Some of the best Executive Assistants I’ve ever worked with are currently out of work.
Not because they lacked skill.
Not because they didn’t adapt.
But because, after years, sometimes decades of exceptional service, they were let go in a wave of redundancies.
And months later, they’re still looking.
These are high-performing, strategic-level assistants.
They’ve led teams. Mentored juniors. Delivered under pressure.
They’ve upskilled. Got certified. Embraced AI.
They’re exactly what every business says it wants: proactive, professional, future-ready.
But they also happen to be 40+.
And in the silence that follows their applications, you can almost hear the bias:
“Too experienced.”
“Too expensive.”
“Too… much.”
So what’s really going on?
Ageism.
Wrapped in vague feedback.
Baked into hiring systems that filter out CVs before a human ever sees them.
📊 AARP reports 78% of older workers have experienced age discrimination.
📊 And assistants aged 45+ are statistically the most likely to be overlooked – despite their experience.
We’re not just shutting people out.
We’re stripping them of identity. Stability. Worth.
In a profession where identity is so often tied to being useful, being trusted, being the one others rely on, being shut out is not just demoralising. It’s traumatising.
I’m hearing first hand about the result.
• Nervous system breakdowns.
• Anxiety and insomnia.
• Shame.
• Families under financial pressure.
• Professionals questioning their entire sense of worth.
And it’s happening to some of the most capable people in our profession.
Here’s how we can actively support our peers:
✔️ If you’re hiring:
• Post the role publicly. Not just internally or via private networks.
• Respond with respect. Even if it’s a “no,” let people know. Ghosting is dehumanising.
• Rethink your filters. If your applicant tracking system auto-rejects based on gaps or age, fix it.
✔️ If you’re in the profession:
• Share job posts. Even if you’re not hiring.
• Refer those you trust. One recommendation can change everything.
• Invite them into your network. Don’t let brilliant people become isolated.
• Offer encouragement. Sometimes a “You’ve got this” is enough to keep someone going.
✔️ If you’re struggling:
• Lean on community. Whether through associations, networks, or trusted peers, let us help you.
• Don’t internalise rejection. The system is flawed. You are not.
• And please don’t give up. Your experience matters.
Because although this profession needs fresh talent.
It also needs the wisdom, depth and steady excellence of those who helped build it.
