You send the application and within minutes, there’s a polite, yet coldly templated, “no”. No interview, no phone call, no person. Just a sharp little email, and the sinking feeling that comes with it.
So, you start to wonder… Is it the gap on your CV? Your age? The fact that you’ve been out of the workforce raising a family, or caring for someone, or doing the kind of work that never fit neatly into a job title?
If you’ve been there, this is for you. You’re not imagining it, you’re not alone, and there’s a way forward that starts with a very different question: what would I love to do for myself?
You’re not imagining it
In 2024, 62% of Australian organisations used AI in recruitment either moderately or extensively, and researchers have warned that these systems can disadvantage women and older workers. Job seekers often don’t even know a system has assessed them.
In the US, a court has allowed a case to go ahead that alleges AI screening tools filtered out older applicants. The company disputes the claims, and nothing has been proven. Nobody can tell you exactly how often a filter has made the call on your application.
But it does mean the feeling is real, not paranoid. A system that reads keywords and patterns can miss what a person would see in thirty seconds. If you believe you’ve been treated unfairly, it’s worth getting advice, and then it’s worth putting your energy where it counts — on you and your wellbeing.
What you bring that no filter can see
A screening tool can read a job title, but it can’t read the years you spent keeping a team on track and thriving, solving problems nobody noticed, knowing what works because you’ve experienced what doesn’t. It can’t see your judgement, your instincts, your grit, or the way people trust you — and that’s the tip of the iceberg!
That experience didn’t disappear because ‘computer said no’, it’s still yours. And it might be worth far more in your own hands than in someone else’s hiring pile.
So, now what?
Keep applying if you want to and tune in on people as well as portals: a message to someone you know, a conversation, a direct introduction. Many roles are still filled that way.
And alongside that, you can start something that no algorithm gets to approve. Not instead of everything else. Alongside it.
Why a small business can be a good answer
You don’t need a shopfront, a team or a big launch. A micro business is small by design: you decide the size, the hours and the pace.
And you’d be in good company. Australian research has found that people over 50 are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country, starting about a third of new businesses. Many bring experience, skills and networks that a younger founder simply hasn’t had time to build.
There’s a wellbeing story too. Studies of micro-entrepreneurs have found that women who run their own small businesses often report higher wellbeing and happiness, even when the business is small. Control over your time and your work matters more than most of us expect.
Small businesses often start small financially too, and for many women they begin as a supplement rather than a full income. So, it’s worth keeping your income while you build, and talking to an accountant about things like super, if you can and if you want to. A micro business can become a meaningful income, over time, and give you a life you love.
What would you love to do for yourself?
Try these questions, if you’re not sure what you want to explore first:
What do people always ask you for help with?
What did you love doing when you were twelve?
What have you been good at for years without ever being paid for it?
What would you make just for the joy of it?
If nobody were judging, what would you try?
Don’t edit the answers. Don’t worry about whether it’s practical yet. Wild is fine. Wild is the point.
Start small, start with a “what-if?”
That’s where Sholo comes in, as an AI co-founder for solos, built to run wild with you. Part dream catcher, part mentor, part nerd. It’s best for the very beginning, when you’re playing with ideas and nothing is built yet.
Dream is a blank canvas for the big, messy what-ifs. It says yes first.
Mentor helps with strategy, your why and the one next step.
Nerd talks through pricing, costs and what you’d need to sell, in plain language.
Mentor and Nerd remember what you’ve shared, so you never start from scratch. Sholo gives honest, kind feedback, with no flattery and no hype, and it never asks how much money you have or how many hours you’ve got. There’s an Inspo board for the pictures that make you want to build, lists for the to-dos and the what-ifs, a place to set and celebrate your goals, a wins list with confetti for the hard days, and a milestone timeline so you can scroll back and see how far you’ve come.
It comes with 300 messages a month, about ten a day, shared across all three modes. You can try Sholo free for 30 days, and after that the plan is A$24.99 a month through the App Store. Your ideas stay yours: your information is never sold or used for advertising.
Sholo is an AI. It can’t promise a result for your business, and it isn’t a lawyer, accountant or financial adviser. What it can do is give you a place to think out loud, any time of day, without having to explain yourself to anyone.
You’re not out of the game
A closed door on a job application isn’t a verdict on you. It’s a prompt to ask a better question: what do I actually want, and what could I build with everything I already know?
You don’t need to be certain. You just need somewhere to start. Try Sholo free for 30 days at getsholo.com.
Sholo is an AI co-founder. It isn’t a lawyer, accountant, financial adviser or health professional, and it can’t promise any outcome for your business. See the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for the full details.
