This is what I’m so worried about. I’m 32 and that means my career is already half over?

Eh. I think this is common for most people. I've had three careers/industries disappear from underneath me in 25 years. My kids are well aware that they will need to reinvent and start over multiple times in their working years.

If they are like me, the jobs they get will be invented after they finish school; there is only so much planning ahead you can do. Live cheaply and don't assume you're on any sort of "trajectory."

My niece and nephew followed their parents into federal service and got a quick education in becoming unemployed and learning that our nation is not really interested in making the world a better place (USAID) or doing serious medical research (NIH). Pivot!

Anonymous wrote:Are we all destined for a stable career lasting only 18 years?

Graduate at 22, work for 18 years, get laid off at 40 and that's it. If you have saved enough for retirement great. If not, you are f**d.

Is this the future??

Well, that sums up my trajectory. Thank God I always maxed my 401ks, opened IRAs, and invested in after tax accounts too.

Anonymous wrote:It does seem to be a trend. I’ve had so many friends laid off in their 40s-all unexpected-pharmacists whose stores were no longer profitable in the age of delivery medicine, computer programmers whose federal contracts were cut, lawyers whose practice was deemed insufficiently lucrative and scientists whose research was deemed unimportant by the Trump administration…not to mention the Fed friends who had policy roles related to clean water, food and drug safety that are now deemed unnecessary.

All of these jobs I would have considered to be in stable fields-now I wonder if these people will retire without ever having a job with full benefits again.

I'm 39 and in one of these categories and I'm very worried. I didn't even get 18 years of full time work because of grad school, which was required for my career, which may not exist soon.

was laid off at 41, then 44 and at 49 again. I have been looking for 9 months.

Anonymous wrote:Are we all destined for a stable career lasting only 18 years?

Graduate at 22, work for 18 years, get laid off at 40 and that's it. If you have saved enough for retirement great. If not, you are f**d.

Is this the future??

What are you even talking about?

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the job. DH and I (physician and psychologist) are in our 50’s and don’t know anyone who has been laid off in our line of work.

Yes medical fields aren’t ageist and have a guild protecting the pipeline (AMA, etc).

Depends on the job. DH and I (physician and psychologist) are in our 50’s and don’t know anyone who has been laid off in our line of work.

And where do all these over 40 people go?
Genuinely curious bc i own my own business and line my work and can never see myself retiring

It does seem to be a trend. I’ve had so many friends laid off in their 40s-all unexpected-pharmacists whose stores were no longer profitable in the age of delivery medicine, computer programmers whose federal contracts were cut, lawyers whose practice was deemed insufficiently lucrative and scientists whose research was deemed unimportant by the Trump administration…not to mention the Fed friends who had policy roles related to clean water, food and drug safety that are now deemed unnecessary.

All of these jobs I would have considered to be in stable fields-now I wonder if these people will retire without ever having a job with full benefits again.

Pretty much. I can count the number of people over 40 at our company.

I thought you get managed out every 3-5 years after age 21… mix in some proactive job changes.

No. Some of us will be diagnosed with chronic illnesses in our 20s and not even get the 18 years.

Who said you do the same career the whole time? We have had ppl at our office for 20,25 years now. ICa and a few managers. Some have been here the whole time. Some moved a couple places.

Are we all destined for a stable career lasting only 18 years?

Graduate at 22, work for 18 years, get laid off at 40 and that's it. If you have saved enough for retirement great. If not, you are f**d.

Is this the future??