Hannah McQueen: How to protect your career over 50 – and why hard work isn't enough

PremiumOpinionOpinion byHannah McQueenNZ Herald·8 Sep, 2026 08:00 PM7 mins to readAs we get older, many of us actively want to become less of a show pony. There's nothing wrong with that, but there is a risk in becoming invisible. Photo / Getty ImagesOn Saturday I caught up with a friend I’ve known for years. She’s in her early 50s, whip-smart, funny and at the absolute top of her game professionally.But she isn’t happy in her job. She wants to leave and find something else.The problem is, she’s scared to.

“I