AARP’s CEO Shares 6 Smart Moves for a Longer, Stronger Career

As the workplace transforms, Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan has wise words for people in their 50s, 60s and beyond

Emily Paulin,

AARP

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Published June 08, 2026

AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan (left) spoke with podcaster and LinkedIn Senior Editor-at-Large Jessi Hempel.

Courtesy LinkedIn

Key takeaways

Continue learning by filling in gaps and evolving with changing technology.
Age discrimination is real, but don’t internalize it and talk yourself out of opportunities.
Building strong relationships is key to the next career chapter.

We’re living through what AARP CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan calls a “longevity revolution” — a fundamental shift in how long people live, work and contribute to society.

More Americans are choosing — or needing — to stay in the workforce longer. As they do, new challenges are reshaping work, including rapid advances in artificial intelligence, persistent age discrimination and an economy that increasingly depends on older workers.

AARP research underscores just how central this shift has become. Adults 50 and older generated 12.5 trillion in economic activity, or 43 percent of the country’s GDP, in 2024, according to “The Longevity Economy Outlook 2026,” a new report from AARP. By 2060, adults 50-plus are predicted to make up 41 percent of the population, up from about 36 percent now, and their economic contribution is expected to nearly double to $24 trillion.

Against that backdrop, Minter-Jordan, 54, offered some wise insights during a live LinkedIn News seminar, held June 2, on how to achieve a sustained and fulfilling career.

1. Think in “chapters” and embrace pivots

Careers today don’t follow a single path. “Nothing is linear,” Minter-Jordan said.

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Her own career reflects that reality. Minter-Jordan began as a physician, went back to school to earn an MBA and had the first of her two daughters while in business school. Later, she moved into health system leadership, nonprofit work and, eventually, the CEO role at AARP.

Instead of a ladder, she describes a career as a portfolio, full of different chapters. “Every chapter has meaning and should teach you lessons about what you'd like to apply to the next chapter,” she said. That mindset makes room for changes in direction, or even missteps, she added: “You pivot, and you learn.”

2. Fill your gaps—don’t ignore them

One of Minter-Jordan’s biggest pivots came from recognizing what she didn’t know. “I was a great physician … but I didn’t know anything about the business of medicine,” she said. That realization led her back to school for her MBA, an investment that opened an entirely new career path.

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Even now, Minter-Jordan applies that same mindset as a CEO, because growth doesn’t stop once you reach the top. She recently shared her own 360-degree performance review with AARP’s executive team to demonstrate transparency and vulnerability and to create accountability for herself.

It’s a continuation of the same philosophy that led her back to business school years earlier: Recognize the gaps, name them honestly and do the work to close them.

3. Treat experience as your edge

Many workers over 50 worry that their long career experience and age may work against them. But experience isn’t something to downplay, Minter-Jordan says. Instead, it’s something to lead with.

Workers with a long career commonly “bring the soft skills” to a workplace, she said, including good judgment, perspective, critical thinking, effective communication, problem-solving and the ability to build a strong culture. Those skills are developed and deepened over time and can’t be replicated by technology, making them extremely valuable in today’s tech-heavy workplace, she says.

But experience on its own isn’t enough. “You have to make sure that as you’re bringing your wisdom to the forefront, you’re marrying it with the business case,” she said. That connection creates the competitive edge.

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan at the LinkedIn studio.

AARP

4. Don’t internalize age bias

Even as older workers play a growing role in the economy, barriers remain. Nearly two-thirds of workers over 50 say they’ve seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, according to AARP research.

Age discrimination is real, said Minter-Jordan, and must be addressed by America’s companies and organizations. But she also encourages older workers not to internalize the bias, either: “We shouldn’t reject ourselves before we have the opportunity.”

Instead, she advises workers to control what they can by staying visible, continuing to build skills and clearly communicating their value, especially in moments where assumptions might otherwise take hold.

5. Embrace AI; don’t fear it

Few forces are reshaping work as quickly as artificial intelligence. But Minter-Jordan frames it less as a disruption for older workers and more as a shared learning moment for all. Everyone is having to adapt, she says.

And, in fact, older workers seem to be adapting well. “Fifty-plus [workers] are actually upskilling at an incredibly fast rate,” Minter-Jordan said, pointing to AARP-LinkedIn research that showed workers 50-plus increased their share of LinkedIn Learning sessions on technology topics from 19 percent to 27 percent in just three years.

Also, the real advantage comes not just from using AI but from knowing how to apply it effectively — and “understanding where [AI] belongs … comes with wisdom,” she added.

6. Invest in relationships

Career opportunities often come from places people don’t expect, but they’re built through relationships over time.

When Minter-Jordan was between roles, she invested a lot of time in expanding her network beyond her usual circles. “One of those conversations is actually how I got the job that I have now,” she said.

She sees networking and mentoring as a core part of the workplace ecosystem, and something that workers of all ages should be engaged in. “Relationships matter,” she said. And over a long career, those connections often become the bridge between one chapter and the next.

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Emily Paulin is an editor at aarp.org who covers nursing homes, health care, and federal and state policy. Her work has also appeared in Broadsheet, an Australian lifestyle publication.