You are too old to work here

I remember a time when I was the youngest new hire at work, fresh out of college. It was the late 90’s and I was one of 10 entry-level copywriters at MetLife. I felt like such a newbie, with so much to learn. I was also incredibly ambitious. My goal was to learn and move up the corporate ladder.

Fast forward to 2024, with 20+ years of work experience under my belt, I find myself laid off from my job. This is my first experience with a reduction in workforce, collecting unemployment and figuring out my next step. While traumatic at first, it also felt freeing and like having the biggest weight lifted from me. I was untethered; no one was looking over my shoulder. It actually felt pretty good.

But the pay sucks…like really sucks when you have a mortgage and two kids headed for college.

I quickly learned how to conveniently edit my resume to omit when I graduated from college and grad school, as well as deleting my past 10 years of work experience. It’s the please-don’t-guess-my-age game.

Middle-aged means job insecurity

Long gone are the days of staying with one company for 30 years. You’ll be lucky to find a company that can even last 30 years nowadays. Layoffs are the new norm. From economic downturns, to company restructuring to the uncertainty of election years, reductions in workforce often disproportionately affect older employees. We’re typically upper management and well paid, so letting us go gives companies that much more cost savings.

According to a report by the Urban Institute, workers over 50 are more likely to be laid off and face longer periods of unemployment compared to their younger counterparts. Not to mention the various lawsuits or cases where companies were accused of age discrimination in their layoff practices. For example, in 2019, IBM faced a high-profile lawsuit where it was accused of laying off thousands of older workers in favor of younger employees, a practice that plaintiffs claimed was part of a deliberate effort to make the workforce younger.

The impact on older workers

Losing a job later in life can be devastating, both financially and emotionally, especially with fewer opportunities for reemployment. And while the impact can lead to reduced retirement savings and increased health issues due to stress, let’s look at the bright side. This is your chance to pursue your passion, maybe it’s a career pivot? What about a mini retirement? Take a few months off to see what life is like without a job. Start that business you’ve always wanted to try. Buy a franchise or other business and create your own job. There are so many opportunities around you.

I’ve had the time and space to move my side hustle of fitness coaching to the forefront. Will it be successful? Who knows. But I’ll never know if I don’t give it a shot and I can always go back to a job if all else fails. Life is too short to have any regrets.

Age should be seen as an asset, not a liability.

How has your definition of career success changed?

Where do your ambitions lie as you get closer to retirement?