"Is Experience the New Handicap?"

Let’s talk about the office’s best-kept secret: ageism. That’s right, the big silent barrier nobody acknowledges, like the office fridge thief or the guy who clogs the printer every Monday morning. Ageism is one of those sneaky biases that creeps into meetings, performance reviews, and happy hours where everyone’s pretending they understand TikTok trends.

Now, I’m not saying I’m old. But when someone mentioned "dial-up internet" last week, a junior colleague asked, “What’s that?” I swear my knees started creaking in solidarity with my soul. Ageism is real, and it’s lurking in everything from hiring decisions to casual lunchroom conversations about what was cool in 2005. (Spoiler: it wasn’t avocado toast.)

The Subtle Jabs

Let’s start with the subtle remarks. “Wow, you’re still learning new software at your age? That’s impressive!” Excuse me? I’ve been coding since floppy disks were considered cutting-edge, thank you very much. If I can navigate a Blackberry without Google, I can conquer your fancy CRM system.

Then there’s the classic: “You bring so much experience to the table!” Translation? “We’re just glad you know how to open Excel without asking for help.” Sure, it’s a compliment...until it’s used as a weapon to sideline you in brainstorming sessions. Suddenly, my “experience” is a liability because I allegedly don’t “think outside the box.” Honey, I’ve seen all the boxes.

Tech Trauma and Reverse Mentoring

Oh, and don’t get me started on “reverse mentoring.” It’s basically code for, “Teach us how to do the job we should’ve taught ourselves, but don’t expect us to take you seriously when you suggest improvements.” One time, a colleague asked me to help with “that old-school email platform.” It was Gmail.

But hey, I’m adaptable. I even downloaded BeReal last month. (Okay, fine, I thought it was a mindfulness app. Turns out, it’s just another excuse to post selfies. But still—effort!)

The Two Extremes of Assumption

In the workplace, ageism puts you on one of two pedestals: the Wise Yoda or the Dinosaur on Display. If you’re Yoda, you’re expected to dispense wisdom while gracefully fading into irrelevance. If you’re the dinosaur, they treat you like an ancient artifact—fascinating to look at but probably fragile.

One time, during a team-building retreat, they handed me a Sharpie for a brainstorming exercise and someone whispered, “Be careful. Those fumes might be strong.” What did they think? That I’d keel over from marker toxicity? Please—I survived the actual chaos of Windows 95.

Fighting Back (With Flair)

So, how do we combat this invisible barrier? I’ll tell you how. First, embrace the humor. When someone asks, “What was it like before Google Maps?” respond with, “It was like now—except we spoke to strangers for directions instead of yelling at Siri.”

Second, stay sharp. Keep learning, adapting, and proving them wrong. Nothing feels better than watching a 20-something struggle with a presentation, then you swooping in with a perfectly formatted pivot table.

And lastly, call it out—gracefully but firmly. When someone makes an ageist remark, respond with something like, “That’s interesting. Did you know age diversity improves workplace productivity?” That way, you sound both professional and slightly intimidating. It’s a win-win.

The Final Word

Ageism might be a silent barrier, but it’s no match for a seasoned professional armed with wit, wisdom, and the ability to use a rotary phone and Slack. So, the next time someone assumes you don’t understand “the cloud,” just smile and say, “I’ve been navigating clouds since before they were digital. Want to know what I learned?”

Trust me—they won’t know what hit them. And that, my friends, is how you age like fine wine in a world obsessed with sparkling seltzers. Cheers! 🍷