Older women in the workplace (apply, application, real estate, jobs)

[20yrsinBranson]

Recently, I was looking over a website for one of my local television stations and one of the pages was "meet our staff". Aside from one of the male news anchors, no one was over 40, and certainly NONE of the women looked even close to 40.

Now I do understand that in American society, women do lose their value after a certain age, and certainly NO NEWS ANCHOR (at least on a local level) is going to be an older woman. However, these weren't just "in front of the camera" personalities. We're talking about production people, administration people, sales, marketing, etc. People who are definitely behind the scenes.

I realize that different professions are perceived differently, for instance, the last time I went into a hospital (I think it was last November or December), there seemed to be plenty of mature nurses. Several even OVER 40. But a brief scan of our local Business Journal would indicate, that beyond a shadow of a doubt, any person (especially women), who are in banking, marketing, sales, management (mid level and upper level), and even high-end food service, upscale hospitality or anything "trendy" are almost always under 40 and certainly even the rare exceptions not much over 40.

I am wondering what you might think is the reason for this. Are older women simply *not interested* in having more influential jobs? or are they pushed out by more ambitious, younger women? Do you think that their technology skills are lacking or perhaps their willingness to accept new and different methods of doing their job that reflect today's market? Do you think they are simply discriminated against because of their age?

Seriously, when was the last time you went into a "trendy" store at the mall and anyone's grandmother was working there? When was the last time you went to a hot, trendy restaurant and had a female server who was say 50 or 55? When was the last time you even SAW a cocktail waitress that didn't have on short-shorts, a midriff t-shirt and wasn't named Brittney, Heater, Ashley, Megan or Madison, Whitney, McKenzie, or Tasha?

I own an operate a tanning salon, and I have yet to have anyone over 22 come in and ask for a application! (They must be shocked to see me behind the counter. LOL)

I get the feeling there is something a foot here and I wonder what your thoughts are as to what, and more importantly, why.....


20yrsinBranson

[Mystique13]

I am in New York City. Have been since '96. I have seen this pattern and continue to see it to this day. In which sectors do I see older women? I see them as lawyers, teachers, doctors, nurses, dentists, real estate. I have to agree with everything you said though. I don't even see hot, attractive and fit older women in the fields you mentioned! So it's not about looks it's really about AGE. I read Crain's New York Business, and I see older female CEO's and women in other executive levels spots but not many. It depends what part of the country you are in. Certain fields are full of a certain demographic.That's the way it is. It kind of sucks though.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I am in healthcare so we do have lots of older women. Still reps come in here all the time and 95% of the time when the rep is a woman she looks young. I am also thinking that the dress requirements at most places where they work is short skirts as well. I don't want anyone to think I am complaining though, nor have I noticed any complaints from the male contingent here at the hospital.

[Charles]

Could be the more standard hours a job has, the less likely a woman with kids would be working it. A nurse seems to have more opportunity for off hours to deal with childcare?

Also, the "meet our staff" page might have wanted to send a message that we hire young (and cheap) people so all you recent grads, come on over and apply.

Or, it just could be psychological messaging from the station - youth sells.

As far as people wanting to work in a tanning salon, maybe people over 22 are over the vanity of tan skin.

[Mystique13]

Tanning causes wrinkles so if you're 40 plus that's something you want to minimize, not increase.Americans are hung up on youth. Childcare and family has a lot to do with it too. My best friend is a nurse with a 6 year old. She works part time 3 days a week and make 40-45k plus any overtime. I see few jobs now that pay that for full time AND give you a flexible schedule when it comes to childcare.

[EdJS]

I work in software programming. My boss is an older woman -- in fact, she's a grandmother. She used to be a computer programmer herself, before she was promoted into management.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric are over 40, as is Nancy Grace.

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[lovetheduns]

At my company we have tons of older women in upper level individual contributor roles and management.

We work in a very large financial services firm that happens to own many different companies and in different sectors as well.

[Hemlock140]

I don't see that around here. Of course I don't hang out at tanning places.

My boss is a female director over 60, and on the executive committee close to half are female. One of our Seattle News anchors is a female age 43. A woman that works with my wife is close to 60 and also works part time at
Victoria's Secret.

On my staff currently I have a woman 54, another 46. My wife's hairdresser is 56.

[Malloric]

Yeah, those pesky older women news anchors. Who gave them more prestigious job on national networks instead of keeping them on as local anchors where they belong with their limited shelf life.

I'm also uhh, really perplexed by your idea of influential... cocktail waitresses, retail workers at trendy stores, food servers? I work in the legal sector, no shortage of older women (or men) there. I'm going to go out on a slippery slope and say they have more influential jobs than a 20 year old Hooter's waitress. My mom is a CLS - well over half of the field is women over 50. Again, more influential than a 20 year old Hooter's waitress.