Still Looking for Work at 67
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There’s something people don’t talk about enough. Looking for a job at 67 is humbling. Not because I can’t work. Not because I don’t want to work. But because the world doesn’t quite know what to do with someone like me.
I’ve been applying online. Uploading resumes. Filling out forms that ask me to retype everything that’s already on my resume. Clicking submit. Waiting, and waiting and waiting.
So, this week, I decided something. If the online world isn’t responding, I’m going back to something old-school. I’m putting on lipstick, printing my resume, and physically walking into leasing offices. Yes. Leasing offices. And here’s why.
Why Leasing Offices? I have been driving around my area of Arizona and noticed the number of apartments and planned communities that are opening. Apartments are going up everywhere. New communities. New buildings. Leasing banners flying in the wind. And someone must staff those offices. At least the job searching site Indeed is showing a number of these offices seeking staff.
Someone must greet residents. Answer phones. Keep things organized. Smile at prospective tenants. I can do that. I’ve raised a family. Managed a household. Balanced finances. Navigated life. You’re telling me I can’t handle a leasing office?
So, I thought instead of sitting behind a computer hoping an algorithm picks me, I’m:
• Printing clean copies of my resume
• Dressing professionally
• Walking into new leasing communities
• Asking to speak to the property manager
• Introducing myself
I thought I would introduce myself. There is something powerful about eye contact. A resume online is a file. A woman standing in front of you with experience, warmth, and confidence? That’s different.
So, what if they look at me and think, “She’s too old”? Or what if they say they only accept online applications? What if I walk out with nothing? But here’s what I know: Rejection from behind a screen feels invisible. Rejection face-to-face? At least I showed up. And showing up matters.
Why I’m Sharing This Because I know I’m not the only one. There are women (and men) over 60 quietly looking for work. Some need the income. Some want purpose. Some want both. We don’t expire at 65. We are still have driven, determined. We still have skills. We still have dreams. And like I say on YouTube:
“Don’t let your age determine the size of your dreams.”
I refuse to shrink.
Let’s be clear. Reinvention is not aesthetic Pinterest boards and cute coffee shop laptops. Sometimes it’s printing resumes at your kitchen table while your dog watches you like, “You got this.” Sometimes it’s wondering why companies won’t call you back. Sometimes it’s walking into places where you’re the oldest person in the room. But I’d rather try than sit still.
What I’ve Learned So Far
- You cannot rely on one strategy.
- Online applications are crowded.
- In-person presence still matters.
- Confidence changes the energy in a room.
- You are never too old to pivot.
If this works, I’ll tell you. If it doesn’t, I’ll tell you that too. Because this isn’t about pretending everything is polished. It’s about documenting the real journey.
So, this week, I will go online. Check out Indeed and see if there are still leasing jobs open and it so. I’ll be visiting several new apartment communities near me.
I’ll update you on:
• How the conversations go
• What the managers say
• Whether they seem open to mature applicants
• And how I feel walking back to my car afterward
We are in this together. And if you’re job searching too? Put on your lipstick. Print the resume. Walk in like you belong there. Because you do.
