‘Overqualified’ Is Just Polite Code for ‘Too Damn Old’

For women over 50, “overqualified” isn’t a compliment. It’s a slick way to keep talent on the sidelines. Experience and maturity aren’t liabilities—and what employers overlook, women can reclaim.

Sexism hits women of every age, and ageism hits all genders. But older women get the double whammy.

Just when we’re hitting our stride—peak experience, peak wisdom—we’re shown the door. And when we knock again, those doors stay closed. Nearly three-quarters of workers 50+ say their age is seen as a barrier by hiring managers, and 42 percent call it a major barrier to getting hired in 2025.

The Subtle Ways They Keep You Out

The law says job ads can’t discourage older applicants. But plenty of companies dodge that with code words: “high energy,” “fast-paced,” “start-up atmosphere.” Translation: We want someone young. In interviews, “overqualified” might be said out loud, or hinted at with, “Won’t you be bored?” or “Don’t you think you’re past this job?”

And while men often apply for jobs above their skill level, women frequently apply for jobs beneath their abilities out of fear.

On the flip side, a hiring manager might also peg you as underqualified due to their assumptions about flexibility, salary expectation, energy level, and skills. You might hear, “You had too many resources at your last company to do this job here.” (That’s code for: You’re too expensive.) It’s also assumed that older workers aren’t up to speed on technology, as if decades of skill somehow make you less capable.

More Mojo Is Mandatory

Nadine Jones, former general counsel and SVP for a global logistics company, now runs her own legal consultancy. She sees women undersell themselves all the time—especially on salary.

“It isn’t unusual for women not to ask for more money,” Jones said. “They don’t even ask for enough—for what they are worth and what they bring to the table. If an employer tells you, ‘It’s $100,000,’ and you accept, they’re not going to say, ‘You could have gotten $200,000.’”

It’s a tightrope. Push and you risk losing the offer; accept too little and you start from behind. Men don’t hesitate to negotiate. They just ask for more.

Getting In Doesn’t Mean You’re Safe

During our Zoom interview, Jones said, “See my gray hairs? If you’re a man, that gives you credibility. You’re executive material! You could be as dumb as a doornail—doesn’t matter. The perception is that you’re in your prime. For a woman, the window is smaller. Same age, and you’re suddenly ‘aging out.’”

Her advice: “Do not mention retirement until you are truly ready, that day ready, to leave. Don’t breathe it. Barely think it.”

The walls have ears, and too many women get retired before they’re ready.

So. Many. Stories.

There isn’t an older woman alive who hasn’t experienced this ageist/sexist combo in the workplace—or knows others who have. Yes, it’s better than it used to be, but not nearly as much as we all had hoped. I interviewed four women for this article and still found myself surprised by the insensitivity—if not outright stupidity—of some of their male colleagues.

For example, Mary* worked in HR for a global real estate services firm. She was told more than once, “You have grandchildren? And you’re still working?”—as if the two were mutually exclusive.

She had been in her position for more than eight years, always with strong performance reviews. Without warning, the company suddenly let her go, telling her she “didn’t have the skills for the future.” She was given no specifics, no offer to upskill, and no opportunity to take a different role. Just, “Goodbye, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Mary is convinced that ageism played a huge role, and she’s suing. But age discrimination is notoriously hard to prove legally. Meanwhile, she’s still out there applying.

Pick Your Battles—and Your Bosses

If Mary’s story is about bias, Debbie’s* is about survival. The difference is choosing a company where experience is valued, not dismissed.

A technical manager at 53, Debbie had seen younger colleagues—especially men—promoted and rewarded, while experienced women were passed over. Once, when a male teammate heard that someone on the team was leaving, he turned to Debbie and said, “It can’t be you who’s leaving—you’ve got four kids, and you’re not going anywhere.” That assumption—that older women are “stuck”—gave the company permission to undervalue them.

That’s why choosing the right culture is so critical. At one point, Debbie was evaluating opportunities at both a prestigious investment bank and a retail bank. Her recruiter assumed the investment bank was the obvious choice. But Debbie knew better.

“I told her, ‘I may look 10 years younger than I am, but even so, I’m ‘too old’ for the investment bank; I won’t last there.’ At the retail bank, plenty of people had as much experience as me, had gray hair, had families,” she said. “There was longevity there, and I could rely on that to keep my job. At the investment bank, maybe I’d get my foot in the door, but I’d be out in a year or two.”

Debbie chose the retail bank—and stayed for many more years.

How To Own Your Power

There’s no shortage of advice on how to “rejuvenate” yourself when applying for jobs—hide your graduation year, cut older experience, touch up your hair, use a flattering Zoom filter. But tricks like that don’t change the system, and they won’t guarantee the job. Worse, they play into the very bias we’re trying to defeat.

Career coach Rebecca Henninger (aka The Job Girl) said the real key to taking back your power is to accept that age discrimination exists—and then push back, not just against biased practices but also against our own fears. Her advice: Embrace your experience and make it part of your story. Prove what you bring to the table.

Some of her top tips:

The point isn’t to hide your age—it’s to flaunt it.

• Lead with your experience. Build a personal brand—don’t try to fit a mold.
• Narrow your focus to a target industry and role.
• Make your story about the problems you can solve.
• Don’t just click “Apply”—work your network.
• And if you need a bridge back, try a paid returnship.

Don’t Be Afraid To Pivot

If the corporate world keeps shutting you out, consider consulting or starting your own business. That’s how Jones built her legal consultancy—and how Henninger became The Job Girl. The paycheck may not match your old one, but building something yourself has its own rewards.

You choose the work.
You call the shots.
Because you already have the perfect qualifications to build your next chapter.

*The name is a pseudonym to protect her privacy.

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