I'm applying to entry-level jobs at 56 and can't even get an interview. My confidence has taken a hit — so I'm pivoting.

This as-told-to effort is based connected a speech pinch Jennifer Mannix, a 56-year-old based successful Tacoma, Washington. It's been edited for magnitude and clarity.

In 2022, aft 30 years moving for the city of Juneau, Alaska, I was eligible for a afloat retirement, which included wellness benefits and a pension for the remainder of my life.

My woman and I moved to Tacoma, Washington, and it's been beautiful to person a profession break aft respective stressful years successful consequence management. However, I'm successful a unsocial position wherever I tin spend not to activity for a while, but I'm only successful my early 50s. I consciousness for illustration I've earned the opportunity to put my efforts into thing that really gets maine excited: women's master sports.

I've spent the past twelvemonth applying to entry-level jobs successful the industry, from executive adjunct to game-day helper, and I haven't moreover landed an interview. My assurance has taken a hit, and I person to ideate my property plays a role.

I wish hiring managers could spot that location are a batch of safe careers I could beryllium pursuing and making money in. The logic for my pivot is my absolute emotion and passion for unrecorded sports. I'm fresh to put myself retired there, commencement over, and study thing new.

I'm trying to beryllium my property won't beryllium an issue

I've mostly been applying to entry-level roles because I cognize that, connected paper, it mightiness beryllium difficult for a hiring head to spot really my past acquisition translates to this industry.

I tin only ideate that a hiring manager mightiness look astatine my property and acquisition and think, "What the heck do they want to do pinch this entry-level job?" They mightiness wonderment whether my skills construe aliases whether I scheme to instrumentality astir for very long. In my screen letters, I've made it a constituent to convey that I'm excited astir the job, I don't request to make a ton of money, and I want to beryllium involved.

My assurance has taken a hit

I went from a spot wherever the group I worked pinch knew maine and knew what I was tin of. I'm wholly anonymous here. My insecurity level, particularly aft astir a twelvemonth of earnestly applying for jobs and not getting immoderate nibbles, has gone up. I still person assurance successful myself, but putting myself retired location successful a caller section is decidedly vulnerable.

I cognize I can't return rejections personally, but they're a assurance hit.

I precocious went to a occupation adjacent specifically for the Seattle sports industry, and I felt for illustration I was 15 to 20 years older than astir of the group there. I person to laughter astir it each and clasp it.

I'm building my ain business because I don't want to hold for an opportunity

Last year, I started building a business that curates events surrounding women's sports. I figured, if I can't get hired, why don't I make thing for myself?

We're specifically doing autobus trips from wherever we live, astir an hr from Seattle, to watch games. I emotion what this manufacture is doing to beforehand women leaders, and I want to dispersed the joyousness that women's sports springiness maine by building a organization of fans.

I didn't want to put a immense magnitude of money into this project, truthful I'm building my website, mounting up socials, and learning promotional techniques arsenic I go, which is nosy and challenging. I'm besides still somewhat caller to this beingness location, truthful I'm relying connected friends pinch bigger networks to thief maine beforehand things.

It's falling into place; I conscionable request to beryllium patient.

Networking events support maine motivated and confident

I'm decidedly introverted, and what I've realized done occupation applications is the value of attending networking events and gathering people. I joined the Seattle section of a nationalist statement called Women successful Sports and Events, and I've gone to a fistful of their events.

They've had panels pinch immoderate really inspirational speakers, including women my property aliases older who are very accomplished successful the industry. The power of the events is affirmative and perfectly encouraging for me. It's retired of my comfortableness zone, but I'm getting amended astatine it.

You ne'er cognize erstwhile you're going to meet personification who mightiness beryllium capable to thief you.

I wish hiring managers saw my passion and commitment

I wish hiring managers realized I could astir apt get a beautiful darn well-paying occupation location successful the security aliases consequence manufacture because of my experience. There are a batch of safe careers I could beryllium pursuing and making money in. After 30 years of working, I've developed transferable skills that will make maine successful successful immoderate position.

As I worked difficult successful my aged positions, I've ne'er had the passion and committedness that I do for wherever I'm trying to go. I besides wish hiring managers could spot that I could thief younger people. They mightiness person the acquisition I don't person successful that circumstantial field, but I tin thatch them really to beryllium a bully worker and a bully squad member.

It feels for illustration I'm 1 of the fewer people successful this position, but I cognize I'm not. If we tin retrieve to support the religion and support moving hard, thing will travel along. I person to support reminding myself of that.

Are you navigating a profession alteration successful your 50s? Contact this editor, Manseen Logan, astatine [email protected] to stock your story.

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