Recently I’ve posted more light-hearted content, but today I want to dig into a real issue: why so many women in midlife aren’t being snapped up by corporates, and why those who have tried to re-enter the workforce often feel tossed aside.
I’m talking about ageism — and specifically how it intersects with gender, career breaks, caregiving and re-entry.
1. What’s the reality?
When women in their 40s and 50s step away from paid employment—often to raise children, care for ageing parents, or after a layoff—and then try to return, many report very high barriers. They apply, rarely hear back, or are given token interviews but no offers. The message they often receive is: “You’re no longer in our preferred demographic.”
And it’s not just anecdotal: the research shows that older workers consistently report discrimination even when performance evidence shows no decline.
For example:
- A broad review found that older workers across workplace, interpersonal and labour-market levels report age-based discrimination despite little evidence of performance decline. NCBI
- A study of gendered ageism concluded that older female workers face “victimisation” more than male counterparts. digitalcommons.wcupa.edu
- Another study found that perceived age discrimination, aging anxiety and low age-identity are associated with lower job satisfaction, commitment and engagement. ResearchGate
In short: the barrier is real. And for many women, their career break or caregiving time becomes a hidden mark against them rather than a recognised life experience.
2. Why does ageism happen?
a) Stereotypes & “fit”
One of the core issues is stereotype-based judgments: assumptions that older workers are less adaptable, less tech savvy, less energetic. These are not consistently supported by performance data. NCBI+1 When women also carry the “mid-career break” label (for family or caregiving), the stereotype multiplies.
b) Gender + age intersection
Ageism does not act alone: for midlife women the intersection of age + gender (sometimes called “gendered ageism”) makes bias worse. For example, those over 40 may face both being viewed as “too old” for junior roles and “not fresh enough” for senior roles. The so-called “double standard of aging” highlights how women’s age is judged more harshly than men’s. Wikipedia
c) Labour-market signalling
Employers often use age implicitly as a proxy for “fit” or “future value”. Audit studies show fewer callbacks for older applicants. NCBI If someone has had a break they may also signal “risk” in the eyes of employers even when their skills are strong.
d) Self-perception and spiral
When the silence from recruiters goes on, many capable women begin to think: “Maybe I’m not good enough, maybe I’m too old” — and they start chasing more courses, more credentials in a spiral of “fixing myself” rather than being seen for the capability they already hold. This self-doubt is real and undermines confidence and momentum.
3. The talent we’re missing
This is what organisations are overlooking: midlife women bring enormous value. They often have:
- Organisational capacity (years of balancing work, home, life)
- Emotional intelligence and empathy (often honed by life experience)
- Resilience, adaptability, learning through real transitions
- Leadership and people skills that cannot be taught in a short course
- A high sense of ownership and drive to contribute meaningfully
Yet this talent pool is being under-utilised.
4. What the research tells us about impact
When ageism occurs it’s not just unfair; it has tangible consequences:
- A 2022 study found that experiencing age‐based discrimination predicted lower life satisfaction among workers aged 50+. MDPI
- A 2024 study observed that older employees experiencing workplace age discrimination were more likely to discriminate against peers — showing how ageist environments can perpetuate discrimination within organisations. BioMed Central
- A 2024/2025 issue brief noted: “Older women experience higher rates of discrimination than their male counterparts and are more likely to struggle to find work” (Li 2025). Open Scholarship
These findings underscore that ageism is harmful not just for individuals but for the wider organisation (via morale, retention, culture) and for society (via under-utilised human capital).
5. What can organisations and mid-career women do?
For organisations:
- Audit job descriptions and recruitment language for age-biased wording. Research shows job ads can signal a preference for younger applicants. NCBI
- Recognise career breaks as experience rather than a deficit.
- Build inclusive age-diverse teams and set policies that value mid-career talent.
- Create return-to-work programs or partnerships focused on mid-life professionals (for example the organisation like RecruitMyMom).
- Train hiring managers on implicit age bias, and benchmark performance data to show age is not a predictor of lower output.
For mid-career women:
- Frame your career break or other life experience as value: highlight skills you built (leadership, caregiving, project management, resilience).
- Update your skill narrative: not “gap” but “growth, pivot, change” – and tie that into employer outcomes.
- Anchoring your age identity positively: research shows age identity (how you feel about your age) matters for job satisfaction. ResearchGate
- Network proactively: the return to work is often less about job boards and more about relationships, referrals and visible value-demonstration.
6. Why this matters for us
As a woman who shifted into entrepreneurship in my 40s—not purely because I wanted to, but because the doors weren’t opening—I’ve lived this. And I hear more and more stories from women who feel ignored, undervalued, sidelined. It’s not just a personal frustration—it’s a systemic issue.
For my work in coaching (through Andrea Mountfort Coaching), it matters deeply because when we help women reclaim confidence, define their contribution, and step into their mid-career power, we’re not just supporting individual transformation—we’re helping flip a narrative.
Because the truth is: midlife women are not past their prime — they ARE the prime. Organisations failing to recognise that are not just unfair — they’re missing out.
If you’re a business leader, a hiring manager, or a woman in transition, I invite you to reflect:
- Are we recruiting for youth or for value?
- Are we ignoring talent because of the number on a birth-certificate?
- Are we honouring the leadership, life experience, and resilience of the mid-career female workforce?
This conversation isn’t easy, but it’s necessary.
References
- Becker, T. et al. (2022) Age Discrimination, One Source of Inequality. In: XYZ. National Academies Press. NCBI
- Tahmaseb-McConatha, J. (2023) The Gendered Face of Ageism in the Workplace. Psych Faculty Publications. digitalcommons.wcupa.edu
- Macdonald, J.L. & Levy, S.R. (2016) Ageism in the Workplace: The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Job Satisfaction, Commitment and Engagement. J. Social Issues, 72(1), 169-190. ResearchGate
- von Humboldt, S. (2023) Is age an issue? Psychosocial differences in perceived (un)adaptability, work effectiveness and workplace age discrimination. Journal of Organisational Behaviour. Taylor & Francis Online
- McConatha, J.T. et al. (2022) Ageism, Job Engagement, Negative Stereotypes and Life Satisfaction. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 19:7554. MDPI
- Asiamah, N. et al. (2024) Discrimination of older peers is associated with workplace age discrimination. BMC Psychology. BioMed Central
- Li, A. (2025) Issue Brief #11: Ageism in Employment. Center for Ageing & Employment Studies. Open Scholarship