How to stay relevant at any age in your career and life
Does it feel like you spent the first 10-20 years of your career trying to prove yourself and climb the ladder only to be met with ageism as a more seasoned professional? For those of us in the 40+ age category, we need to own our experience and skills to remain relevant at any age.
Professionals in all age groups can face unfair treatment and assumptions about their skills, or lack thereof. New graduates might be labeled “green” or “untested,” while middle-aged workers battle assumptions that their knowledge and experience are outdated.
Ageism affects far too many individuals in the workplace, but you can decide now to ignore the naysayers and stand confident in your own worth regardless of your age. For seasoned professionals in particular, age can become an asset. Sometimes it takes a shift in perspective to fully appreciate your own value and to communicate that value to company leaders and colleagues.
Ageism in the workplace
If you have experienced ageism in your career, you are not alone: 28 percent of respondents in a Fairygodboss survey have personally experienced age-related prejudice at work, and 44 percent have witnessed it within their company.
Most surprisingly, that ageism occurs much younger than you might expect. According to a Fast Company review of that survey:
“...one in three people who’ve experienced ageism encountered it before the age of 45. This means that for as many as 20 years of a person’s life—or essentially half of their career—they may be vulnerable to experiencing ageism at work.”
An atmosphere of disrespect can leave talented individuals feeling undervalued, stressed and even depressed. Older professionals may resort to so-called self-improvement tactics in an attempt to look younger or fit in better with younger colleagues. However, neither approach addresses the root cause of ageism: a cultural belief that contributions and value diminish with age. That cultural hurdle can come from society at large or within the company itself – or both.
So, what’s the alternative?
Shift your perspective
The first step in fighting ageism is believing in your own worth. What others say or think about your age should not become your truth.
As a 40+ professional, you not only have education, technical knowledge and other job skills – you have a proven track record. You have earned every gray hair and line, and with those telltale signs of age also come experience and a level of emotional intelligence that you simply cannot manufacture or fast-track. When you walk into a negotiation or a presentation, that experience has prepared you far more than any book or self-help guide ever could.
The world of social media might paint the world as belonging to the latest 21-year-old startup founder, but that persona need not become your measure of worth. Find other sources of business inspiration.
Develop executive presence
Learn to value what you bring to the table for your company and what you contribute to your industry and society. Nobody else has your unique combination of perspective, skills and life experience, and nobody can take those away from you. When you believe in your own value, you begin to exude what’s known as executive presence.
In short, executive presence inspires others to follow your lead. Your confidence, backed by experience and vision, encourages colleagues and leaders to listen when you speak. The emotional intelligence you have developed over the years will lend naturally to a stronger executive presence.
According to Forbes, you can further hone your executive presence by:
Developing and communicating a clear vision
Understand others’ perceptions of your skills
Honing your communication skills
Learn how to listen effectively
Understand office politics and cultivate your network
Manage stress and work through it
Present yourself professionally
In short, you present to the outside world the wisdom and confidence behind all your years of life experience. You own your worth and share your knowledge with others – not with cockiness or condescension, but with empathy and a strong belief in your own value.
Consider a career pivot
If you have settled into a bit of a career rut, you might need to make a mid-career pivot. For some, that means exploring entirely new roles or fields. For others, that means preparing to move up to a leadership role.
Developing a strong executive presence will help you begin this shift. When people start to view you as a leader, you will come to mind more readily as an option for executive roles.
Next, position yourself as a subject matter expert in your field or role. When you have sought-after knowledge and insight, it sets you up naturally for a leader role. And it takes a focus on being viewed as an expert outside your current employer to have this pay off over the long-term.
Finally, spend time cultivating strong and genuine relationships with executives, colleagues and peers. Quality relationships allow people to truly understand who you are and what you have to offer. Those deep relationships will lead to more connections and opportunities than meeting hundreds of people, but connecting at only surface level. Seek quality over quantity when developing your network, and remember to connect with people both within your field and outside it.
When you have laid the groundwork and have established yourself as leadership material, actively seek those positions within your company or elsewhere. Believe that your life and business experience have prepared you to inspire others and to create something new at any age or stage of life.
Ready to own your value and pivot your career toward an executive role? Reach out to me to schedule a complimentary strategy call. I specialize in helping seasoned professionals connect with a fulfilling career path and opportunities for making meaningful contributions in their professional lives.