Experience does not expire, it only needs an opportunity
For months, she felt her age was an invisible barrier. At 57, every job application ended in silence or vague excuses. But everything changed when one company chose to look beyond prejudice and invest in her talent. This is the true story of a woman who, after facing countless closed doors, proved that experience remains one of the most valuable assets any team can have.
4/25/20251 min read
Experience does not expire, it only needs an opportunity
For over a year, she sent out her CV without receiving a single reply. Some interviews ended in silence. In others, she was met with vague comments like “We’re looking for a more dynamic profile,” “We want someone with youthful energy,” or “You’re not quite the right cultural fit.” What they didn’t say, but clearly suggested with every word and gesture, was that at 57, she was no longer a viable option.
She had led teams, managed crises and implemented operational systems in three different countries. Yet it seemed none of that mattered more than her date of birth. “I felt invisible,” she says. “As if my experience were a burden, not an asset.”
Eventually, a small company in a growth phase decided to take a chance on her. The need for experience outweighed prejudice. From her very first month, her impact was clear: she streamlined processes, improved efficiency and identified blind spots that youthful enthusiasm had overlooked.
But the most powerful change came from something else – her way of being. She became a trusted point of reference for the younger team members, not through authority, but through attitude. She listened without judgement, shared without imposition. Her presence brought calm, maturity and perspective.
“I had never worked with someone older who could teach without competing,” one of her colleagues said. “Now I see how essential it is to have different generations within the same team.”
At OneWave, we stand firmly behind this principle: that age is not a limitation, but a strength. We believe that generational diversity not only enriches the workplace – it enhances outcomes, strengthens teams and brings humanity to leadership.
We design strategies to eliminate age-related bias, encourage intergenerational hiring and highlight the value of experience. Because a company that fails to make use of the wisdom of those who have already lived is missing out on its greatest resource: its people.
And because stories like this remind us that it is never too late when someone chooses to see beyond age and recognise talent.
