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Presented by Lauren Stibgen
What are some different things we wait for when it comes to our career or work? Or does our career or work cause us to feel like we are waiting on other aspects of our life? Honestly, after being in prayer for about two years with other female executives, I can say that waiting and work impact us personally and professionally.
For women who are just starting out in the workforce, this waiting can be for a first job. A recent article in Forbes online[1] noted that two of five recent graduates do not feel their college or university properly prepared them for their transition to work. In addition to this perceived lack of preparation, employers are also biased about hiring recent college grads. Statistically, 50% of hiring managers at a supervisory level and above feel this group of candidates is not adequately prepared for the workforce. The pandemic only compounded the issues recent classes are experiencing when trying to obtain a position. And they find themselves waiting—not only for a job but simply for an interview. With this age group already feeling the impact of isolation from the pandemic, the added stressors of finding a postgraduate position can lead to discouragement.
As “an older saint”, as a Gospel Coalition article[2] might deem me, my role in helping these younger believers in their waiting is critical. Simply networking and providing mentorship can help encourage and connect graduates to new opportunities. It is also important to point them to encouragement in God’s Word. How many young followers of God waited for their job?
King David’s first job was that of a lowly sheep herder. His father didn’t even invite him to the dinner that was called when Samuel was sent by the Lord to anoint a new king for Israel. Even after he was anointed, David continued to tend the sheep, and was a musician for Saul. He had some odd jobs as we might say, until he finally became king. Along the way he sought encouragement from the Lord but also in dear counsel from people like Samuel and Jonathan.
While recent graduates are experiencing a hard time landing a first position, there are many women in transition at a senior level as well. In many of the calls I have with other female executives, we call ourselves “the middle”. We deal with the real pressures of work while also raising children and maybe managing aging parents. Not to mention, we may have our own health issues.
Using the word transition for this group of women in the workforce takes a different shape. It doesn’t just mean they are unemployed seeking employment. This transition may also look like stepping down from a leadership position, starting their own business, or looking for a promotion. In addition, many women are experiencing ageism at work. Statistically, more older women are being forced out of the workforce than men. Some research states that women are 50% more likely to experience ageism at work than their male counterparts. Working women who have been waiting for that more senior role or promotion or who may be seeking new employment are faced with a particular worldview. This worldview is described in an article by The Kit[3] as one that made them feel “diminished, devalued, demeaned.” The article from March of 2023 also says, “For every career win for a woman over 50, there are countless humiliating losses. Some play out publicly, like when CNN morning show host Don Lemon declared U.S. presidential candidate Nikki Haley past her prime at 51.”
For our listeners today, I would tell you I am encroaching on 50, and see so many vibrant, working women with successful careers well past 50. However, if we don’t look at the reality of how ageism can cause waiting, or even unemployment, we can’t even start to address the issue. As Christian working women, we too can experience ageism in a secular workforce. Just this week one of the women in my prayer group told us she struggles believing in her worthiness as she has been looking for a position for over six months.
This age group also encompasses women who are primary breadwinners in their home. Often, they may be the sole provider for their family, even experiencing work as a single mother. This pressure only amplifies waiting, especially if they are seeking a position after being out of work or a needed increase in compensation.
For those of you in the middle like me I would encourage you to turn to the story of Sarah in the Bible. She was 90 when Isaac was born.
Finding their way in the workforce and career can also impact women in their personal lives, and I don’t think this is an issue of age. Reports show women are waiting longer to both marry and have children. In the 1950s the average age for women to marry was 20.1, compared with the average of 28.4 in 2023. The recent average age for women giving birth in the United States has increased to 30! Many women cite obtaining a better financial or career position as reasons to wait for both marriage and children.
Going back to our last example of Sarah, I wouldn’t say God has any issues with motherhood later in life, but again, work is causing waiting. With so many women remaining single, finding community can be difficult, especially for Christian working women. One of the resources I found encouraging was a ministry called Mission Single. Their mission is “to mobilize single Christian women to walk wisely by pursuing transformative discipleship through a vibrant community.” While this group is specifically for singles, there are many ways for women to connect and be in community with others. Seeking resources through your local church is a great place to start or connect with other ministries for working women like ours! Join a Bible study or a prayer group for encouragement. Some women waiting for children express concern about future fertility. Some of the single women express concern about finding a marriage partner who reflects their faith. Support in this waiting is so important.
For those of us working day to day, our waiting may be just that—day to day. We wait for a team member to return part of a project we are collaborating on; we wait to close an important sale; we wait to hear back on a promotion we are hoping for. Maybe we are waiting to take a much-needed vacation. The truth is any amount of passing time that exceeds our expectation for a result will make this waiting “feel” worse.
If you are in a position of leadership, you are often able to impact someone’s waiting or at least their feelings during this time. One of the ways we can impact this is by staying true to our time bound commitments as leaders. Do you leave your team waiting? It could be your constant tardiness to meetings. Maybe you are late in delivering performance feedback to a team member. Considering how this makes your team feel if they are left waiting can help ease any of the negative feelings they may have.
In all this discussion about how we spend our time waiting, we need to remember we have an on-time God! One of the most difficult stories of waiting in the Bible is that of Mary, Martha, and their sick brother Lazarus. We see this story in John 11: 1-44. Lazarus was deathly ill, and the two sisters called for Jesus. They trusted his ability to work a miracle. When Jesus received the news, he waited a full four days before leaving. By that time Lazarus had died. For a moment let’s imagine the waiting. Your beloved is sick to the point of death, and the one person you know can help doesn’t respond or come to your side. Are you angry? Of course! You are grieved and sorrowful. When Jesus finally shows up, Lazarus is in the tomb.
But Martha knew Jesus was still powerful. In verses 21-22 we see her acknowledge that “even now, I know God will give you what you ask.”
God has the power to bring our waiting to a result and answer with an open door or sometimes a closed door. Sometimes the result of waiting is not what we expect.
God’s timing is perfect for his glory, not our own. With all the instances of women and waiting and work, how can you respond?
[1] Kelly, Jack, “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?.” Forbes, Feb. 15, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/02/15/why-is-it-so-hard-for-recent-college-graduates-to-find-a-decent-job/,
[2] George, Tet, “Younger Believers, Older Saints: You Need Each Other.” The Gospel Coalition, April7, 2021, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/younger-believers-older-saints/.
[3] Loney, Sydney, ”Ageism Is Pushing Women Out of Work.” https://thekit.ca/living/living-career/ageism-pushing-women-out-of-work/