Women’s Career Trajectories

Can Be a Model for an Aging Workforce

by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Harvard Business Review

Careers are often depicted as having two phases: a steady climb upward towards commercial success, fame and power, which is then capped by a period of continuing effort dedicated to service to others. Case in point: David Brooks wrote a recent book about later life, called The Second Mountain, in which he describes the turn toward others and giving back that comes after the ego-driven, me-focused phase of first adulthood. Especially as life spans and careers get longer, this shape is codified in prestigious programs like Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, or Stanford’s Distinguished Careers Institute, which offer 60 year olds a year to pivot from profit to purpose. We now accept this pattern as the norm.

    But for many women, the reality is exactly the reverse.
 

Admittedly, this is a difficult time to be unemployed. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, “Unemployment rose higher in three months of COVID-19 than it did in two years of the Great Recession.” In numbers, that means 14 million additional unemployed Americans between February 2020 and May 2020…

    If you find yourself among the ranks of the unemployed, the situation can feel hopeless. However, as a career coach with over 20 years of experience in human resources and the last seven leading a staffing firm, I can assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel and you will find your next role. Until then, here are four ways to remain positive (and take some action.)
 

Ageism is prejudice or discrimination based on a person's age. And it's a big problem in the US.

    One out of every five American workers age 40 and older said they have faced age discrimination, according to the 2019 Hiscox Ageism in the Workplace Study. And if you've never experienced ageism, you likely will.   MORE
 

If you’ve been looking for a new job during the pandemic, you know how hard it’s been. Putting yourself out there for networking, mining for opportunities and interviewing are never easy. But during these times, you deserve even more credit for the hard work you’re doing.

    How do you keep your spirits up and stay positive? How do you maintain optimism and ensure you keep trudging forward? How do you maintain resilience when things feel so uncertain?
 

Reminiscent of the videophones in the old Dick Tracy comics, video job interviews have become the norm – forced upon the HR world thanks to the Covid. Although not exactly new, most of today’s job seekers most likely will find themselves in front of the camera sometime soon.

    Aside from some of the obvious negatives of the practice, the video interview holds many benefits for the candidate.

    First, you can do it from anywhere: home office, rec room, spare bedroom, outdoors in a yard/park – although if you venture outside the home, be wary of background noises. Also, indoors you get to choose your own background. Book shelves are always a winner as are a fireplace or even just a plain wall will suffice.

    Wherever you are, be mindful of the lighting around you. Long before your interview, you can sign on to Zoom (or most any of the others) to see how you will look. Too strong of a backlight will darken your face or place you in a silhouette. Likewise, if the light on your face is too strong it can wash out your face leaving it devoid of any character.

    With business casual ruling the day at the office, the traditional suit and tie for an interview may no longer be mandatory. Yet, a man can wear a shirt and tie and still be wearing cutoffs, or sweat pants and your interviewer will be none the wiser. Dressing casually will help you stay relaxed and minimize your anxiety.

    Having a beverage handy may not be recommended, but if having a cup of coffee or a soft drink or water helps you relax, keep it handy (and out of sight) just in case.

    Speaking of out of sight, something you probably would never do in an in-person interview is to have reference notes. In a video interview, those notes can be placed out of sight but close enough so that you can nonchalantly reference them if needed.

    In the end, it’s still a job interview and you can expect a certain degree of tension. But with familiar surroundings and casual clothes, etc., you can be able to put your best foot forward.