5 Strategies to Leverage Your Transferable Skills and Overcome Ageism in the Job Market

As mentioned in the BBC article, Gen X has had to learn or die': Mid-career workers are facing ageism in the job market , “according to a 2022 AARP survey , roughly 80% of workers between the ages of 40 and 65 reported having either witnessed or personally faced age discrimination at work.”? This is the highest percentage since AARP began conducting polls on the issue among older adults in 2003.

Ageism is having a significant effect on midlife marketers 40+ given ongoing “mass layoffs, post-pandemic economic uncertainty and rapid technological change – including the emergence of AI”.? There’s a misperception that since younger employees are digital natives and are more adaptable than midlife marketers aged 40+ to learn new technology. Women aged 40+ face additional obstacles as they are often perceived as being distracted with family responsibilities or given an unfair workload if they don’t have children.

I’ve spoken with many midlife marketers looking for their next opportunity who have had multiple rounds of interviews where the position was ultimately given to a younger candidate.? Some employers blatantly stated to candidates in early stage interviews that they were too old and “overqualified” for the position.??

Leveraging your transferable skills can be a great way to overcome ageism in this tough job market.? Shifting the focus away from your age and experience to your transferable skills and adaptability can help position yourself for your next amazing opportunity!? Here are 5 strategies to identify and leverage your transferable skills to overcome ageism in this competitive job market:?

1. Self-Assessment: Begin by assessing your current skills, experiences, and achievements. Identify areas where your expertise lies and the skills you've developed over your career.
2. Highlight Transferable Skills: Emphasize your transferable skills on your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile and through interviews. These include communication, leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, and project management skills.? Also, as mentioned in the BBC article , “Older and middle-aged employees tend to have a strong work ethic and lower rates of absenteeism. Research also suggests they exhibit better emotional stability compared to their younger colleagues, and they're generally more adept at handling social situations in the workplace, including conflict resolution.”
3. Reverse Mentorship: Consider mentorship opportunities where you can both learn from and teach younger professionals. This demonstrates your willingness to adapt and collaborate across generations.? I was a mentor in the Executives on Campus, Baruch College program and learned so much from the amazing professionals I had the opportunity to mentor, especially Mary Kate Mahoney and Alexandra Alimaras, MBA !
4. Upskilling: Take courses or certifications to update your skills in areas that are in demand. This shows potential employers that you're committed to staying current in your field and tech-savvy.? LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Udemy and marketing trade associations are a few areas to explore for learning opportunities.
5. Seek Support: Joining a community will give you the opportunity to connect with and learn from other "midlife marketers" going through the same career transition experiences as you are. You are NOT alone!? Now more than ever, there are too many amazing “midlife marketers” who need to figure out how to reinvent themselves. I'm curating my next group coaching program for like-minded "midlife marketers" navigating a career change. Space is limited to a maximum of 6 participants and there are only 4 spots available on a first come first served basis. If you're interested in finding out more information, message me on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected]

Marni's Top 10 Favorite Marketing Jobs

Please check my LinkedIn profile activity daily for all of the job listings I share on an ongoing basis.

Barton Associates, Email Marketing & Automation Manager

Calm, VP, Brand Marketing

Danone, Corporate Communications Associate Manager

eos, Director of Social Media

Girl Scouts of the USA, Chief Marketing Officer

NBA, Manager, Media Partnerships

Orion Innovation, Chief Marketing Officer

USA Pickleball, Vice President of National Events

USAA, Senior, Media & Social Marketing Manager - Brand Marketing

Wisp, Ecommerce Marketing Manager

About this Newsletter

As mentioned in Forbes , “A midlife crisis is defined as a period of emotional turmoil in middle age, around 40 to 60 years old, characterized by a strong desire for change.”? However, marketers begin their midlife crisis much earlier.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average age of a US marketing/advertising manager is 39.0, compared to 46.7 for all managerial roles.

While the marketing industry has responded to issues of gender, race, and sexual harassment, there continues to be no movement against ageism.? This issue has been swept under the rug, but it is very real.

When I was laid off from my job in advertising in my 30s, it was a dark and scary time.? I had no idea what was next for me and needed to figure out a way to reinvent myself.? I remember all of the people in my network who went out of their way to help me and those who let my emails go into “cyberspace”.? That experience made me realize how important it is to “pay it forward” to help other “midlife marketers” figure out what’s next in their career journey.? Life is too short to stay in a job that doesn’t align with your core values and connect to something greater than yourself.

This bi-weekly newsletter for “midlife marketers” (from new managers to senior leaders) has easy-to-read tips and actionable advice on ways to design your own career path, take your career to the next level and how to master the art of networking.? This newsletter will leverage my insights to help you navigate your career journey. Each issue will also include a curated list of job opportunities shared from my network of 7,000+ marketers.

• Find your ideal career: Discover ways to find your dream career that aligns with your values, strengths and passions.? Learn how to manage career transitions and leverage your transferable skills to design the life you want.
• The art of networking: Learn how to build and maintain authentic relationships over time to find hidden job opportunities.
• Hot career topics: including designing a portfolio career, setting boundaries, dealing with ageism, imposter syndrome, self-care during transition, and more!
• Curated list of my favorite marketing job opportunities

About Marni Gordon

Marni is passionate about paying it forward to help marketers who want to thrive in a career they love. Marni is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), a Certified Career and Executive Coach from New York University (NYU), and a Certified Group Coach from Group Coaching HQ (ICF Certified Program) with 25+ years of corporate marketing leadership experience. Marni has an extensive background creating community, networking, training individuals and groups, developing individuals in a variety of high-performance roles, and facilitating discussions to help clients uncover their own insights, action plans and accountability. Marni is a super connector and will help you become one too.