My advice to recent college grads

[Anonymous]

After 25 years, I’m retiring from a Fortune 100 company.

I spent 10 years as a software engineer and 15 years as a team lead. During that time, I changed roles at least five times, and like many others, I was eventually “reorganized out” — corporate code for laid off. As a University of Michigan Computer Engineering graduate, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the brightest people from CMU, UVA, Stanford, Caltech, Cornell, and beyond. Yet, I’ve seen a familiar pattern: many highly intelligent, capable people in their mid-40s to 50s are being let go as companies restructure.

The truth is, IQ alone doesn’t guarantee career longevity — EQ does. The people who survive and even thrive during layoffs are those visible to senior leadership. They show up — at golf outings, pickleball tournaments, volunteer events — wherever leaders are. They get noticed, remembered, and protected. Most of us technical folks believed performance spoke for itself. Unfortunately, that’s not how the corporate world works. Visibility matters. Relationships matter.

My advice to young professionals: It’s not about where you went to college. It’s about how connected you are to leadership. It’s not just what you know, but who knows you. Don’t skip company events after hours or on weekends — that’s where relationships are built. Those connections can shape your career, open doors, and even save your job someday. I wish my younger self had understood that.

Best of luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Even if you are connected to leadership and have an amazing EQ or personal presence, it does not save you from layoffs sometime, especially in your 40s and 50s and especially in this late stage capitalism and shareholder value driven environment.

-Another fortune 500 person in their mid 50s who is hanging on for dear life and trying not to get driven out, despite my EQ and relationship-building skills.

[Anonymous]

Why is it about decades of career instead of investing yourself into the freedom? You could have done this within the first 5 years. Why are we still working in our 50s and worrying about being laid off?
I'm asking my boss every day to be let go, because I can. He has nobody else right now, so I just keep doing him a favor.

[Anonymous]

I told my CS major kid to save a ton early on because there is a high chance they will get laid off in their early 50s. Or, to go up the management chain. Agree with OP - I told DC that EQ is just as important as IQ, even for technical roles. Luckily, DC is a great communicator (debate team).

DH who worked in CS got aged out at 59. Luckily, we saved a lot early on when we were both making good money. I'm going to retire next year, still in my mid 50s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After 25 years, I’m retiring from a Fortune 100 company.

I spent 10 years as a software engineer and 15 years as a team lead.

15 yrs TL and never promoted to a higher managerial role? What happened?

Also, if you have been there for so long, the stock option in any of the FANNGs would've made you financial freedom years ago. Again, what happened?

[Anonymous]

Save, save, save, spend beneath your means, so when you get “restructured” in your fifties it’s not a death sentence. I’m a fed and never expected to be here, but if I got RIFed tomorrow, I’d be sad and shocked, but I’d be okay. Also, make yourself useful. My office let a bunch go and we only have a few openings for them to go into. We’re picking up the ones who show up, take the lead, get things done, and aren’t a-holes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I told my CS major kid to save a ton early on because there is a high chance they will get laid off in their early 50s. Or, to go up the management chain. Agree with OP - I told DC that EQ is just as important as IQ, even for technical roles. Luckily, DC is a great communicator (debate team).

DH who worked in CS got aged out at 59. Luckily, we saved a lot early on when we were both making good money. I'm going to retire next year, still in my mid 50s.

+1 my dad was laid off in his 50s from an executive-level job back in the 90s. DH was a software engineer and fully expected to get laid off in his 50s so we planned around that. Actually made it to 59. I'm still working but we are completely fine financially and I plan to retire in a couple years (I'm 7 yrs younger than him).

[Anonymous]

As another fortune 500 worker here, I have told my kids to major in something or focus on something that could be easily transferable to another company. So for example, finance or accounting skills or HR skills, because every company has HR.

[Anonymous]

Oh for godsakes, you again??!?!!

You already started your IQ and college post to justify your kid not going to an elite.

It’s ok. Really it is. Stop with the justifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if you are connected to leadership and have an amazing EQ or personal presence, it does not save you from layoffs sometime, especially in your 40s and 50s and especially in this late stage capitalism and shareholder value driven environment.

-Another fortune 500 person in their mid 50s who is hanging on for dear life and trying not to get driven out, despite my EQ and relationship-building skills.

The fact that you haven't been laid off yet seems to prove OP's point

[Anonymous]

1) Be well qualified and a problem solver
2) EQ and be visible to leadership
3) Save aggressively in your younger years, live below your means
4) invest in your family and relationships because one divorce or kid with depression can upend all your finances.
5) have other streams of revenues not only ad an individual but as a family
6) Have no more than two kids and no pets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As another fortune 500 worker here, I have told my kids to major in something or focus on something that could be easily transferable to another company. So for example, finance or accounting skills or HR skills, because every company has HR.

All HR has been outsourced to India. Also, AI will easily replace most of HR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I told my CS major kid to save a ton early on because there is a high chance they will get laid off in their early 50s. Or, to go up the management chain. Agree with OP - I told DC that EQ is just as important as IQ, even for technical roles. Luckily, DC is a great communicator (debate team).

DH who worked in CS got aged out at 59. Luckily, we saved a lot early on when we were both making good money. I'm going to retire next year, still in my mid 50s.

+1 my dad was laid off in his 50s from an executive-level job back in the 90s. DH was a software engineer and fully expected to get laid off in his 50s so we planned around that. Actually made it to 59. I'm still working but we are completely fine financially and I plan to retire in a couple years (I'm 7 yrs younger than him).

This 1000%

Save, save save when you can. Live below your means (if you are in tech, you can likely do so fairly easily). Plan for being aged out in early 50s and be surprised if you are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advice to young professionals: It’s not about where you went to college. It’s about how connected you are to leadership. It’s not just what you know, but who knows you. Don’t skip company events after hours or on weekends — that’s where relationships are built. Those connections can shape your career, open doors, and even save your job someday. I wish my younger self had understood that.

This is the best advice. All those WFH warriors will end up unemployed when they should be in their highest earning years.

[Anonymous]

My advice is to look into law enforcement. They could retire at 50 with a pension and a deferred compensation plan. There’s a lot is job security in the profession. If they can live off their salary in the early years and bank/invest their overtime pay they should be in great financial shape by 55+.