Have you ever faced a situation wherein you got a call from a head hunter, and the conversation is going well? You almost start visualising yourself at the new office, how you are going to get a raise, and how you will take your child on that much-elusive vacation. They then ask you what your age is, and then it is followed by a pregnant pause. You never receive that JD or a callback from the recruiter. That is what ageism does.
Yes, it happens to many women. There are two situations. You are in your late 20s or early 30s and have taken a break due to a life-altering situation like getting married, having a baby, or moving cities. If you want to get back to work, it is difficult to get back. You may have to compromise on your salary or designation. But add another 15 years to your age, and most back-to-work programs will not be able to find a role for you. So it is tough to get back to the organised workforce if you are a woman on sabbatical, but almost impossible if you are above 40.
Ageism and HR reasons
First, the job role may have a predetermined checklist. Apart from the qualifications and the other prerequisites, there may be an implied age range. Anyone above that might be considered a disruptor of the natural process of hierarchy, where someone older may be perceived as the following:
- Not being able to take instructions from someone younger than their age
- May not have kept abreast with technology or the changes in the work ecosystem
- May not be physically fit to take on the challenges of the current workload
- Maybe more expensive than younger resources
- Finally, perhaps too old and too set in their ways
How can you rise above ageism & your gender?
What can an older woman do to make a comeback and mitigate these challenges related to ageism? Here are a few steps that will keep her ahead of her peers. The following strategies are the collaborative inputs from Disha and Arunima.
1. Build a robust LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn is a world of its own. Look at the posts of professionals from your space. Opine, debate, and comment on what resonates with you. Create nuggets of information and put them in your feed. Disha says, “You have to sell yourself. Jo dikhta hai o bikta hai”. If you are in your 40s and have grown up with values like being quiet and being in the background, unlearn those values. You need to be out there and fight tooth and nail to be seen as vocal as the younger generation.
2. Attend industry events and network
Networking is not just about getting cards. You must follow up with an email and set up face-to-face meetings with the professionals you meet—yes, face-to-face meetings. In this virtual world, faceless meetings where cameras are switched off do not do much to establish real conversations. Do what your generation did best: Meet people and ask for what you are looking for.
3. Look after yourself. Your health
If you are going to be a leader, your age cannot be a deterrent. Your enthusiasm will drive the team. So, lead by example. Disha is an endurance athlete, and being physically fit has helped her rise to a leadership role in less than five years. Make exercise and physical fitness a priority.
4. Talk to your ex-colleagues and peers
Put out the word that you intend to make a comeback. You have to trust people’s innate goodness. You will be surprised to see that leads are coming from everywhere. Arunima says that everything from getting the name ‘The Big Pitchr’ to her first logo and first client to entering a partnership with Saransh Jain is due to the references and support from friends at work.
5. Upskill in your chosen area of work
If you have a degree that dates back to the olden days (anything more than 10 years is considered irrelevant), it may not be relevant today. You need to add knowledge to that base to make your candidature more attractive. Get certifications, browse through knowledge hubs, and buy books and journals. Do not waste any conversational opportunity showcasing your weakness. Be more ready than the younger generation.
6. Reinvent yourself
Just because you started in a particular industry does not keep you chained to that one. If you have developed the intrinsic qualities to justify a job in another role or another sector, go ahead and pursue them.
7. Identify all the organisations you want to apply to
Build connections through LinkedIn and references to talk to existing employees. Write to the hiring managers mentioning your specific skill set. Ask for a meeting and ace it armed with knowledge.
8. Never play on the back foot
Don’t think of yourself as old or redundant. How you speak to yourself affects the way your mind works. Use positive words when you are feeling low. Use words like ‘experienced’ with pride. What you bring with you is an understanding of how the industry has changed over the years. You have a vantage point with the relevant skills, and that’s what makes you invincible.
9. Be ready to start small
Apply for internships. There is no harm in applying for an internship at your dream organisation. If you pitch yourself competing with a younger person, your age will no longer be the reason that they do not choose you for the role.
10. Ask, ask, and ask
Make it a point to send out at least 10 requests every day. In a month, reach out to 300 prospective hiring managers. Going by the rule of sales, you will get at least 10-15 responses. It is not too bad. Also, you will land nearly 4 to 5 interviews in 2-3 months. Then, it is for you to shine and get the job of your choice.
Ageism and the workplace scenario: The changemakers who contributed
Disha Shrivastava
Disha, the Chief Executive Officer of Adhyayan Education Services, is an Entrepreneur, expert in strategic communications, storyteller, endurance athlete, proponent of women’s rights, and mother of four. At the age of 40, she made a comeback to the organised workforce. During her journey, she needed to earn well and support her family’s growing needs. Therefore, Disha started small, taking baby steps and taking on projects. She also started upskilling and building her profile from scratch.
With a strong background in strategic communications, she crafts compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. She is passionate about endurance sports and embraces challenges that push her limits and foster personal growth.
To sum it up, according to Disha, it is all about selling yourself to the TG. Here, the potential buyer is the HR person. Like a marketer, look for your niche and build yourself up to suit the role you are seeking. How do you do that?
Arunima Bhattacharya is the Co-Founder of The Big Pitchr
The co-founder, Arunima Bhattacharya, who migrated from an ad sales role to brand solutions and then consulting, feels that so many shifts in her career have happened due to her gender. Because she had a young daughter and the entire financial responsibility for running her show, she quit her job in 2018 to become a consultant. She took up multiple projects and writing as a freelancer, and she made 2.5X of her earnings within 18 months of her starting as an entrepreneur.
Her motto is reinventing yourself every day. “Don’t hold on to a role or a profile; do what you can to leverage your expertise at that point. Take each day as it comes. I always liked to read and write. When the need for digital content was at its all-time high, my partner Saransh and I started writing for brands. From a two-person agency, we have worked with more than 350 women over the last 4 years.” That does not stop her from taking up sales projects.
“I am always on the lookout for full-time consulting roles, and I approach businesses that might like to pay for my sales skills. She ends with a smile, ” That’s why I get the big bucks.”
Ageism and how to get back to work: The final thoughts
At changeincontent.com, we applaud companies like HSBC, Loreal, and Godrej, where DEI is at the forefront of their functioning. However, we nudge organisations to consider women and ageism through the lens of intersectionality and women’s worth to tap into a wealth of knowledge, experience, and values.
Let 2025 be the year that does not exclude ageism from boardroom discussions and when drawing up DEI policies.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
