S/O Ageism-proof professions/industries?

[Anonymous]

What an onslaught of threads regarding aging in the workplace! That said, what are some industries - and professions within these industries - that are relatively non-ageist? Which are the worst?

Worst
Fashion/art/design/music/acting
Big/commercial tech
Consulting
Any physical labor - obviously. The body can only withstand so much abuse for so long.

Best
Government - as has been said on this site ad nauseum
Healthcare, including providers (although it can be physically/emotionally demanding)
Law
Education, including higher education

These are just my thoughts/impressions not based on any data. Interested to hear what others think.

[Anonymous]

I've been trying to get into Gov't tech but haven't been called for an interview. Upper 50s. Considering some certs.

[Anonymous]

Nope on higher education unless you are tenured faculty (and good luck with that!). Higher you usually get pushed out as staff when you have kids. When you don't have kids, you get to stay a bit longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope on higher education unless you are tenured faculty (and good luck with that!). Higher you usually get pushed out as staff when you have kids. When you don't have kids, you get to stay a bit longer.

Higher ed*

[Anonymous]

I'm in healthcare. We hired a 70 something in April at top pay and she just left because she was poached for even higher pay by another hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in healthcare. We hired a 70 something in April at top pay and she just left because she was poached for even higher pay by another hospital.

Nurse?

[Anonymous]

Maybe surprising but I believe law is very ageist

[Anonymous]

This whole ageism stuff is really depressing folks. Not everyone has had the luck despite hard work of a very high paying job by 50. Now if these people are likely going to be laid off and never be able to find another professional job again after 60 then this country is in serious trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in healthcare. We hired a 70 something in April at top pay and she just left because she was poached for even higher pay by another hospital.

Yup I worked with 65+ nurses in night shift. They amazed me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole ageism stuff is really depressing folks. Not everyone has had the luck despite hard work of a very high paying job by 50. Now if these people are likely going to be laid off and never be able to find another professional job again after 60 then this country is in serious trouble.

Yes, that’s why Gen Z don’t buy this whole career development BS. You are only depressed because you realized this late in life and already sacrificed quality of young life for a fake prospect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been trying to get into Gov't tech but haven't been called for an interview. Upper 50s. Considering some certs.

Are you pivoting from commercial tech but with no certs? or trying to pivot into tech and think gov tech is the way to start? The reality is that until there is a budget (an actual budget, not a CR), there aren't going to be many gov tech job listings that aren't internal to an agency. So, assume no real hiring until february 2025.

Also depending on the agency, clearing the HR hurdle as well as vet preference to make the cert can be difficult. Your resume needs to be redone to match the job listing, not cut and paste but very close. If something requires 5 years of Oracle experience, you likely will not make the cert by saying you have 5 years of database admin experience.

If you are not being referred to the hiring manager, it's your resume tailoring that needs help, certs are not likely to help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in healthcare. We hired a 70 something in April at top pay and she just left because she was poached for even higher pay by another hospital.

Nurse?

NP but this is a no-go in government healthcare and or health admin - increasingly a younger person’s field due to technology and even physical requirements. (Former CPR instructor and too many can’t get on the ground to perform chest compressions due to obesity/joint pain/surgeries/health conditions)

[Anonymous]

Pharma. Our lawyers are 55+. Marketing skews a bit younger, but I'd say the average age is around 47. We have a lot of former doctors and nurses, most of them are over 50. Sales is older than one would think, but a good mix of ages. Finance tends to be 40+. Market access and IT are "younger" teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole ageism stuff is really depressing folks. Not everyone has had the luck despite hard work of a very high paying job by 50. Now if these people are likely going to be laid off and never be able to find another professional job again after 60 then this country is in serious trouble.

It is! And I'm wondering why all the attention now??!!!

Because BOOMERS never experienced Ageism? They were worshiped for their wisdom and knowledge and dug in and stayed in their senior roles as long as they wanted - 60s, 70s.

Because GEN X is now the ones aging and we always get the shaft? What else is new.

Because millennials (the younger ones anyways; the older ones are in the same boat as genx) are now hiring managers and they are ageist?

I hate generational generalizations, but this one is truly generational and I'd like to understand.

[Anonymous]

Healthcare, especially nursing, can be physically taxing. Lots of strain and repetitive stress injuries.

Dentistry seems to be age proof. My childhood dentist, who was also my mom's dentist in her teens, just retired this year in his 80s.