Menopause and the job hunt: the barrier we’re not talking about

When we talk about menopause in the workplace, the focus is typically on how it affects women once they’re employed – flexible working, wellbeing policies, supportive cultures. These are important conversations, but there’s another side we rarely discuss: how menopause affects women during the job hunting process.

Many women experience menopause during a stage of life when they have decades of experience, rich skills, and leadership maturity to offer. Yet for some, the symptoms of menopause make the already daunting process of CV writing, interviews, and salary negotiations even more complex.

The invisible challenges of menopause in job hunting

Menopause can bring a wide range of symptoms, and not every woman experiences them in the same way. But for those who do, they can show up at the worst possible times in a job search:

• Cognitive symptoms like brain fog, memory lapses, or difficulty concentrating can knock confidence in interviews, where sharp recall is often expected
• Physical symptoms such as disrupted sleep, fatigue, or hot flushes can make back-to-back interviews even more draining
• Emotional symptoms like anxiety or reduced resilience can heighten nerves in situations that are already stressful
• Perceptions and stigma – many women fear being judged for their age or stage of life, so they mask what’s going on, adding another layer of stress

These challenges are often invisible to recruiters and hiring managers, but for women navigating them, the impact can be profound.

What we do know – and don’t

Recent New Zealand research shows:

• 84% of women in the menopausal transition said their symptoms negatively impact their work
• Only 14% felt well supported by their employer
• About 1 in 6 have considered quitting their jobs because of menopause symptoms, and around 12% actually have
• Many report working at 20–30% below their best, and one in four say their work ability is at least halved

These statistics shine a light on just how significant menopause can be in the workplace. But here’s the thought-provoking gap: what about the job search itself?

If symptoms can affect confidence, memory, stamina, and performance once women are in secure roles, what happens when those same women are in high-pressure interview settings, competing for opportunities, or trying to re-enter the workforce?

To date, there’s very little data in New Zealand that looks specifically at menopause and the hiring process. That gap is worth exploring! And in the meantime, we can make educated assumptions based on what we already know.

What recruiters and employers can do

The job search is a two-way street. Employers who want to attract and retain experienced women should be mindful of how menopause might be showing up in the process. A few practical ways to help:

• Check for age bias in job ads and selection processes. Language matters
• Offer flexibility with interview scheduling, recognising that mornings may be harder for someone dealing with night sweats or poor sleep
• Create psychologically safe environments in interviews by focusing on skills, strengths, and experience rather than nit-picking recall under pressure
• Value maturity and resilience – women in this life stage often bring deep leadership, empathy, and problem-solving skills

Practical tips for women job hunting during menopause

If you’re in this stage of life and looking for your next role, a few things can help ease the journey:

• Prepare well in advance – write down examples and achievements you want to highlight so you’re not relying solely on recall in the moment
• Practise self-care before interviews – rest where possible, hydrate, and give yourself time to arrive calm
• Reframe your story – instead of worrying about age, lean into the narrative of experience, perspective, and resilience
• Find allies – whether that’s a recruiter who understands, or a friend to roleplay interviews with, don’t go through the process alone

A shared responsibility

Menopause shouldn’t be a barrier to women continuing their careers or landing the next opportunity they deserve. The more openly we acknowledge its impact, the better positioned we are to create fairer, more inclusive recruitment processes.

As recruiters, employers, and colleagues, we have a role to play. As women, we also owe it to ourselves to value the immense strengths we bring at this stage of life!

Our challenge to leaders is this: how can we make our hiring processes more inclusive of the realities of menopause, and in doing so, unlock the talent of experienced women who might otherwise be overlooked?

We’d love to know – if you’ve experienced menopause while job hunting, what helped you the most (or what made it harder)?

Good luck!

Kirsty and Nikki