Laid off and over 50. Ouch. Ageism is tough

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.

You are oversimplifying it. Yes of course some older (mostly male) senior leaders survive but they are extremely limited roles, and they get laid off too, especially if there are any bumps at the company. My private company has had some financial bumps and our CFO, COO, CAO, CLO and several EVP left.

[Anonymous]

^ many workers choose to try to ensure they are individually contributing because at least they are maintaining hard work skills which some executives lose over time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.

You are oversimplifying it. Yes of course some older (mostly male) senior leaders survive but they are extremely limited roles, and they get laid off too, especially if there are any bumps at the company. My private company has had some financial bumps and our CFO, COO, CAO, CLO and several EVP left.

Yes they leave if performance suffers. But layoffs right now in tech are happening with enormous profits, hitting older workers.

And executives are much more likely to find a similar job than IC at 55/60. No on hires at that age except executive roles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ many workers choose to try to ensure they are individually contributing because at least they are maintaining hard work skills which some executives lose over time

Executive jobs are about relationships, not knowing to twiddle some widget. Your skills are out dated no matter what at 55 and you can’t handle the 10 hr day grind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.

You are oversimplifying it. Yes of course some older (mostly male) senior leaders survive but they are extremely limited roles, and they get laid off too, especially if there are any bumps at the company. My private company has had some financial bumps and our CFO, COO, CAO, CLO and several EVP left.

See executives at 64 get RECRUITED

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1326510.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ many workers choose to try to ensure they are individually contributing because at least they are maintaining hard work skills which some executives lose over time

Executive jobs are about relationships, not knowing to twiddle some widget. Your skills are out dated no matter what at 55 and you can’t handle the 10 hr day grind.

This is a gross generalization. What actually evidence do you have to support this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ many workers choose to try to ensure they are individually contributing because at least they are maintaining hard work skills which some executives lose over time

Executive jobs are about relationships, not knowing to twiddle some widget. Your skills are out dated no matter what at 55 and you can’t handle the 10 hr day grind.

Twiddle some widget? WTF

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.

You are oversimplifying it. Yes of course some older (mostly male) senior leaders survive but they are extremely limited roles, and they get laid off too, especially if there are any bumps at the company. My private company has had some financial bumps and our CFO, COO, CAO, CLO and several EVP left.

See executives at 64 get RECRUITED

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1326510.page

This is almost shockingly rare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.

You are oversimplifying it. Yes of course some older (mostly male) senior leaders survive but they are extremely limited roles, and they get laid off too, especially if there are any bumps at the company. My private company has had some financial bumps and our CFO, COO, CAO, CLO and several EVP left.

Yes they leave if performance suffers. But layoffs right now in tech are happening with enormous profits, hitting older workers.

And executives are much more likely to find a similar job than IC at 55/60. No on hires at that age except executive roles.

Tell me you don’t work in tech while not telling me you don’t work in tech. It is everyone.

[Anonymous]

It has been this way for decades. My DH was laid off in his 50s, as were our fathers in their 50s.

My DH has never found another full-time job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 50-something partner just applied to apprentice as an electrician. He left his ivy-league graduate degree off his application and only listed his BS, without the year.

I don't believe you.

Oh no how will I sleep at night

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It took my 63 year old husband 7 months to find another job. It was stressful but worked out, a lateral move in terms of pay at least.

Was he an executive level. That’s the only path for that age group.

He was executive level, as a fed then in the private sector. Technically the new position is a downgrade, SES to GS-15. But at the highest pay band, he's making a bit more than his previous fed job and finds the job interesting, so is content with how it worked out. He was an ideal fit for a number of positions in the meantime and didn't even get an interview, which we presume was due to his age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It took my 63 year old husband 7 months to find another job. It was stressful but worked out, a lateral move in terms of pay at least.

Was he an executive level. That’s the only path for that age group.

He was executive level, as a fed then in the private sector. Technically the new position is a downgrade, SES to GS-15. But at the highest pay band, he's making a bit more than his previous fed job and finds the job interesting, so is content with how it worked out. He was an ideal fit for a number of positions in the meantime and didn't even get an interview, which we presume was due to his age.

Being a former Fed can also hurt you too nowadays