When Does Experience Become a Liability?

There seems to be a perception that once you pass 50, your professional career is approaching its use by date. By 60, you're practically invisible to some employers.

Why is that?

Perhaps it's the assumption that older professionals have higher salary expectations. Or that younger candidates are more adaptable, innovative, technologically savvy and have more to prove.

To all intents and purposes, youth becomes a more attractive proposition.

But here's something I've been thinking about.

Why do we so often look to mature leaders to govern our countries?

Presidents, prime ministers and senior political leaders are frequently well into their 50s, 60s and beyond.

We associate maturity with wisdom, experience, judgement and leadership. Doesn't always work out that way though!

Yet further down the workforce, those same qualities can suddenly become less desirable.

What does the research tell us?

Research published by the Australian Human Rights Commission and Australian HR Institute in 2025 found that only 28% of surveyed employers were open to hiring workers aged 65 and over to a large extent.

International research published by the OECD and Generation in 2023 found that 89% of surveyed hiring managers rated midcareer and older workers they had hired as performing as well as, or better than, younger colleagues.

These findings raise an interesting question.

Perhaps the problem isn't the capability of mature workers.

Perhaps it's the perception of their capability.

I'm not suggesting younger professionals are less capable. Far from it. Innovation, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives are essential.

But experience, professional judgement, resilience and the ability to navigate complexity are valuable too.

Does professional potential have an expiry date?

At what age does someone stop being innovative, curious or capable of learning something new?

I've spent much of this year learning AI, developing new skills and building a consultancy business.

I'm certainly not finished learning.

Perhaps it's time we stopped measuring professional potential by the number of birthdays someone has celebrated.

Because experience doesn't come with an expiry date.

What do you think? Is age still an invisible barrier in recruitment?

Research references

• Australian Human Rights Commission and Australian HR Institute (2025): Older and Younger Workers — What Do Employers Think?
• OECD and Generation (2023): The Midcareer Opportunity

Related reading

• The Forgotten Generation of LinkedIn Professionals
• Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?