I recently applied to over 50 jobs and got zero interviews. And I’m not saying that for drama, I’m saying it because it honestly shocked me. I’ve never struggled to get interviews during my career. So when it was nothing but silence, I stopped tweaking my résumé and started asking a different question: what’s changed about how hiring works right now?

That silence made me zoom out and the context matters, because I wasn’t job hunting.

I’ve had my own business since 2010. I’ve worked with major corporations, government agencies, and private clients as an instructional designer and learning experience consultant.

I’ve built systems. Designed programs. Led multi-phase initiatives from scratch.

So when I say “zero interviews,” it’s not coming from a place of “I don’t know how to position myself.”

It’s coming from a place of, “What… what the hell is happening?”

And the reason I did this wasn’t because I was trying to get back into corporate.

I did it because I kept hearing the same thing from women in our age group:

“I’m qualified. I’m applying. And it’s like I’m invisible.”

So I decided to test it.

And I didn’t do a lazy version of this experiment.

For each of the 50+ positions I applied for, I tailored my résumé to reflect the language and the keywords from the job posting. I wrote unique cover letters for every role, speaking to the mission, the responsibilities, and exactly how my background aligned.

I wasn’t just tossing applications into the void and hoping for the best.

I was being intentional.

I was playing by the rules.

And still… silence. Not “no.” Not “we went another direction.” Just… nothing.

And even though I knew I was qualified, that kind of silence still messes with you. Not because you suddenly doubt your talent… but because you start wondering if the rules changed and no one told you.

Because silence doesn’t just disappoint you; it literally starts negotiating with you.

It has you thinking:

• Do I need another degree?

• Do I need another certification?

• Do I need to “modernize” my experience… even though I’ve been doing this job for years?

• Do I need to remove dates, edit job titles, or downplay leadership just to get seen?

And that’s the trap — because now you’re trying to fix yourself… when the real issue might be the filter.

But I want to pause here and say something. This isn’t about your qualifications. And it’s not about mine either. It’s about a system that’s comfortable overlooking women with depth, experience, and a fully-developed brain.

And yes, research backs that up.

So once I stopped taking the silence personally and started researching what’s happening system-wide, here’s what I found.

First, this is not rare. AARP found that about two-thirds (64%) of workers over 50 have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. And 22% say they feel like they’re being pushed out because of their age.

And for women, the numbers are even higher — 67% of women over 50 have seen or personally experienced age discrimination.

But what really hit me is how much of it is subtle, the kind you can’t easily “prove,” but you absolutely feel. AARP also found that 60% of workers over 50 experienced subtle age discrimination, like assumptions that older employees are less tech savvy, they’re resistant to change, or they’re being overlooked for growth opportunities due to their age.

And then I wanted to know: okay, but what about hiring? Because a lot of us aren’t just dealing with bias at work … we’re dealing with bias trying to get work.

So I went beyond the headlines and started looking at field research; the kind where researchers send real applications to real jobs and track what happens.

A Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter summed up evidence from a field experiment and said it plainly: there’s age discrimination in hiring, particularly against older women.

Another study based on over 40,000 job applications found robust evidence of age discrimination in hiring against older women, especially those near retirement age.

Even the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reviewed evidence that age discrimination in hiring exists, and notes it can be worse for older women than older men.

So if you’re listening and thinking, “Why does it feel like the door closes faster for women?”, that’s not you being dramatic. That’s pattern + proof.

And then there’s the tech layer, because hiring isn’t always a person reviewing your résumé with a great cup of coffee and good intentions.

More and more, it’s software.

And this is why I’m saying the system changed.

California rolled out new rules around employers using automated decision systems in hiring and those regulations took effect October 1, 2025. Basically acknowledging what we already feel: these tools can influence who gets opportunity, and they can create bias if nobody’s watching them.

And there’s also a case against Workday where applicants over 40 allege AI screening systematically excluded older candidates and a federal court actually allowed that to move forward as a collective action under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

So no, you’re not crazy for feeling like you’re getting filtered out before anyone sees you.

And I found myself wondering: what are they assuming when they see someone like me?

Are they assuming I’m too expensive?

That I’ll want to lead instead of follow?

That I’m “overqualified” which is often code for “we don’t know what to do with you”?

Maybe that I won’t adapt to their culture?

I can’t know for sure. But I do know this: they never even gave me the chance to be in the conversation.

And I want you to reflect on this too: have you noticed you’ve started editing things about yourself just to get a yes?

Have you been shrinking your experience? Avoiding certain words? Maybe leaving wins off your résumé so you don’t look “too senior”?

Because that’s what this kind of silence can train you to do …make yourself smaller.

This isn’t a pity party episode. This is a “name what’s real” episode.

I’m sure you’ve done everything right too. You’ve updated your resume. You’ve adapted your language. Stayed relevant. Simplified your story. Written killer cover letters. And still nothing.

So no. It’s not about qualifications.

It’s about assumptions.

It’s about invisibility.

But here’s where I want to pivot because this is the moment that changed everything for me:

I don’t need to prove my value to systems that were never designed to fully see me.

And neither do you.

So what if we stopped chasing validation from biased systems… and instead started building something we own?

Something aligned with our strengths, our values, and our actual lives.

This is why Just a Number exists.

Because I know what’s possible when women stop waiting to be chosen and start building from what they already know.

This is about ownership. This is about claiming your intellectual property.

About taking your lived experience and building something that doesn’t require a gatekeeper’s approval—something that fits your life now, not the version of success you were sold years ago.

Whether that looks like a learning experience, a workshop, consulting, maybe a book, digital products, a community … whatever it is it starts with you. It starts with you deciding: I’m not invisible. I’m just done asking permission.

So if this episode felt close to home… if you’ve been refreshing your inbox and wondering why no one’s calling you back to schedule an interview, it’s not just you.

And no, you’re not “too qualified.” And you’re not “too much.” You’re experienced. And that is an asset.

In the next few episodes, we’re going to talk about how to take your experience, your IP—your career, your story, your perspective—and start building from it.

Because you don’t have to wait to be picked.

You can pick yourself.

Thanks for listening to Just a Number. If you know a woman who needs this reminder, send her this episode and make sure you’re following so you don’t miss what’s next.

I’ll see you next time.

Source Notes

• AARP “Age Discrimination Holds Steady…” (64% seen/experienced; 22% pushed out; 60% subtle age discrimination + examples).

• AARP advocacy page noting women 50+ at 67%.

• Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter (evidence points to hiring discrimination, particularly against older women).

• NBER working paper (40,000+ applications; robust evidence of hiring discrimination against older women).

• Bureau of Labor Statistics review (evidence suggests age discrimination in hiring exists and can be worse for older women).

• Holland & Hart: California ADS rules (effective Oct 1, 2025) + Workday collective action discussion.