once systemic barriers are removed, that's justice. Do you think businesses do enough to set senior women up for success? ♻️ Repost to create more equity and justice. ➕ Follow Deena Priest to succeed in career and leadership. Image Credit: mobilizegreen

Women are not losing ambition; they are losing patience with environments that punish it. The real story is not an ambition gap, but a support, fairness, and respect gap. One of the earliest pieces of career advice I received was: “To progress, you need to have ambition.” Over 24 years in the corporate world, that's been a double edged sword - I have been praised for being driven and, in the same breath, criticised for being “too ambitious.” I have also sat in talent reviews where women were quietly written off as “not ambitious enough". In 2022, during a leadership review, a male colleague even said out loud: “Women don’t progress because they don’t have ambition .” 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 The latest Lean In and McKinsey Women in the Workplace report highlights a growing ambition gap: fewer women than men say they want to be promoted. Yet the same data make something else crystal clear: women and men are equally committed to their careers, and when women receive the same sponsorship, support, and stretch opportunities as men, the ambition gap largely disappears. So the issue is not that women suddenly woke up less driven; it is that many are looking at the “next level” and seeing more burnout, less support, and fewer real chances to succeed. In that context, stepping back from the race is not a lack of ambition - it is a rational response to a system that feels rigged. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 For roughly the first 15–20 years, many women respond to blocked opportunities with even more effort and ambition: working harder & overdelivering. When doors are repeatedly closed with vague feedback like “lack of executive presence,” or “too emotional,” frustration accumulates. After decades of having to prove yourself again and again, it is not ambition that runs out; it is the willingness to keep playing a game where the rules feel opaque and uneven. That is one of the reasons so many experienced women leave corporate roles or step off the traditional ladder mid-career. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 The complete career advice is: protect your ambition by choosing workplaces where: Support systems, fair processes, and allyship actively enable women’s progression. Sponsorship, not just mentorship, is in place so that women are advocated for, not just advised. Policies, leadership behaviour, and culture reduce burnout. Because ambition without support does not magically create opportunity; it only creates exhaustion, cynicism, and burnout. What would your organisation need to change so that they would choose to stay and grow? #careeradvice ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I have learned a lot during my 2 decades in the corporate world, mostly the hard way. Every Sunday, I share some of my learnings and what has helped me climb the corporate ladder while staying true to my values

For years, companies have followed the same outdated playbook: hiring based on tenure, degrees, and uninterrupted career paths. But when we define talent this way, we overlook some of the most capable people out there. Years ago, I worked with Lean In Malaysia Career Comeback Program, supporting women returning to the workforce after career breaks. They came in full of doubt, questioning their worth because of “gap years.” But what I saw? Unparalleled resilience. Problem-solvers who had mastered adaptability. Leaders who had honed negotiation, crisis management, and emotional intelligence, not just in boardrooms, but in real life. The real question isn’t “Where have they been?” It’s “What can they do?” Skills don’t expire. They evolve. Yet too many companies still measure potential by outdated checkboxes instead of real capability. It’s time to rethink how we hire: 🔹 Recognise transferable skills – Talent isn’t a job title. It’s what you bring to the table. 🔹 Prioritise skills-based hiring – Focus on ability, not absence. 🔹 Invest in mentorship – People don’t lack talent; they often lack opportunity. The best hires aren’t always the ones with the “perfect” resumes. They’re the ones who have learned, adapted, and grown through every challenge. This #InternationalWomensDay, let’s stop filtering out great people for the wrong reasons. Rethink the way you hire, and you might just discover the best talent you’ve been missing. #IWD2025 #ChangingLives #MichaelPage #RethinkHiring #SkillsOverGaps