Which careers remain unaffected by ageism?
1. Retail
Supermarkets, boutiques, and other stores constantly look for new people to work with. If your social skills are good, this job might be the right option for you. There’s ordinarily no age discrimination when it comes to these jobs. And customers appreciate and love anyone with a smile on their face and a helpful manner. You can look for positions in your neighbourhood. In general, supermarkets may involve more physical work. So if you’d prefer not to carry heavy products, you can also consider working at boutiques, shoe stores, or any stores that won’t need many heavy liftings.
2. Cosmetologist
If you have a talent for makeup and hair, why not monetize it by becoming a cosmetologist. Cosmetology is a field that often doesn’t face any age discrimination since it’s all about your craft — results show your talent and competencies, not your age. Of course, if you don’t have had formal training, you can take a class. But these are usually shorter than other courses anyways. After completing your course, you can open your own salon or rent a chair a salon. There are various areas of cosmetology — from manicure and pedicure to hair and makeup. Make sure you find one that works for you.
3. Writing
There is genuinely no ageism when it comes to writing. The more life experience you have, the greater your writing will be. Consider jobs like technical writing, copywriting, writing non-fiction books for customers, or blogging. You can start either with a company full-time or work freelance. Writing is ordinarily a flexible job, mainly if you’re freelancing or working from home. For example, you can write at any time of day and night; the most important thing is that the work is done correctly. Consider taking an online class or reading about this work line to better understand what is required.
4. Consultancy
If you have experience in finance, marketing, or business, reasonably, you can consider consultancy. Your job would be to assist companies to go through changes or come up with solid plans. The more experienced and knowledgeable you are, the better. Consider starting your own company or entering an existing one. If you know people who would also be fit for this work, consider joining forces to create an influential consultancy. Make sure you understand what it takes to consult. You may even have to invest some time to fill knowledge gaps. But you probably won’t require formal training.
5. Real Estate
To become a real estate agent, you need to pass specific courses and the certification exam. Anyone can get into this industry, and you might find yourself loving it through time. If you are easy to talk to and have a bit of charm — as well as a talent for making people see a home rather than a house, you’ll do excellent. You can join an agency — a cheaper, less risky path to take — or start your own real-estate agency. It would be best for beginners to work with someone more experienced before doing something independently. Theory can’t beat apprenticeship.
6. Childcare
Whether babysitting or joining a kindergarten teacher, childcare can be a fantastic and fulfilling career. Parents are generally willing to pay more for older, more experienced babysitters, mainly if you can provide extra services, like assisting them with the homework, preparing meals, or even tutoring them. On the other hand, you might require a degree or a certification to be a kindergarten teacher. So do your research before you begin looking for a job.
7. Teaching
If you have always loved working with children, you might have a career in teaching. You might require a bachelor’s degree and certification, but you can probably become a substitute teacher without the certificate. Education can be very fulfilling, and most schools don’t consider your age as long as you’re good at what you do. You can take up other work at school, such as working in the library, doing an administrative job, bus driver, etc.
8. Food
When it comes to food, how it tastes and looks is the only thing that matters. If you are a good cook, use that to your benefit. You could find a restaurant appreciating your skills even if you haven’t had formal training. You can also work in a bakery or on your own food truck. Conditions for starting a food-related business are pretty strict, but the food business is quite fulfilling and low on age discrimination if you have what it takes.
Ageism does not affect any job in which you are your employer. Politicians are also free from job ageism. Interestingly, you will not get elected if you are too young. In politics, age is considered a bonus. Careers that strongly need knowledge and experience, such as doctors, accountants, teachers, etc., also won’t be affected by ageism.
If you’re a senior looking for a job least affected by age discrimination, you should go for careers that let you be your own employer. It also wouldn’t hurt to try being an investor either. Another option that welcomes older people is being a politician. In politics, age is regarded as a bonus for the most part. In contrast, you can barely see young people being elected as politicians, even if they are well-educated. If politics isn’t your thing, look for small but thriving businesses. These companies are usually respectful towards people of any age. As long as your goal is the company’s success, you don’t have to worry about being treated differently.
There are two categories of jobs that remain unaffected by age discrimination: Politics and self-employment (e.g., freelancing, artistic career, etc.). Generally, if you’re old, you have fewer chances to get employed or selected for the job you want. But in politics, being older is considered a bonus. However, musicians and artists are less prone to ageism, mainly because they are their bosses. Also, jobs requiring specialized knowledge or experience in a specific field do not usually suffer age-related issues. I’d mention doctors, lawyers, university professors, teachers, accountants, and investors, to name a few. I hope it helps.
