Good Afternoon, Angela,
I'm 52 and my hair started going salt-n-pepper in my late 40s. I'm not dying it because it's a part of me and both my grandmothers had gorgeous heads of hair, one almost completely white.
Yes, there is age (and other) discrimination out there but let's use this time to focus on you and where you Want to be. IF you still want to work, what do you want to do? You've got to ID that first to narrow the options. Do you want FT or PT? What industry? What's your passion (Yes, people have turned their passions into fulfilling jobs.)? Where do you want to work (close to home, slight commute, or you love to commute)? These are just a few initial questions to help get those creative juices flowing for you.
I found my current job in my late 40s and guess what? The division is being dissolved as of 12/31/2019. I'm back on the hunt again after 3 years here in a job I absolutely loved doing. But, I know I have a passion for working with people in a Help Desk/Call Center and techy atmosphere. I have a large background working on teams and I want to continue in a team atmosphere but could easily work alone too. Yes, I want FT. I actually like working.
Let's start narrowing down what you want to do:
1.) FT or PT?
2.) What industry? (No more than 3)
3.) Are you on LinkedIn? (If not, consider creating a profile.)
4.) Yes, I've heard no work history further than 10 years too. Consider though that resumes today really should be a reflection of the skill set a potential job demands. All the history isn't necessary because recruiters really don't have time nor want to take the time to read all of it anyway. They've got, in some cases, 5 mins max to view resumes. You've got to wow them in the first few lines. (Yes, you can do that!)
5.) Once you've ID'ed the industry(ies), are there professional groups you can join to network?
6.) Do you have personal business cards highlighting your strongest work attributes? (Don't cost much and you never know where or when you'll potentially meet your new boss.)
7.) Ever created an "Elevator Pitch"? 30-second interview of your highlights to a potential employer.
Hope this is helpful to both you and your coworker. Please share this information with her.
Sharon