Ageless Careers

I help Gen X and Baby Boomer job seekers to thrive in their careers through:
* 1:1 Coaching (Resumes, LinkedIn profile recommendations, Executive Bios)
* Ageless Careers Toolkit (courses designed to help you land a job faster)
* Ageless Careers Insider Weekly (weekly newsletter with actionable tips)

I've delivered webinars and in-person presentations on resume and LinkedIn best practices to corporations and universities including Asurion, the Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Association, and Point Park University.

I've been cited as a Top Resume Writing Voice on LinkedIn and a Career Expert in online and print resources including Fast Company, Forbes, LinkedIn News, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Businessweek, FlexJobs, and Best Colleges.

I've also delivered customized career coaching as part of the Pennsylvania Conference for Women.

Partnership opportunities: I also partner with companies looking to hire Gen X and Baby Boomer talent. Feel free to reach out if you have opportunities that you would like to share with the Ageless Careers community.

Sponsorship opportunities: Are you looking to gain awareness with Gen X/Baby Boomer executives? Reach out to discuss opportunities to sponsor the Ageless Careers Insider Weekly newsletter and/or reach my 65K+ LinkedIn followers through sponsored posts.

Founder | Executive Resume Writer | LinkedIn Profile Upgrades | Executive Bios

Colleen Paulson Consulting

I have generated 32M+ LinkedIn impressions since January 2023, adding 60,000+ LinkedIn followers, and was named one of the Top 200 LinkedIn Creators in the US and Top 200 Female LinkedIn Creators in the World.

I use the same strategies to help clients grow their presence on LinkedIn, optimizing client LinkedIn profiles, ghostwriting posts, and introduce posting strategies to maximize reach.

LinkedIn Consultant for Businesses & Executives

I've helped 1000+ executives and job seekers advance in their careers through insightful resumes, executive bios, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters with a 99.9% client satisfaction rate.

I've delivered webinars and in-person presentations on resume and LinkedIn best practices to groups including the Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Association and Point Park University.

I've been cited as a Top Resume Writing Voice on LinkedIn and a Career Expert in online and print resources including Forbes, LinkedIn News, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Businessweek, FlexJobs, and Best Colleges.

I've also delivered customized career coaching as part of the Pennsylvania Conference for Women.

Career Consultant | Resumes, LinkedIn, Cover Letters, Interviewing Expertise

I have published work in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and online resources including The Motley Fool, Investopedia, Businessweek.com, Ivy Exec, Thrive Global, Ellevate, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Multichannel Merchant magazine, and Woman Engineer magazine.

I've been cited for my career advice and investment analysis in top websites including Yahoo Finance, LinkedIn News, MSN, CBS News, and The Australian.

I've also delivered ghostwriting expertise to small businesses across topics including finance, investing, and career/workforce development.

Freelance Writer | Business Ghostwriter

The ABplatform

The ABplatform is a suite of services that help companies and industry experts find each other and create high performing Advisory Boards.  We offer recruiting, onboarding, coaching, tools, and templates that you can use to build your Advisory Board, and build your business.

Advisory Board Member

Glassdoor

I wrote weekly posts for Glassdoor's Technology Bowl, sharing market trends and discussing current events with tech professionals.

Content Creator

Randstad USA

Randstad RiseSmart is the leading provider of outplacement and talent mobility services for organizations in more than 40 industries and 80 countries. 

As a Randstad RiseSmart Career Coach, I expertly coached clients on their job search strategy and provide mock interviews, interview preparation, video interviewing, offer evaluation, salary negotiation coaching, as well as information on networking best practices and LinkedIn. Coaching was provided through a customized 1:1 approach with full support throughout their job search journey.

Career Coach | Job Search Consultant

CEO Connection

I built relationships with Mid-Market CEOs, understanding their goals and connecting them with potential board roles. I also curated networking opportunities including Board Connection Receptions, and cultivated strategic alliances with Private Equity firms, start-ups, and other advisory contacts.

Board Connection Director

Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business

I evaluated 1000+ applicants on 6 continents for a Top 20 MBA program, reviewing resumes, work experience, test scores, undergraduate grades, and essays to identify top candidates and forecast student success. I interviewed global candidates remotely and in-person utilizing behavioral interviewing techniques.

I was also part of the team establishing admissions standards for MSPM (Master of Science in Product Management) degree offering.

External Reader / Interviewer

The Motley Fool

I contributed 175+ articles with a focus on the consumer products industry, predicting trends and conducting in-depth financial analysis of top companies.

Contributor / Analyst

FedEx

I served as an instrumental part of the team driving global air/ground transportation revenue and volume growth through strategic pricing programs for Fortune 500 customers with shipping revenues exceeding $100 million.  Key accomplishments include:​

* Established price points and created cost-based analysis model for new FedEx Express (Last Mile) product offering

* Developed strategic pricing programs for current and potential customers, evaluating shipping metrics of customers and determining margins for pricing programs using excel-based models

* Elevated corporate revenues and profits, collaborating with sales directors to develop customer prospects and pricing strategies for 20+ Fortune 500 customers

* Owned major intranet-based pricing system, enhancing level and quality of pricing data in corporate databases, and expanding system capabilities to include new business units

* Recipient of FedEx Global Marketing Rising Star award and two Bravo Zulu awards for outstanding contributions

* Proficient in various pricing methodologies, including market and cost-based pricing methods

Senior Marketing Analyst, Strategic Pricing & Business Analysis

Procter & Gamble

I directed all aspects of production for 2 manufacturing lines making over 1.5 million cases of consumer products per year, leading a team of 30. Accomplishments include:

* Improved overall profit margin by 10% through increasing line production speed while concurrently reducing maintenance and personnel expenses, with an emphasis on lean manufacturing principles

* Generated cost savings of $1 million through improving existing processes and consolidating product manufacturing to one North American site. 

* Reduced level of quality defects by 50% while increasing equipment speed by 30%

* Increased brand production capacity by 10% through directing installation and start-up of production equipment

Manager/Technical Engineer

Want to up your game on LinkedIn?
Need an new resume or executive bio?
How about an expert presentation on ageism in the workplace?

I can help with all of that!

I deliver a wide range of services including:
* Executive resumes, executive bios, and LinkedIn profile upgrades
* LinkedIn strategies for small businesses and executives
* Business writing about ageism, workforce trends, and job search strategies
* Presentations/webinars on a variety of topics including ageism and LinkedIn/resume best practices

A little about me: I'm a 5x career changer who has skill-stacked my way from engineering into career consulting.

I started my career with Procter & Gamble as an Engineer/Production Manager, learning not only about consumer products, but also gaining key insights into leadership and career development. 

In my early 20s, I helped P&G move its manufacturing operations from Greenville, NC to Belleville, Ontario. I lived in Canada for 3 years and managed multi-million dollar projects and operations, managing a team of 30 in my Production Manager role. After earning my MBA, I worked in strategic marketing for FedEx, setting prices and forecasting profits for Fortune 500 customers and establishing price points for a new transportation product offering.

After my time in Corporate America, I pivoted and launched my own writing/consulting business. I served as a Contributor/Analyst for The Motley Fool for 4 years and have been cited as an industry expert by major news organizations and job search sites including Fast Company, Forbes, CBS News, Yahoo Finance, MSN, LinkedIn News, and FlexJobs. 

I have remained on-trend for career development best practices through my additional consulting work including:

* External Reader / Interviewer for Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business for 7 application seasons, evaluating 1000+ applicants on 6 continents

* Board Connection Director for CEO Connection, connecting Mid-Market CEOs with board seats and participating in our "How to Get on a Board" Workshop

* Career coaching/outplacement services with Randstad RiseSmart

* Advisory board member for TheABplatform

* Glassdoor Expert/Content Creator Program Manager

My proudest professional accomplishment is my involvement in saving our local pool. As Board President of the Brook Park Swim Club, I worked with our community to turn a projected $70K deficit into a surplus within 12 months, protecting this community asset for our children. 

Reach out (colleen@agelesscareers.com) and let me know how I can help you to reach your goals.

Colleen Paulson

"I'm 62 & have at least 5 good years of work left."

I've heard from 1000s of job seekers in their 50s, 60s, and beyond within the past few years. Folks often lead with their age when they reach out, as if they should apologize for wanting to work.

Listen, you don't have to apologize to anyone if you want (or need) to keep working into your 60s and beyond.

Most of us don't have a guaranteed pension and won't be retiring in our 50s. My data shows that 90% of us plan to work into our 60s and 25% of us plan to never retire.

However, if you're 50+ and navigating the job market, you’re not imagining it: ageism is real. 66% of workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace according to a 2025 AARP survey.

With that said, I'm seeing folks in their 50s and 60s land great jobs (even in this challenging market). I recently had a client in his late 60s land his "dream job" as an IT analyst, countering the ageism that can be so prevalent in tech - so yes, you can position yourself as the leading candidate, regardless of age.

Here's how to get started:
* Keep networking (let people know you are looking)
* Write an "ageless" resume (with quantified results)
* Build a LinkedIn presence (so recruiters find you)
* Stay confident (you can do this - I promise)

Focus on what you can control. And please, don't lose that confidence. Any company would be lucky to have you.

ps: If you are hiring, please review your practices. Are you interviewing candidates over the age of 60? How about candidates over the age of 50? If not, why?

#ageism

Advising 50-plus executives on career & LinkedIn strategy | 87K+ going ageless | Ex-P&G, FedEx | Featured by CNBC, Business Insider, Forbes, & Fast Company

Workers ages 65+ spend an average of 7 more weeks unemployed than those 25-34, according to recent BLS data. That's nearly 2 extra months of searching based on age alone. 

Why? Ageism and outdated assumptions about experienced workers are still part of the narrative, unfortunately. 

AARP and LinkedIn are trying to bust these myths with real data demonstrating that hiring workers who are 50+ is a true strategic advantage.

Here's what they found: workers who are 50+ have increased their disruptive tech skills by 25% over the last 5 years. So, we're continuing to learn and adapt to all of the new technology that's coming down the road (not a surprise - we've always adapted in the past, why wouldn't we keep doing so?).

When it comes to retention, the data is even more striking. Among employees hired in June 2024, 85.4% of workers 50+ were still with their employer one year later compared with just 70.6% of younger hires. 

Workers who are 50+ also have 20% larger (and more senior) networks, which means more mentorship, expertise, and opportunity flowing into businesses.

Despite all of this, experienced workers still face longer job searches. 

Here's the thing: many of us want (and need) to work into our 50s, 60s, and beyond. My polls here on LinkedIn show that 90% of workers plan to work into their 60s and that 25% plan to never retire. 

So, if you're hiring, you've got to ask yourself: Are you interviewing people older than 60? How about candidates over 50? If not, why?

#ageism #futureofwork

Linda Kirk

LINDA KIRK, LLC

𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗦
Age Inclusion Advocate | Communication Strategist | Self-Advocacy Leader

𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗖
Job seekers, applicants, candidates, and employees 40+, 50+, and 60+.

𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦
Check out my Writing/Design Portfolio or Featured section of my profile for samples of my work. I write about:
• Self-Advocacy: Overcoming Hiring and Workplace Challenges.
• Civil Rights: Age Discrimination in Hiring and the Workplace.
• AI and Algorithmic Age Discrimination.
• Societal Ageism.
• Health & Wellness.
• Personal Branding.
• Positivity.

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥
Age Inclusion Advocacy | Business/Lifestyle Topics and Trends from the 40+, 50+, and 60+ PERSPECTIVE.

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥
Creator/Author of published monthly infotainment comic strip, entitled: "EXCUSE ME...YOUR BIAS IS SHOWING." The comic is told from the perspective of 40+50+60+ job seekers and employees who encounter hiring and workplace discrimination based on age.

Authored Family Cookbook: 75 family favorites of my recipes over the years; conducted photo shoots of prepped and plated food; prepped and plated photographs,150 images; additional personal photos, 25 images; 155 pages; project took 18 months to complete; all work done in-house; ROI: PRICELESS.

𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚/𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗦
Linda Kirk Writing/Design Portfolio (temporary hosting site until website launch).

𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘
Currently under construction. 
Website: lindakirk.com

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧
Continue sharpening skill sets related to: age-related industry trends and legislation; technology; digital marketing; coaching and consulting techniques; Human Resources; graphic design; website design; video editing.

Founder & CEO | Age Inclusion Advocate | Communication Strategist | Self-Advocacy Leader

Self-Employed

FREELANCE CONTENT: Storytelling | Articles | Memes | Comic Strips

Professional Writer

Retail and Hotel

Hotel Guest Services Specialist, Holiday Inn, Christiansburg (9/19 to 3/20) • Customer Sales and Service Trainer, Kroger, Blacksburg (9/14 to 9/19)) • Business Development Specialist, Cartridge World, Fredericksburg (2/12 to 2/14) • Chose permanent, part-time jobs during this time frame to attend to medical procedures following an accident • Further enhanced skill set • Cleared 100% to return to full-time work in July 2020.

Business Development Specialist and Customer Sales and Service Trainer 

Marriott International

Corporate Headquarters, Mid-Atlantic Regional Sales Office, On-Property Sales Offices and Remote.
•  Major Washington Metropolitan Area convention hotel representation included, but not limited to: The Mayflower Hotel; Renaissance Washington DC; JW Marriott Washington, DC; Marriott Wardman Park; Washington Marriott at Metro Center; Crystal Gateway Marriott; Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles; Falls Church Fairview Park Marriott; The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City; The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.
•  Market: National Associations, Corporate and Federal Government. 
•  Territory: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area.
•  Groups: National Associations, Corporate and Federal Government group business (100+ rooms on peak night);
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

Area Account Executive - Mid-Atlantic

Self Employed

•  Planned local meetings and events in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area; 
•  Project, logistics and on-site manager.

Meeting Planner and Event Consultant

Park Inn

159 guest rooms and kitchenettes.
•  Market: Tour and travel, business transient, government, leisure, extended stay and events;
•  Territory: Local, state, national and international;
•  Groups: Small meetings and social events;
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

Director of Sales and Marketing

Howard Johnsons Hotel

280 guest rooms and suites.
•  Market: Tour and travel, business transient, government, leisure and events;
•  Territory: Local, state, national and international;
•  Groups: Small meetings and social events;
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

Conference Management Systems

Housing and registration destination management company (DMC) based in Chicago, Illinois - Washington, DC Office. 
•  Market: National Associations; 
•  Territory: Washington DC Metropolitan Area;
•  Groups: Annual conventions, trade shows, conferences and meetings;
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

Regional Director of Sales and Marketing

Visit Tampa Bay

Convention and visitors bureau for the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida - Washington, DC Office. Formerly known as the Tampa/Hillsborough Convention and Visitors Authority. The DC office, which I opened and managed, was located within Destinations International Headquarters.
•  Market:   Washington Metropolitan Area National Associations;
•  Territory: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area;
•  Groups:   Citywide conventions, trade shows, conferences and meetings (from 500 rooms peak night);
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

National Sales and Marketing Director

Choose Chicago

Convention and visitors bureau for the City of Chicago, Illinois - Washington, DC Office. Formerly known as the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.
•  Market: National Associations and the Federal Government;
•  Territory: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area and the Southeast from Virginia to Florida;
•  Groups: Citywide conventions, trade shows, conferences and meetings; Federal Government conferences and meetings (from 500-5,000+ peak night);
•  Achievements listed in "Organizations" section.

National Convention Sales Director

As an age inclusion advocate, communication strategist, and self-advocacy leader, I help empower job seekers and employees, 40+50+60+, to rise and conquer challenges in hiring and the workplace connected to age discrimination.

𝗠𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦 - 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗢𝗡
I will be offering a selection of specialty services + solutions + resources. *

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗬
My career has spanned over 40 years, with more than 30 years spent in Washington, DC. I began my career in government and legislative affairs, where I gained valuable experience in strategic diplomatic communication and collaboration. Later, I worked in executive marketing and sales leadership positions for leading destination marketing organizations and global hotel corporations. During that time, I played an instrumental role in negotiating and closing high-value complex business deals, contributing to millions of dollars in revenue and economic impact across the US.

Throughout my career, I have worked in diverse industry sectors, including Fortune 100/500 HQs, associations, law firms, hospitality, grocery, retail, and automotive. I have developed a keen insight into various workplace cultures, which has helped me in my professional journey.

Additionally, I am highly creative as a professional writer, storyteller, content designer, and brand strategist. This added dimension to my skill set enables me to connect with and inspire others.

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗬
Throughout my early years, I experienced over a dozen family relocations across three different countries, all before the age of 18. This instilled within me an unwavering sense of resilience, tenacity, and grit, all bolstered by a positive, perseverant, and adaptable mindset.

My considerable travels across the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean contribute to my cultural diversity proficiency.

I recently celebrated two significant personal milestones: my 71st birthday and 23 years of continued sobriety. 

Over the years, I have successfully overcome numerous significant challenges in the business world, including harassment, sex discrimination, the glass ceiling, and age discrimination. I achieved this through my stellar strategic communication skills and legislative background, perfected in Washington, DC.

Life is full of challenges. How we rise, conquer, and triumph over challenges makes all the difference.

Born: UK. Raised: Canada. Reside: US.

YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE.
YES, YOU CAN!

📱LET'S CONNECT!
____
*I am not an attorney, and I do not dispense legal advice.

Founder & CEO | Indie Creator | Strategic Communications Expert

𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗦
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT - Strategic Communications | Marketing Communications | Brand Strategy, Branding, and Brand Messaging | Content Creator.
FREELANCE CONTENT - WRITTEN: Long-Form | Storytelling | Short-Form | Copywriting | Landing Pages | Infotainment.
FREELANCE CONTENT – CONTENT DESIGN: Brand Strategy | Content Creation
Services provided to individuals, businesses, groups, grassroots movements, and organizations.

𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗖
People 40+, 50+, and 60+.

𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦
Check out my Writing/Design Portfolio or Featured section in my profile for samples of my work. I write about:
• Civil Rights: Age Discrimination - Hiring/Workplace. 
• Societal Ageism.
• Advocacy Through Positivity.
• Lifestyle, Health & Wellness.
• Personal & Business Branding.

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥
Age Inclusion Advocacy | Business/Lifestyle Topics and Trends from the 40+, 50+, and 60+ PERSPECTIVE.

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥
Authored Family Cookbook: 75 family favorites of my recipes over the years; conducted photo shoots of prepped and plated food; prepped and plated photographs,150 images; additional personal photos, 25 images; 155 pages; project took 18 months to complete; all work done in-house; ROI: PRICELESS.

𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚/𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗦
Linda Kirk Writing/Design Portfolio (temporary hosting site until website launch).

𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘
Currently under construction. 
Website: lindakirk.co
Tentative launch date: Fall 2023.

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧
Continue sharpening skill sets related to: industry trends; technology; digital marketing; social media marketing; SEO fundamentals; Human Resources; Graphic Design-Canva Pro; website design; video editing.

taplio

The Battle

Colleen Paulson

Linda Kirk, CPCC, CPLC, CPLC-CBT

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreColleen Paulson's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Colleen Paulson

Linda Kirk, CPCC, CPLC, CPLC-CBT

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Colleen Paulson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreColleen Paulson's LinkedIn Performance