“After 50, You Become Invisible”. Why This Is A Myth – And Why Maturity Is An Asset For Women In Business
“After 50, you become invisible” – for decades, that social and professional narrative surrounded women. Job market statistics and popular culture only reinforced this belief. Research results repeatedly confirmed that the higher the position, the fewer women who occupy it; and the older the age group, the greater the disparity between the share of women and men at the top levels of corporate careers.
Result? Many women postponed their decisions about changes, promotions or career development, believing it was already too late to develop their careers or start new professional chapters.
But that image is beginning to change. Forbes Women Poland’s “50 Over 50” list shows that maturity is not an end, but a new beginning. The list features women who, in the second half of their lives, started new chapters and achieved impressive results.
“Women over 50 have been invisible for too long, despite the enormous impact they actually make. We wanted to create a space that not only showcases them, but above all appreciates their agency, competencies, and courage to act on their own terms”, emphasizes Katarzyna Dębek, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Women Poland.
Stories Of Women Who Began A New Career Chapter After 50
The “50 over 50” report is a collection of inspiring stories that debunk stereotypes and prove that age is not an obstacle, but an advantage.
- Sylwia Barthel de Weydenthal, who, after years of working for global corporations (incl. Meta, Coca-Cola and Heineken), decided to pursue a completely new field. She is now responsible for the growth of a Finnish quantum computing start-up, working between Warsaw and Helsinki.
- Olga Grygier-Siddons, for many years associated with PwC where she served as CEO for Central and Eastern Europe. After turning 50, she started a new chapter: she created a leadership development center and joined the supervisory boards of Żabka and Bank Millennium.
- Iva Georgijew, Partner at Deloitte and the first woman to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of Deloitte Central Europe. At the age of 55, she established a foundation supporting education and intercultural integration.
- Krystyna Abramczyk-Puzio, who worked for years as a dental assistant. After turning 50, she began her adventure with sport and today holds the titles as Polish, European and World Champion in powerlifting, as well as a world record in the deadlift.
Each of these stories shows one thing: age is not a barrier, but a moment when experience and self-awareness become the source of the greatest successes.
Why Is Maturity A Competitive Advantage On The Job Market?
Why do women over 50 have a unique position to succeed in a new professional chapter? Because they have:
- networks of contacts, built up over the years, often international and cross-industrial,
- decision-making experience, i.e. the ability to recognize patterns and assess risks,
- self-confidence and values alignment, lack of doubts that often hold younger generations back,
- resilience to crises gained through navigating numerous changes and turbulence.
As Joanna Przetakiewicz, one of the ranking’s judges, said:
“This is the stage when self-awareness grows: that of your capabilities, expectations and values. A mature woman has all the advantages: wisdom, calmness, independence, confidence and agency.”
This is why women over 50 do not become “transparent”, but more expressive.
What Does It Take To Join A Board After You Turn 50?
The stories of Forbes Women Poland’s protagonists are inspiring, but on their own, they are not enough to prepare for a board role. From the first step to a seat on the board, the road is long.
Why? Because the requirements for candidates for top positions are increasing. To be successful, you need:
- a professionally prepared CV and LinkedIn profile,
- a strategy to reach the right people and institutions,
- the ability to present yourself to decision makers,
- the preparation for executive-level interviews.
Do you already have a plan that allows you to leverage your experience to join the circle of decision makers?
Women on Boards: Program For Women Aspiring To Management And Supervisory Boards
To move from vision to action, you need structure. At Career Angels, we developed the Women on Boards program – comprehensive support for women aspiring to the highest decision-making roles.
The program includes:
- Competency audit and gap analysis, helping you determine what to focus on.
- Leadership and management skills development, preparing you for the challenges of a top-level role.
- Optimization of application documents, so that your CV, LinkedIn profile and cover e-mail position you as a natural candidate.
- Strategy for applying and targeting decision makers, enabling you to effectively find and contact the right people.
- Networking, i.e. building and actively using your network to increase visibility and build lasting professional relationships.
- Executive interview simulations, offering practical preparation for recruitment at the highest level.
Result? An individual action plan, real preparation, greater confidence and readiness for new challenges.
This is not a theoretical course. It is a practical process where we work step by step on your readiness to take on a board or supervisory role.
Imagine that in a year your name appears on the list of new supervisory board members. How would that sound?
Career Angels In Numbers And Practice
At Career Angels, we have worked with over 12,000 managers and executives who have faced similar questions:
- how to join the board,
- how to overcome barriers,
- how to turn experience into a professional advantage.
Over 80% of our clients recommend our services further. On our website, you can find numerous references and case studies confirming the effectiveness of our approach.
Many of our female clients say that thanks to our support and program, they have gained clarity, peace of mind and specific tools. You can, too.
Why Is Now The Perfect Time For Change? New EU Regulations And A Window Of Opportunity
In 2022, the European Parliament adopted a directive on gender balance on boards, which is to be implemented in all EU member states by 2026. This means that:
- publicly listed companies will have to ensure at least 40% women on supervisory boards or 33% across all management positions,
- companies have already begun the preparation process and are actively seeking candidates.
That’s why delaying could mean missing out on opportunities. If you wait, someone else will take your place. If you start acting now, you have a chance to be one of the leaders who will change the face of European business.
Now Is The Time For Your Move: Write A New Chapter In Your Career
The stories from the Forbes Women Poland article show that it’s never too late. But to seize the upcoming opportunities, you need a plan and preparation.
Women on Boards is a program that will help you leverage your experience and maturity to save your seat on management and supervisory boards.
Contact us at Contact@CareerAngels.eu. Schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help you write a new chapter in your career.
Maybe it will be your career path that will show others it’s never too late.
Need flexibility? We now offer paid consultations outside of standard working hours – including evenings and weekends – via Booksy. Perfect if you’re short on time or prefer support outside of the typical working day.
