It has previously been reported that women over the age of 50 are 25 times less likely to be offered a job interview than their counterparts in their late 20s.
I myself am increasingly working with women in their mid 40s upwards who are having problems getting the kind of jobs that they want as they feel that they are losing out to younger women. Tired of this discrimination many of them are exiting the corporate world and starting their own businesses.
Employers are doing themselves a disservice by failing to recognise the value that the more mature woman can bring to the workplace.
For the employers that are reading this post, here are 7 reasons why the mature woman makes a great employee and for the women that fit this age bracket, these 7 reasons are a reminder of how fabulous you are.
1. They’re comfortable in their own skin
By the time they get to midlife, women have had longer to work on their personal development and iron out self esteem issues, accept themselves for who they are and get to a stage where they are not only comfortable with who they are but they are confident with it.
Whilst still wanting to look good, at this stage of life they are more likely to be appreciative of what’s on the inner than the outer.
2. They no longer party hard on a ‘school’ night
Gone are the days when they burnt the candle at both ends on a week night, strolling in to work following a night on the town. Neither are they part of the Thursday is the new Friday lot, clubbing from Thursday evening through to Sunday evening. They come to work alert and ready to do a good day’s work, taking pride in what they do.
They are less likely to take a sickie unless they are really ill and particularly not because they’ve been out on the town the night before. As women mature and become more conscientious, they are less likely to take time off that is not warranted. They are more aware of the impact of their absence on their colleagues and the wider organisation.
3. They have a lot of life experience
By the time they get to mid life, they have knocked up a tremendous amount of experience. Many have managed to climb the corporate ladder whilst raising a family. They have experienced many changes over the years and been through numerous organisation restructures. They've gone through centralisation to devolution back to centralisation again and many other organisational practices that have come full circle and they've learnt many a lesson from it all.
They have experienced so much of the ‘latest’ thinking to know what works well and what doesn't.
4. They’re more likely to be doing the job because it’s what they want
Although there will be exceptions, by the time women get to mid life, they seek authenticity in what they do. They want to do work that aligns with who they are. No longer is it just about earning lots of money, they want to do work that is fulfilling and that has meaning and purpose.
If mid life women are applying to work in your organisation, chances are it is something that they have a genuine interest in and that it is not just a job to pay the bills and they want to make a difference.
5. They are more resilient
Simply because of their age and their experience, they have had to go through many a change and learn to adapt. They've had setbacks, faced rejection and have had to learn how to survive in a tough competitive world.
Because of the fast pace of change these days, organisations need resilient employees. They need people that are able to recognise and accept that change is needed, even if it is not what they want.
6. They make good mentors
Their life and work experience make them good mentors. Over the years they have developed empathy, a skill that is essential to the mentoring relationship. They've been there, done that and got the T-Shirt. They've juggled work and family life. They've managed difficult relationships with colleagues, juniors, seniors and stakeholders.
To someone who is in the early stages of their career, a mature woman who has trod the path before them can share their experience, their mistakes and what worked well for them. They can help someone younger to carve out and navigate their career path.
7. They make great leaders
You only have to look at the ages of the women on the Forbes The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. Enough said.
There are many more reasons why mature women make great employees and if you have any others to add to this list, please share below.
Originally Published on LinkedIn