What Happens to People In Their 50s Who Never Become the Supervisor?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]Are you destined to be the old guy in the office being supervised by someone younger?[/b] Should you grab the ring when it is reasonably in sight (go for and likely get the promotion) or plod away as a worker bee doing the same thing day in and day out, knowing you will likely retire in that same position? There was a time in my life where all of my supervisors were smarter, more experienced and had much to offer in the way of mentorship. Now, I am seeing the supervisors at my job get younger and younger and I feel like the old person in the office. I am 51.[/quote]

Actually you are destined to be laid off in your 50s.

See all the ageism threads recently. DCUM skews GenX and it’s hitting us hard right now, ESPECIALLY because so few advanced to leadership because of toadstool boomers who never retired in time.

If you have the chance to advance, and need to have a job past 55, take the promotion. [/quote]

Boomers are still around as retirement age is now 67 per SS. Full Medicare does not start to 65. For Baby Boomers: Born 1946–1964 the last of them do not reach 67 until 2031.

However, Gen X born 1965 to 1980 is the first Dual Income FIRE generations. Many want to retire younger at around 55. They are too close in age Boomers to retire ten years younger and except to get their the jobs.

Companies are promoting younger and younger leaders over time. My prior company had plenty senior employees around 25-29. This means the last of Boomers are giving their jobs to Generation Z: Born 2001–2020.


Many Millennials at work in particular the younger ones are already talking about retirement. Millennials are Born 1981–2000, the older ones are turing 44 next year.

A Boomer with a stay at home wife and four kids and a mortgage needed to work to 67. A millennial or Gen X with dual income and two kids often can afford to retire at 55. A full 12 years earlier. The math does not work. [/quote]

It works because the Gen X cohort will have a windfall of inheritance money coming their way.

[/quote]

Don't count on any windfall from parents who need to stay in extended care, dementia care, or require a lot of in-home services. My grandma lived to be 100 and was fully mobile until death. She had a pension and retiree health. Her 2 BR apt in a nice elder care (non-medical) facility in flyover country cost about $36K per year for about 10 years. So $360K just for a nice independent place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The smartest people at my work don’t supervise because they like engineering.

Same. I’m 61, an engineer, not a manager, and love my relatively stress-free job. And I make more than I can spend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a SME fed, almost 50. Frankly I’m not sure why anyone would go for mid-level management here. I seriously doubt the additional salary is worth the additional work. If something opens up that makes sense I may go for it but otherwise nah.

+1. Most people in my Fed office are SME’s age 40’s-50’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been outcompeted for jobs by young men for 25 years. It's always the 30-year old young dads with finance or engineering backgrounds. They are really good at posturing. I won't say networking, because they aren't really that social. I'm wondering whether to give up. I'm considered good at what I do, but not leadership material. I have a Hillary-Clinton-like "something about her" factor which means I'm too smart but nobody is sure what they want to have me work on because I'm not the kind of person they want to hang out with.

The technical part of my company has a 70/30 ratio M/F in most meetings. Lately, in my particular area, which is more business than technical, it's been 90/10. How is that even possible that it's been getting worse, not better, in a less STEM-my area? It's psychologically draining. I make enough money. But I'm sure I'll be faulted if I stop showing any ambition. Even though I mostly get the mommy jobs of teaching and cleaning up after the youngsters. Which has to get done. Ugh.

You have to stop doing those types of jobs well. Sometimes, as women, we have to learn to not do everything perfectly and to stop caring about everything.

NP

True but it is hard. I'm 56 and I just let a coworker crash and burn for the 1st time in my career. Of course the bosses were like, hey did you know this was going to happen (yes but im not telling you that), I say I was not babysitting him I was busy with a much bigger project.

Because once you're in your 50s you realize how much of it is BS and not worth your time or energy. Before 50 you still have hope that effort is rewarded, then you realize its not and can stop caring. I didn't think I would ever be here, mentally--I was such a go-getter--but here I am. I just can't get worked up over corporate stuff anymore, I do my work and let others deal with the problems unless I'm explicitly asked to take something on.

[Anonymous]

I think the 50-something SMEs often have more job security than the 50-something managers. The managers are higher visibility and make more money thus more likely to be on the chopping block.

[Anonymous]

You have people who lead and people who follow, it has nothing to do what age. If you are young and supervising people much older forget about their age as it’s not relevant. They may think so but it isn’t.

[Anonymous]

I’m 54 with a much younger supervisor and I love it! I’m happy in my job responsibilities, and am not out to climb any company ladder. I have no management headaches and leave on time each day to go home to my empty-nester life filled with only the things I want to be doing. It’s glorious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hah. I’m mid 30s and everyone I supervise is 45-65. At first it was awkward but I’ve treated everyone respectfully.

The thing I’ve found is that none of them want my job. Being a supervisor is hell and I barely make more than them. They enjoy the work and don’t want to deal with the headaches I encounter outside of my office. To be fair, I do have more job knowledge and am still better at my job. There are still things that even those who have been here longer than me can learn since I’m constantly told things from my supervisors and coordinates with my colleagues at my level.

This! I'm in my late 40s and would never want to my supervisor's job for way more responsibility and just a little bit more of the pay.

[Anonymous]

They live longer.

I’m managing a bunch of people older than me and I’m wondering wtf this is all about.

[Anonymous]

I’m in my mid-50s in a government job and the last thing I want is to be a supervisor.

[Anonymous]

I am in my 50s and also a SME. I command top dollar s a consultant. I love my work and my team but do not have the stress of being boss. I don’t need it. Sometimes, being a boss is only a little bit of money. Not worth it to me.