Lately, we’ve had a lot of conversations with job seekers in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. They’re experienced, capable, and motivated—but feeling extremely discouraged. These are folks who have been recently laid off, moved to a new location and their job didn’t offer a role in their new home state, or they just needed a change to improve their mental well-being or work/life balance. These professionals are now competing in a job market against hundreds or thousands of other job seekers. Some make it to the interview phase to be told they’re “too” qualified and never advance forward in hiring phases.
They share:
“I feel invisible in the job market.”
“I keep hearing I’m overqualified.”
“No one wants to hire someone my age.”
If this speaks to you, then we want you to know:
You are not too old.
You are not out of date.
You are still needed.
You bring something that’s harder to teach: maturity, perspective, and decades of real-world problem solving. That’s value.
While some employers may not see it, the right ones will—and do.
Here’s What You Can Do Right Now:
- Reframe your experience in today’s language. Focus on the problems you’ve solved and the outcomes you’ve delivered, making sure it’s relevant to what you’re applying for.
- Practice your story. Confidence in interviews comes from owning your path, not apologizing for it – consider mock interview sessions if it’s been a while (it really does help to practice ahead of time).
- Reconnect with your existing network, then expand it further. Some opportunities don’t come from job boards—they come from people. If comfortable, don’t be afraid (or ashamed) to let friends, family, or colleagues know you’re looking for a new role, and be sure to make new connections as well (you never know who you’ll meet that may lead you to your next job opportunity).
- Stay current, but don’t obsess or worry too much. You don’t need to become a TikTok expert—just show you’re open to learning and adapting to current trends, software, etc.
You may not be the youngest candidate in the room, but you just might be the one with the strongest foundation, highest likelihood of staying long-term, and be the greatest asset to the company you want to work for.
Your next chapter may be one of your best ones yet.
If you need help crafting your story on a resume, navigating the job search, or practicing for upcoming interviews, we’re here to help – just reach out.
Let’s get you soaring to success. 🦅
Eagle Mountain HR 