Boomers (In The Workplace) Are In Serious Trouble.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Learn how to land on your feet, even if you’re late career. a-life-after-layoff.teachable.com/courses/

[@guytech7310]

Issue with LinkedIn is Easy apply as recruiters & companies are getting bombarded with thousands & thousands of CVs, most of which have absolutely no skill set applicable to the posted position.

[@Gadfly2025]

Talk to some who went through 2008 mega crash . Many lost everything

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

@@Ike878 To clarify, the BEST solution is to have a long-term career strategy (95% of people do not). The practical solution is to improve your marketing presentation and leverage targeted networking. But someone at the tail end of their career is certainly at a disadvantage.

[@guytech7310]

@@Gadfly2025 "alk to some who went through 2008 mega crash" Just wait for the 2025-2026 Megacrash that will worse.

[@HeyMJ.]

Re-orgs, job loss & stagnant salaries also sig impact GenX, especially because of its delayed entry into the salaried job market back in the early 1990s. Gen Xers are also the “sandwich gen”, wedged between their aging BabyBoomer parents and not-quite-yet-adult GenZ /GenA kids.

[@TheBeachkitten]

There are no careers anymore, no loyalty, it’s always been merely about survival

[@DennistheMenace2011]

Agreed. There are no permanent loyalties, only permanent interests.

[@theoriginalDAL357]

@@TheBeachkitten Well, there are career politicians…unfortunately.

[@KamalaTheClown]

Smartest comment right here. I learned this when I was laid off from an org I was in for 11 years and was laid off at 28. Since then I’ve been agile and never stayed more than 4 years in one place. They have no loyalty with me, I’ll have no loyalty too.

[@jamesharrison2374]

@@TheBeachkitten that sounds about right, worked for DoD in Europe and thought I would retire there, the Cold War ended and the bases were closed. Took a job with a German company and was there 5 years before moving to the US. Worked 19 years with an electronic retailer for 19 years till they went bankrupt, crashed my stock investments and the 401k was basically also junk. Been 6 years with what I feel is a good company and have 6 more to go. The companies leave, not my loyalty.

[@ksw501]

Yup

[@ELCHDA]

Must have decades of experience but you can't be old.

[@lour9348]

Bingo!

[@kristianlavigne8270]

💯 😅

[@maryfields1382]

💯

[@charliedallachie3539]

Corporate clowns don’t know what they want anymore 🤡

[@ultravioletiris6241]

@@ELCHDA Boomers who are pleasant to be around still get hired. The ones i see who cant get jobs are asking for astronomical pay or they are horrible interpersonally.

[@DonaldMark-ne7se]

Baby boomers are retiring or on the verge to, so honestly though, how do we deal with such market conditions, typically my holdings go up 8% then lose 20% right after and it’s just keeps going down, I’m confused and truly sick of the system.

[@kevinmarten]

I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I'd suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

[@Jamessmith-12]

My advice: for newbies to grow financially this year, invest. Saving is good, but investing elevates your finances. Why newbie make huge losses on trade is because investing without proper guidance can lead to mistakes and losses. that will stop you from trading, this has been one of the biggest problem to new traders, I've learned this from my own experience

[@JacquelinePerrira]

Carol Vivian Constable Consulting was my hope during the 'bear summer' last year. I made so many mistakes but also learned so much from it, and of course from Carol.

[@norrisheckwine7439]

Ageism in the workplace is not only alive and well, it is encouraged by government. The same government that wants to extend retirement age to 70.

[@donaldvermillion1253]

ageism, buahahahahahahaha. fucking hilarious. this sounds like you are a grumpy geriatric clinging to their jobs because you didnt plan for retirement and the thought of living with your spouse scares you more than death.

[@S1513-b6v]

This makes absolutely no sense unless what you're trying to say is the government is telling companies to lay off boomers bc it wants them to be dependent on the government for social services. Is that what you're saying?

[@churchofmarcus]

Explain this one please. Not arguing, I just want to know how you got here.

[@thorsrensen3162]

@@churchofmarcus In denmark I can retire when I am 69 yrears old. It is insane.

[@kathymc234]

@@norrisheckwine7439 absolutely!!

[@marysalmon2367]

Everyone here who is in their 40s and 50s, pay attention this is your future. Plan accordingly. Get out of debt, maximize your savings, this scenerio, unless you own the company, comes for most.

[@Info-God]

Exactly. Once you pass 40, watch out.

[@piotrd.4850]

If you haven't DONE SO BY you are in late 40s - out of luck.

[@JS-jh4cy]

Don't volunteer for extra free work, don't do lots of unpaid overtime, and start planning to ready when the company board hires an eager beaver anxious to make a quick boost to the income statement by firing some people with no idea to thinking long term management

[@Ufu4847]

I am 32 years old and that’s exactly what I am preparing for. I have been doing this for years. I am maximizing my savings, investing and have no debt. My goal is to retire at the age of 45.

[@freeman7296]

@@Ufu4847 good to plan that way - you'll be in a better position no matter what you decide at age 45 when you get there....I didn't ramp up my savings until 50+ - it's helped but I could have done more earlier... being out of debt is also awesome - that will make a huge difference...I can speak on that.

[@yacaattwood2421]

1958 Baby. I worked 41 years in Information Technology - programmer, Unix Sysadmin, DBA. 60+ hour weeks, nights, weekends and holidays. I worked all during cancer treatment in 2018 - I still have the blue acrylic plaque recognizing my support. In 2020, my position was outsourced; I knew getting another IT job would be difficult, so I decided on early retirement. I’m thinking of the tragic story of Denise Prudhomme, the 60 year old Wells Fargo employee who died in her cubicle on a Friday and wasn’t discovered until the next Monday, four days later

[@TPayne-fm8ie]

That was such a sad story. We are all so disconnected these days but still, how did no one notice she died at her desk? Cubicles remind me of the Matrix.

[@abbekulhanek652]

@@TPayne-fm8ie no one talked to her, surely. I am 60. My first car was a 1965 GTO. I have experienced things. How dare I get left to rot in my cubicle. Memory eternal, Denise!

[@sagatuppercut2960]

If I had an IT company, I would love to hire someone like you as a trainer/mentor for the younger programmers.

[@debbiehopper5288]

Wow!!!

[@ltwig476]

Well the American dream ended when Reagan took office in 1980. The CEOs CFOs make 400 times their average payed employees. So yeah, I did without a lot, lived low and banked every dime possible. Retired in my late fifties with mortgage paid off. Now 70 with no regrets. I can't consume much bullshit products but my simple life is good. No regrets at 70 and still healthy, only taking vitamins. I play two minor sports and do an average of 20 hrs per week artists painting. Half of my nutrition comes from my garden. I don't need half the bullshit we created in this social matrix and I'm happy.! LOL I think it's a lot about perspective. I still believe in capitalism. Except unregulated capitalism only works for the few. So one must organize their life accordingly to create the most pleasant existence. Life is short. Spending your time working cheap is fairly ignorant. I was a brick contractor and worked as a custom home builder for a few years before retiring. I will still help some elderly with home repairs now and then but only to protect them from getting ripped off. Other than that, I kept turning down work and I finally quit getting calls. With the two minor sports, I'm active enough that I no longer need to be working. Still read about a half dozen books per year to keep my mind from deteriorating. Shit I don't know. I think this country is well on it's way to taking off again and creating great lives for these newer generations. I had my canserous prostrate removed in 2019, did the radiation and hormone therapy and still pulling zeros, leaking like and old women but life is good.

[@jeffdavies2824]

I turn 61 this month. I was laid off 2 years ago from my job doing software presales work (long time programmer). What I've been seeing is that the corporate mantra of "maximizing share-holder value" has gotten to the extreme. The money is increasingly concentrated on the few running a company and the other 95+% are all commoditized withy reduced pay. This culture of greed is out of hand.

[@spacegene]

Should they have kept you on their payroll - even though you were unnecessary? In that case, they would be offering you charity. Are they greedy for not giving it to you? "You didn't hire me for a bulls**t job! You're greedy!"

[@frankprit3320]

Im 58, and you nailed. Corporations have eliminated most of their workforce and then "DUMPED" all that work on a few people that are left, until they can no longer keep up with the workload anymore. then when they fail at their projects, the Company uses that as an excuse to fire them. This Corporate Greed mentality is not going to end well for America.

[@frankprit3320]

@@spacegene they don't have a hard time hiring a bunch of minorities that do nothing. And you are expected to do their jobs.

[@RealMrTea]

They is a lot of job that seem useless until the vital jobs are burnt out for doing everything or until you need thooses "useless" jobs and end up paying way more than if you just have keep thooses people. Happen all the time, like twitter layong off massively, then strugeling to take back people that were not si useless. Not speaking of most of them not hère anymore, who don't help anymore and so people who have stayed end up burnt out because of way too much work. It's dumb and short term logic to maximise Immédiat revenue, not thinking of after. Because they sell the compagny after the good results and let the next owner deal with the aftermarth.

[@RealMrTea]

*There

[@jenmck8146]

Oh, we GenXers were maligned and called "slackers" back when we were younger, too. All the generational war stuff is so dumb and divisive, we're all just trying to make our way in this ridiculous world. Instead of fighting each other, we should band together and try to make things better for each other!

[@AcC-lf9yt]

It starts with us NOT VOTING for the AIPAC funded z10nist puppet! The Z10nist Federation created Communism to convert whole countries into “useful 1di0ts” and here we are, becoming them because we keep thinking and voting in favor of what the central banking cartel (owned and run by the richest z10nists) fools us into agreeing to. It needs to stop, asap! America will not be America anymore if we continue to be misled by the Jesus deniers. edit: typo

[@dennistyler9852]

They want us bickering with each other. Keeps our minds off the way they steal our retirement.

[@timop6340]

Once in a while you can immediately see that the writer of a comment just gets it.

[@cathyl3526]

I'm a boomer and convinced the rise in generational infighting coincided with when we started talking about eating the rich. They want us to fight with each other and "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."

[@jameslee-dp6cb]

Do you honestly think it didn't happen to the boomers as well. It's a motivational attempt to try to increase productivity handed down from companies of old. But it really does either of two things. 1. It makes you angry enough to redouble your efforts, or 2. It depresses you enough to quit, and get out of the way of someone that does #1.

[@Cygnusx199]

When an F-150 costs $80k there’s something very wrong.

[@thefilipinapee]

When people are paying $80000 for a ford 150 it’s even more lunatic

[@sydneyfabxoxo1266]

My dad worked for the same company for 35 years got fired around 2020. He sued and won 5 years of pay. He was expecting to retire with them after all his years of service but was stabbed in the back.

[@genx7006]

But how is it that he was "stabbed in the back". There are a lot of people in his same position, that will be given a tiny severance and sent on their merry way. What made your father so special that he could sue for 5 years of pay? What justifies that sort of payout?

[@BobSince1981]

My dad has been with the same company 54 years and another woman there over 60 years. Crazy.

[@cuivre2004]

I was given a severance package after my company moved our Unit to another state. They lost many more people than they were expecting due to them not wanting to move to the ghettos of Atlanta. Next thing you know, less than a year later, I was asked to come back to the same site I was given severance from by my old boss-with a 35K increase in gross salary, after the Senior Director who pushed this relocation retired and things needed to get back to how they were originally. The people at the Atlanta site were malfunctioning drama queens who didn't know the science and regulations. It will actually be quite a windfall for me, in the long run!

[@chiplangowski3298]

@@genx7006 - He was obviously able to prove unlawful termination, probably based on age.

[@genx7006]

@chiplangowski3298 That would be very hard to prove, unless there was some explicit email that said, "We're eliminating this guy because he is old."

[@richb1576]

This happened to my dad when he was 62-63 and his came home one day and said his job had decided they did not need him and he was let go. I heard him and my mom talking that night. My dad was sure they would call him because he was the only one who knew how to do x-y-z and when they realize that they will rehire him. Well he was part right. They did not want to rehire him but they wanted him to come in and train them. He said yea ok and threw out some outrageous number. They accepted and he went in and trained them. He liked it so much he spent his final working years as a freelancer. Made more in those last years than he would have if they did not let him go. What started as a bad thing ended up being good for him. He kept doing that work well into his late 70s. Set his own schedule and took on what jobs he wanted. The lesson here is always be ready to pivot. That hobby you have might just make you enough to be able to retire early instead of looking for a job in your 60s

[@guytech7310]

Yup thats the way to do it. Go consultant.

[@stillwatersfarm8499]

Going consultant has been our plan from the get go. Don’t let them trick you into training your replacement before they fire you.

[@seamusodrisceoil2473]

Glad to hear it

[@hanscarlsson6583]

My father went through a similar story at the end of his career, worked out fin for him as well.

[@M.Campbell]

Happened to me too in the late 90s. Ended up making $100 an hour when my job had only been paying the equivalent of $15.00 an hour. Made more in a few months than I had in the entire previous year. The owner hated me for it because I refused to come back temporarily, at my previous rate, to get a huge, time sensitive, job done. Oh well, too bad, so sad. His own fault for not bothering to find out what I actually did before he fired me. I knew the billing rate, for what I did, and he still made money, just not enough for that big boat he was counting on getting with the money he "saved" by firing several people.

[@shellylofgren]

It's sad how difficult things have become in the present generation. I was wondering how to utilise some money I had. I used some of it for e-commerce business, but that sank. I'm thinking of how to protect my $300K stock portfolio from decline is my main concern, but I don't really know which way to go.

[@DavidRiggs-dc7jk]

Yeah, things may be hard right now, but I've come to realize both bear and bull market, recessions and economic boom, all provide opportunities to make high gains, I used to call bluff on folks that bragged about making a fortune from such down-markets until I happened to do so myself

[@HarrietBemish]

I agree. I've been working with a financial advisor since 2020, and I return up to 15k every month, and I don't even have to lift a finger. Although I also think the reason I make this much is because I started with significant capital.

[@EllenAbrex]

That makes a lot of sense. To be on the safer side and not second guess your market decisions, I’d suggest you reach out to a proper investment adviser for guidance, they’re better equipped at understanding market patterns/movements and adjusting portfolio to match up with these market trends

[@HarrietBemish]

There are many independent advisors to choose from. But I work with Vivian Jean Wilhelm and we've been working together for almost four years and she's fantastic. You could pursue her if she meets your requirements. I agree with her.

[@EllenAbrex]

She appears to be well-educated and well-read. I ran an online search on her name and came across her website; thank you for sharing.

[@mystery79]

I’m disgusted with the way corporate America treats people. I’m a younger Gen X, already laid off once and really don’t want to face dealing with it at an age where ageism is rampant.

[@lingfish1]

It ain't just America.

[@user-wc5lw7ps6h1]

You're not a person to them. You are an employee ID, job title and salary. If your salary is too high for the job title, a new employee ID takes that position. Dog eat dog but that's the America y'all voted for!

[@dennistyler9852]

Maybe become self employed.

[@kpik23]

Same, I'm a young Millennial and was laid off twice in 6 years being in the workforce. My Baby Boomer dad worked at the same company for decades and I doubt that I will ever make it 5 years with the same company before I retire. It was difficult for him near the end, too. He has witnessed people being walked out left and right. It's sad but I'm going to do everything I can to get to retirement on my terms. It just shouldn't be this way, it's depressing.

[@cathyl3526]

Once a company goes public, they have no values other than shareholder value.

[@Gumardee_coins_and_banknotes]

Everyone's a flight risk these days, because as you said "Loyalty is Dead and the Companies Destroyed it", then No Body Wants to Work Anymore.

[@cptcosmo]

Yep, and the employers richly deserve it for treating the people that put food on their tables like crap for decades. The pay discrepancy between workers and CEOs has become absolutely reprobate.

[@Gumardee_coins_and_banknotes]

@@cptcosmo As Yanis Varoufakis said, Techno feudalism is back baby.

[@vsgfilmgroup]

...so why are we paying this recruiter asshole to give us basically canned platitudes for advice?

[@emr7712]

My German boss told me if you want loyalty, get a dog. He wasn't wrong.😢

[@intuitivesean443]

That’s one of the reasons I quit myJob and retired in a third world country take your ball and then go to a new home that will be happy to have you

[@str8inPilot]

I’m not boomer, I’m gen X, I can’t put up with corporate hype anymore. The days when you go to work and just do your job are over. One of the things that I dislike the most is the monthly town halls where the useless, pointless managers prattle about their latest snake oil that has completely destroyed business effectiveness.

[@BusArch42]

This is so sad and so accurate! I’m gen x too and it’s nausenauseating

[@criticalinfrastructurepart1959]

Corporate culture has always sucked.

[@woodrmp1]

Moral of the story - assume you will not be able to earn an income after 60 and plan your finances accordingly

[@commentingisawasteoftime7195]

There is no way for me to plan for that. I'm already not making it

[@nancybaumgartner6774]

@@woodrmp1 unless you are a politician or bureaucrat

[@chidowuan4762]

​@@nancybaumgartner6774 unless you are the 1% (politicians, share holders, ceos, etc.) It's better fitted for what is happening all around the world

[@pulidobl]

THIS

[@rockstarofredondo]

Become a “rent-a-grandparent” and babysit.

[@olencone4005]

I still remember how a recruiter reacted when they found out I was over 50 (I'm an X-Man! :P)... at first, they were all happy and excited to be working with someone with my experience, proficiency, and skills as a Graphic Designer -- then they either saw when I graduated high school or noticed the employment dates on all those big-name companies they had been gushing over five minutes earlier, and it was like a light had switched off... they were suddenly very cold and dismissive, saying things like "Graphic Design is a career for the young -- they have sooo much creativity!" and "You should be in management, not doing something creative." I wound up just getting a Design job myself a few weeks later, because I knew I'd never hear another word from that recruiter -- and I was right. For something that's supposedly prohibited by federal law, ageism sure is a common thing here in the States :(

[@abbyfrancesparker8738]

Getting near 40 and went back to school to do Graphics as a career change, and even then I felt I was being age discriminated. Glad I got the job I do now, not as creative, but definitely more stable. AND I don't have to deal with the pretentiousness. Win-Win. Creative fields are incredibly biased IMO.

[@dknowles60]

YEA

[@tubecontributor3206]

One thing I think more experienced people have to be careful of is when there is staff that get excited about your experience -including your manager who says it would be great to work with you-I would learn so much. Would seem like a good sign-such humility and appreciation? Not necessarily. Well you have to still be careful because they can realize YES you do know a lot more and will be intimidated so it is good to tout your experience but also tone it down during the interview process and during employment. If the Millennial mgr hires you and then over time realizes, wow I didn't realize how little I knew, you are particularly at risk. Honestly, I think that is a good % as to why companies/individual managers will discriminate.

[@chrisglover5641]

the prohibitions on this are unenforceable at best. And I say at best because attempting to enforce this stuff goes nowhere good and still probably wouldn't result in the law working. Because, in the end, a law to compel behavior won't work nearly as laws which aim to prevent it. In the end the government can't read your mind and thus your motives.

[@titolovely8237]

it's the same for the sub 30 group. ive had managers within very big companies tell me outright theyd never hire anyone under 30 years old.

[@rebeccalaff853]

This happened to my mom. It was really sad. She ended up doing retail for the last few years of her working life. She liked it and made friends and eventually was able to retire but she had a PhD and was top of her field before that. It really affected me seeing that happen. I would never consider working for a corporation or even someone else's business. They dump you like garbage, you are just a number to them.

[@bigthunder7002]

My motto when working never was for lasting work with the company but lasting knowledge of the industry. Once I stopped growing I would quit and look for other work. It has so far served me well. Remember, health is wealth and working for under-appreciating individuals hyper focused on money is never healthy.

[@pm2886]

Same. I could never work in the private sector.

[@Spamhard]

You just have to ensure you never ever give them more than you're worth (no overtime, no working late, no checking emails/calls on days off etc), and ALWAYS be ready to be dropped at any moment, so don't live beyond your means (or tbh don't even live within your means). It sucks that employees aren't respected, but that's capitlism for ya.

[@sjmom5119]

a phd working retail?

[@lmor7110]

@@sjmom5119 reality for middle-aged women… I worked in the graphic arts industry for decades & was continually upgrading skills. Didn’t matter when the agency was “restructuring”… now I’m doing admin / casework before retirement. Too tired to do freelance projects every weekend. It really sucks

[@Johnzen03]

Wake up folks - the market isn’t as good as the TV people are telling you. It’s very unstable, the outlook is bleak with the amount of debt our nation has, and always keep up with your skill set. ALWAYS be learning something new.

[@beavischrist5]

Yes learn something at canadian prepper channel. Checkout, this matrix is at is end😊

[@nychris2258]

We have the best economy on Earth by far. Please tell me where you would rather live than the USA?

[@drstewart]

Learning something new doesn't mean someone will hire you so you can apply it. It's a fairy tale.

[@uavtechgirl5735]

@@drstewart keeps you relevant

[@drstewart]

@@uavtechgirl5735 Not if you can't use the skill learned. You're basing it on that assumption.

[@tj2375]

The youngest baby boomers are 60 years old. But gen X is going through this as well.

[@dennistyler9852]

Generation Jones in between those two.

[@lucky6666]

Gen X doesn't give a F. They'll do whatever job or play video games or new hobby. Who cares about this rat race? Idiots.

[@anthonyfratta4881]

I feel the worst for the older Xers. In many ways, they got the worst of both worlds. They've went through 2008 around the time their kids were in high school and are ending their carers shortly after covid with not a lot of time to correct corse. The older millennials are in a similar situation.

[@Grungefan2018]

@@anthonyfratta4881that’s me and it has sucked going wayyyy back.

[@Spamhard]

Honestly, so are Millennials. I'm 38, most my friends are in the 26 to 40 bracket, there's been multiple lay offs in our friend groups that work within marketing and tech, and several struggling to find work in their 'niche' areas. Months oif being ghosted and rejected. Job market is screwed. One of my friends in her 30s who's in a senior marketing role was laid off with 0 warning and 0 compensation despite being with the company for years, only to find out they just retitled her role to remove the 'senior' title and are now paying someone half the wage for essentially the same work.

[@DK-nt1nn]

This is going to be a huge issue for future generations. Babyboomers come from a generation where pensions were offered and homes were not just affordable but cheap. If boomers are having a hard time retiring, what do you think is gonna happen to the rest of us...? We're gonna be screwed. High inflation doesn't allow people to save properly for retirement.

[@HeckleCat]

pensions for the vast majority went away in the 1980s when Reagan was president .

[@walfredswanson]

Pensions? We ain’t got no stinking pensions! There are reasons why "boomers" continue to work at dead-end jobs past retirement age. We also did not necessarily have access to 401k and similar programs early on. No generation is defined by universal rules: the oil crunch of the 70s, extended recessions in the early 80s, the Gulf War of 1991, post 9/11 tension, the economic collapse of 2007-2008 affected many boomers at critical times.

[@lookylook570]

@@DK-nt1nn Thank a progressive communist liberal…….

[@getoutthere04]

good points DK. I will take responsibility rather than trusting social security to help me. Close to 40 and realizing it wont be there without massive tax hikes. I dont see our politicians fixing a broken system. Maybe the whole financial system changes due to 35 trillion fed debt. Our food and gas are not a part of US CPI, so I try to be responsible and save when possible.

[@ericschulze5641]

It's a plan for all people to live in government housing, a small house will be close to a million dollars in 30 years

[@stonetrooper2]

Gen X here. Laid off from a large company 5 years ago. Literally everyone that was laid off was 40 and older. A few months later I see on LinkedIn that they hired someone in my same position but was just out of college. So they were able to pay her way less than what my years of experience got me. I applied to hundreds of online jobs that I was perfect for, maybe had 5 interviews, no job offers. I eventually just stopped trying because it was so futile.

[@Lomhow]

Gen Z here. I graduated 2 years ago and have gotten a single interview. Most companies want to pay us slave wages or refuse to interview. Corporate Greed is dooming America. With inflation so bad, I keep seeing many Boomers quitting retirement and trying to re-enter the workforce. I don't blame them. But with social security facing annihilation, what is my generation working for? What future do I even have? Can there ever be a retirement? We can't afford a home, a degree, a wedding ring, a car, or a kid. What's the point in working hard if nothing is guaranteed?

[@fremontpathfinder8463]

That is a lawsuit if you could get the other laid off workers involved as well

[@kdub3892]

That's age discrimination. File a claim with eeoc

[@thedatadoeslie]

I'm Gen X, 51 yrs old, this happened to me this year! Laid off, had to take 30% pay cut, but glad to have landed something!

[@BirdDogey1]

You are lucky. Happened to me at 49. Took a 40% cut.

[@Mockduck2020]

Well that seems to be the plan…you will have nothing and be grateful for it.

[@globalfamily8172]

I'm so sorry - been through this and it sucks.

[@robd7934]

Sorry to hear. I'm Gen X too and been living off contract work for the past year and a half. It's dam near impossible to land a fulltime job in this market.

[@unc1221]

@@robd7934Just say temp work. Not contract work.

[@KElmerTinkersAcademy]

I'm 61 and this is exactly what happened to me; I was downsized last year after 32 years with the same company. If I didn't save & invest to retire early, I would be completely screwed. While it would have been nice to get another 5 years of income, I was already set when they kicked me to the curb. There is NO reward for loyalty and if they say "we're like family," that means they'll screw you over at the drop of a hat.

[@sallyprzybil2404]

I use to get that line at work too, “We’re like family” and I’d think…’The hell you are!’

[@kdub3892]

Time to cash out and retire. That's cray

[@carmenhealer4635]

My goal was to have mortgage paid off by 50 years old. Live way below your means. Cars should get you from A to B safely, nothing more. Keep up your health. I think all age groups are having it tough now.

[@tonkysue207]

Perfect advice .

[@johnmourer5747]

Inflation effects most of us.

[@Demopans5990]

Or get into politics I suppose. We don't have the highest standards for office.

[@lobstermash]

Agreed. I lived well below my income just in case. When my town had a severe natural disaster and my employer turned pretty toxic in the ensuing difficulties, I was able to walk at 58. Never regretted it. The main key was having no mortgage. Pay it off.

[@philovance1940]

Same here- my wife and I never had a lot of money but we both work. Our mantra has been- pay off your debts. We have no mortgage, no car payments and we always live well within our means. Our 33 year old son still lives with us because he can’t afford a house and that’s fine. Now we can afford to do whatever we want comfortably. We both still work when most of our friends are retired. But we’re fine and secure.

[@rebekahlee7360]

One of my mentors is a double PhD, former math instructor at UCLA, who revolutionized the real-estate industry by using more accurate calculations to value land. He's had to do extensive job-hunting because at ~70, social security is not enough to keep up with inflation. His wife also works full time as a physician. He's worked several part-time, minimum wage clerical jobs, because he's both past retirement age and grossly overqualified for everything else he applied for. Employers are absolutely ageist and refuse to give older candidates the time of day.

[@genx7006]

But you have to look at it realistically. Imagine this aged person fumbling around on the job, being forgetful, and potentially making all sorts of mistakes. Some people get scatterbrained as they age. "Huh? What?!?" They sometimes don't even know where they are because they wake up from an hour cat nap at their desk. It's the process of aging, and you can't really fight it. Anyone over 50 is a potential risk factor. Unfortunately, the younger generations are dumb as rocks, so society as a whole is screwed.

[@Gumardee_coins_and_banknotes]

@@genx7006 Thats any age, you get really dumb people out there, and some who are just not interested.

[@Seabird41]

What did he do with all his money earned over a lifetime, and what about his high paying wife? Did he give all his money to his kids?

[@chiplangowski3298]

The saddest part of this story is that two ~70 year old doctors (medical and academic) are still working and reportedly struggling to get by.

[@curiouspenguin6887]

High education but no sense of financial planning?

[@Mishkafofer]

I live outside USA. Worked in CPA offices, now in corporate. You are all doomed. I just have front seats to the bloodbath. Save your money as much as you can. Build high-level technical skills. Don't stop learning. Have backup plan. And most important: Family and health.

[@drstewart]

Front seats eh? Careful, you just might get some blood on you. Don't be too smug.

[@janicelindegard6615]

I was recently retired. I had planned to retire next year but it became clear I was being forced out. Rather than be laid off, I “chose” to retire. My severance was negotiated and I walked away satisfied. My performance hadn’t declined. Au contraire! But I am not a part of the demographic new management wanted in staff.

[@dennistyler9852]

Good for you. My place isn’t known for a decent severance package. Think I’ll continue my job until the lay off. Then I’ll retire.

[@ultravioletiris6241]

@@janicelindegard6615 sure janice, im sure it was a demographic choice lol.

[@nunyabidness9257]

Let me guess…. Not the right skin tone?

[@marianhunt8899]

​@@nunyabidness9257every corporation just want the cheapest possible labour, they actually don't care about anything else deep down although they may pretend to care for image purposes.

[@mikespangler98]

Old white people are not wanted. After all, they'll tell the whiz kids who are not bound by preconceptions that a plastic and carbon fiber submarine hull is not rated to 4000 meters. The point Management misses is that the Old People didn't get to be old by taking stupid chances.

[@angelasylvain2476]

People are aging out of the job market earlier while at the same time, they are moving the retirement to later.

[@pastramionrye247]

The ageism in the workforce will never get better until we stop tying healthcare to employment. The health care costs of older workers is so prohibitive for companies that hiring older workers becomes too risky. Obviously, our healthcare system is a mess and I don't claim to have a fix, but keeping healthcare tied to your employer is insanity that is distorting the workforce and harming everyone across society (except for the fortunate few at the very top).

[@Erik-oe7gc]

@@pastramionrye247 most companies don’t pay for healthcare, so you can’t blame them for that.

[@JBCavern]

@@Erik-oe7gc Yep. My POS employer gives me a whopping $200/month for health insurance. That amounts works fine for a 22 year old with no health conditions but is about $400/month short to cover myself at 64 without health conditions.

[@cynthiageskes1457]

@@pastramionrye247 Companies need to stop assuming older age means more health issues. I a 15-20+ years older than some of my closest coworkers . They have used many more sick days and have many more medical issues than I do.

[@vib.3969]

I disagree. Greed has nothing to do with healthcare. Pay the CEOs less and pay workers more

[@CarrieV9]

I’m GenX and was laid off twice in my 50s (once because the company was going under). I clawed my way back to great and better jobs with hard work and fierce competitiveness. It’s tough out there. Save as much as you can.

[@Bitcoin_Gold]

No such thing job security. It don't matter if you got another job. They can let you go anytime. If the company not profiting or company stock continues plunging that will be sign of layoffs

[@marianhunt8899]

The banks can bail in your savings. There are no safe havens unfortunately.

[@MrDarthvis]

How did you handle giving yourself the time to enjoy life and go travel? It seems rough that we have to work hard and save up so much; where is the time to enjoy life when there’s the chance to be laid off around 50-60 y.o.?

[@SC-gp7kt]

Same!

[@SC-gp7kt]

Same! It CAN be done.

[@kenchorney2724]

And this is why you should never have any loyalty to any employer. Always do what is best for you. The employers who do this are also the ones who whine that they can't find any experienced workers.

[@bbills4186]

Gen X-er here. The only thing I can add for the younger generations but this also is true no matter what your age is: save your money, pay your debt down, don't overspend. These companies are not loyal. Most older folks want to retire comfortably but this inflation is a beast and they can't. I was layed off in 2017, was underemployed until 2019 but it took me 5 years to claw my way back to my 2017 salary. The reality for younger workers is that they aren't being paid a decent salary to even live. We should be working together to demand more equity and fairness in hiring and retention instead of squabbling amongst ourselves. Also, younger people would have better salaries if executive salaries weren't so bloated. 🙄

[@elathiaskade7311]

Sensibly spoken. I don’t know how commonly other people hear it, but around me, people defend the idea of “don’t tax the wealthy” under the idea that “it kills jobs when you punish entrepreneurs.” People aren’t starting their own businesses and the only ones they give examples of are the product of survivorship bias. “Apple started out of a grage” and other out of touch statements. I don’t know how to even approach such discussions because of how the wealth inequality works mathematically. It’s a level of scale that i lack the ability to express, and is far from anything that would ever affect an actual entrepreneuer. Regulation, taxation, subsidies… it all feels like a game of three card monty on the Vegas strip, pretending you can win it big if you just gamble harder. Maybe the people around me are not well-connected to economic reality, though, given that none of them are successful on a significant scale

[@lmor7110]

Gen Jones here. Preach it! Was downsized at the beginning of 2019. Finally got hired at the end of the year, for $15K less. Had to take the job offer, to pay bills & keep the house. 5 years later, still not fully recovered financially. Trying to hang on 4 more years until debts paid, then retirement

[@bbills4186]

@@lmor7110 here's praying that you reach your retirement goals.

[@cebukid70]

I'm also a Gen-Xer and was underemployed during the 2008 recession. It also took me 5 years to get back to my 2010 salary

[@TorgoLives]

This is 100% EXACTLY what has happened to me. Only, I had the added stress of financially supporting sick family members at the time which burned through my savings even faster. It's been more than 3 years since I was fired (sorry, laid off) by the new, youth-focused management. 100's of job applications, resume seminars, some linkedIn networking, but nothing has worked yet. I recently went 4 interviews deep for a job that paid 50% of what I previously made and then got stiff-armed. Almost out of savings and bankruptcy looms. It's so frustrating and unfair, but here we are. Do NOT let this happen to you!

[@janasher4940]

You really have to think ahead of this. This age discrimination has been happening since I was in my 40's, and I am 62 this year. It was so hard to get a job after a recession, and I made thousands less. I made sure I was debt-free because it was going to be brutal. Here is the point - Look at the unions, look at the wage changes in your time frame. You have to fight for fair wages and job opportunities at your levels when you face these issues because you will lose everything if you don't fight. And think about Corporate America and how much it is stripped off of you in benefits, and vote accordingly.

[@abowling5759]

😢

[@harryholiday5356]

this is the free market trickle down from the reagan/thatcher era.

[@nlibby5549]

Try for government and non profit like hospitals or schools. Some even allow retirement after 3 or 5 years

[@shnuggumz]

Perhaps you could consider starting your own small business.

[@globalfamily8172]

My husband is Gen X and he got laid off after 27 years. It was a company merge and they brought in people from overseas. His skillset was not the problem because he was told he was "overqualified." thanks to his network, he was able to land something.

[@Cdenita]

*Larry Burkett's book on "Giving and Tithing" drew me closer to God and helped my spirituality. 2020 was a year I literally lived it. I cashed in my life savings and gave it all away. My total giving amounted to 40,000 dollars. Everyone thought I was delusional. Today, 1 receive 85,000 dollars every two months. I have a property in Calabasas, CA, and travel a lot. God has promoted me more than once and opened doors for me to live beyond my dreams. God kept to his promises to and for me*

[@GodSent559]

There's wonder working power in following Kingdom principles on giving and tithing. Hallelujah!

[@Mckenziejnr277]

But then, how do you get all that in that period of time? What is it you do please, mind sharing?

[@Cdenita]

It is the digital market. That's been the secret to this wealth transfer. A lot of folks in the US and abroad are getting so much from it, God has been good to my household Thank you Jesus

[@Cdenita]

And thanks to my co-worker (Michael) who suggested Ms Susan Jane Christy

[@Smithknight534]

How can I start this digital market, any guidelines and how can I reach out to her?

[@RyanLogan01]

I’m 43 and I’m already feeling the ageism in hiring. I can’t even imagine how it is for Gen X and Boomers

[@spacegene]

How about the Zoomers who are gaslit for their lack of unnecessary experience?

[@RyanLogan01]

@@spacegene we’re all getting gaslit. I have years of experience that is dismissed because I don’t know a particular software even though I’ve used 5 similar applications in the past. The job market is absolutely broken. At least the Zoomers have time to figure it out - time is running out for a lot of Boomers.

[@pensivepenguin3000]

45 here and also have a physical disability and have not experienced any hiring discrimination, that I’ve been aware of. You may well be, but it’s also worth considering maybe there’s some other reason you aren’t getting called back or moved to the next round. You wouldn’t want to Overestimate the role of your age in these decisions and miss some actual opportunity for you to make a change. Good luck!

[@spacegene]

@@RyanLogan01 The boomers made the problem. For them, the solution is easy: Stop it. Here's what is looks like in practice: "You know, maybe you don't actually need a degree to perform this job." "Maybe we can just have this person work an unpaid internship for two weeks instead of pretending that they need 5-10 years of experience for the job." "And we can stop advertising jobs that do not exist." "And our 19-round interview process should probably be revamped." "And maybe we shouldn't force our employees to endure an hour-long commute to an office for a job that can be done remotely." "And maybe the pointless meetings are, in fact, pointless."

[@RyanLogan01]

@@pensivepenguin3000 I’m in Canada so it’s a very limited job market for what I do - I also work in Film/TV/VFX/Animation, an industry notorious for hiring cheap upstarts, especially in the wake of the strikes. I may jump to other industry sectors if it doesn’t work out in the next year or so - but i definitely need to strategize the next 10-20 years of work.

[@RolexWatchmaker]

I think this only applies to office people. If your a mouse pusher you need recruiters. I work as a tradesman. I never had to look for work. I might not have the glamour of a degree or the prestige of a fancy job title. I however never had to fill out an application. Never, not once! Just a hand shake and a W2. Many folks in my trade are in their 60s and are always backlogged with work. The Company I currently work for hired a 84 year old man because he could still perform the job.

[@abowling5759]

Excellent!

[@anastasiahopkinson5676]

Do you feel that some future event could dislodge the strong labor market for the trades? For example, a technological improvement like manufactured homes reduces reliance on construction labor? Or vehicle repair shops which may be squeezed out by electronics, electrical engines and monopolist control of engine software diagnostics. Which of the trades has the securest future? Thank you for your insights and experience.

[@RolexWatchmaker]

​@@anastasiahopkinson5676 That is a well thought out question. I had to think about it for a little bit. I can't say for certain that those things won't affect the trades in the future. I can say that it's hard to replace human labor when it comes to things with a lot of variables. The trades that have a high skill set required and a lot of variables then that is probably the most secure. Plumbers , Roofers, Machinists and Electricians deal with a lot of variables and are high skilled trades. I would look at what has a shortage in your area and what has a long apprenticeship before your competent. That would reduce competition and ensure a higher rate of pay. Trades pay low for the first part of your career but build up as you go. Your going to pluck a lot of feathers before you eat chicken. The benefits are that folks always need you. If you build a good reputation you can work anywhere and make a living. You won't ever need a recruiter or to even apply anywhere. You will know lots of people in your trade. When you want to go to another company it's a matter of giving them a phone call and asking when can I start. I have a lot of relatives that are Roofers. Very hard work. Not many will do it just because of that. But they never had to worry about work and they always were able to provide for their families. When I was a young man I was told in high school by many folks that there was no future in trade labor. They removed welding and the machine shop at the school and replaced it with computer labs. We were told no one will be successful without a collage degree. Apparently they were wrong. But the unintentional consequences was that young folks were discouraged from going to a trade. Now there is a major shortage of skilled labor and too many folks with degrees. I feel bad for them. If you look at the stuff they have to do and gymnastics to get through an interview process it makes you wonder how necessary their job really is. I wish you the best luck. I also hope that all the folks that need a job and want to work find a place that is fulfilling and pays a living wage.

[@dawnreneegmail]

@@anastasiahopkinson5676 hi, may I? Prefab homes were the future of the new Levittown of the 50's. If it was so great, why is it no longer favored in the building industry?

[@Anton43218]

I am from Romania and anyone except high ranking government workers and those in IT working for foreign corporations make only minimum wage.

[@NobodyCares6996]

I'm 52, single and no kids by a determined choice. Never liked the office world when I was in it. It seemed like you needed to be buddies with certain people to advance and I just disliked pretty much everything about it. So in my mid-thirties I moved into my mother's house and saved every cent I could for about 4 years and then quit. Everyone thought I was crazy. I moved out to a desolate desert town in CA next to a national park and bought a dump of a house for $30,000. Fixed it and flipped it. I continued this for 5 years. I now own four homes outright and I live in one. When my stepfather passes, I'll inherit my mother's home. I don't really work anymore except for some Fix-It jobs here and there. The homes I own are now valued anywhere from $350,000 to $700,000. I rent them out and live on that. One day, when I'm really old, I'll sell them all and move into an assisted facility.

[@chellejack3480]

@kenl3805 It's kinda sad that we work our whole life just to wind up in assisted living. Both my parents were recently in assisted living and I can tell you even the nicest places suck. I just finally took my dad out after my mom passed and brought him home with us.He's doing so much better. Life sucks.

[@NobodyCares6996]

@@chellejack3480 It really does suck. I had my mother in a memory care facility for 6 years and it was awful. Don't get me wrong, it was a decent place and the nurses seemed to care but I had to watch my mom suffer in utter confusion and terror after she worked her butt off her whole life. That was her reward. Pure suffering. Even worse, she married a complete leech who only pretended to love her and she put in her will that before I can inherit the house that he can live there as long as he wants. He didn't pay a single cent in her care. I think he visited her maybe four times.

[@katsiduzynski488]

@@NobodyCares6996 oh no that's a shame!!

[@NobodyCares6996]

@@Joseph-wu6kd depends on what you want out of life. If I want to be a baby and cry about how somebody else lives their life like a petty little child then I would be like you but instead I've been playing in bands and traveling the world for decades and still never felt the need to criticize anyone for living their life how they choose as long as they are not intent on harming someone or putting people down.

[@drstewart]

@@NobodyCares6996 You're an absentee landlord renting dumps, waiting on mommy's inheritance after you orbited around her well into your 30s. That and the unearned sense of accomplishment pretty much says all we need to know.

[@NeilBolandGuitaristWriter]

I'm GenX and already experiencing what you talk about at 7:00. I've worked in marketing/digital for 12+ years now, and a recent stint of job hunting took over 3 months to find a job that I'd previously had no trouble landing. I realised my date of birth was on my resume, and my job history went back too far, giving away a hint of my age (47). When I took that stuff off, the phone started to ring. I've done nothing but upskill since moving from retail to marketing, because I saw this coming and saw it happening with my parents' generation (Boomers), and it was still difficult. The thing that annoys me most about ageism in tech is that it was Boomers who basically invented the damn internet!

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

You're only 47 and experiencing age discrimination? Imagine life for those in their sixties and still going strong in excellent health.

[@gauloise6442]

Boomers also basically invented vulture capitalism.

[@NeilBolandGuitaristWriter]

@DrunkenUFOPilot I know, mate, I 100% believe that for those older than me. I'm just saying that over the last few years, I've noticed the threshold for what constitutes "too old" get a lot lower.

[@vonnyj9520]

⁠@@gauloise6442I agree with you; the Boomers have created vulture capitalism. I’m a Gen X and Baby Boomers are becoming replaceable due to their unwillingness to adapt to change. They once dominated the workforce and various economic sectors but now their time is limited. Look at the political situation this year.

[@pmscalisi]

I thought Al Gore invented the internet

[@dcpc5980]

Age discrimination when you are too young and people think that you don't have enough experience to perform the job. Age discrimination for older workers because people think that you are out of touch. So we really have about 15 to 20 years to make enough money to retire? Everyone is in trouble. The younger and older people are suffering.

[@SurpriseMeJT]

I am deathly afraid of not being prepared financially. When I started my first job out of college at the end of 2007, I stayed at the same job for 9 years and lived at home, saving/investing as much as possible without being too misreble. I was super misreble and my friends told me to just suck it up because I'll never be able to save as much money again. I sucked it up and reached a great number in my brokerage and Roth account. Got married and left the country, living in a better place with lower cost of living. I will never move back to the US.

[@looseycanon]

Nah, you need to find something, that can sustain you even in retirement age, but not as a worker. Folks do consulting, maybe try flipping some goods or make something yourself... It will be income, but it won't be as a worker. We'll have to become entrepreneurs to survive.

[@gauloise6442]

You need to be 33-39 forever to be in demand in the US workplace.

[@Tie509]

​@@SurpriseMeJTGood for you! Living at home is awesome. It's the only way most people will be able to afford a retirement. Moving out young and getting into a load of debt is only a badge of honor in a consumerist country like the US.

[@istvantoth7431]

Spot on!!

[@KevinW1985]

It happened to my mom who was laid off after one false bad review because the company wanted to replace her with someone who was younger and whom they could pay less even though she was with the company for over 35 year and won an excellence award. Thankfully she was able to find another job, but it was a reminder to never be loyal to your employer.

[@user-kl8lo6rj5i]

Glad she founds another job. The working environment has changed so, so much from decades ago. Always be on the lookout for something better and don't take any crap.

[@thefakewitchdoctor]

Saw this happen to a boomer. They even said out loud that they were paying him too much money in front of millennial staff. Then they laid him off. It broke his heart. Nobody would hire him, and he is destitute now.

[@KP99]

I've never understood this. if the older worker is willing to take a pay cut so that he'll be paid similar to the younger workers, then wouldn't he have been able to keep his job?

[@thefakewitchdoctor]

@@KP99 the people in charge were evil. That's the bit I left out. But what I also omitted is that the chief instigator was herself fired at the sane time as him. And he was there to see her face when it happened

[@perkunast9680]

The problem too many people are brainwashed by programs like this one that blame the older gen for everything.

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

How is that not illegal, or subject to a hefty fine to the company? Why does the company have no idea of negotiating some way to keep a good employee at a workable salary?

[@thefakewitchdoctor]

@@DrunkenUFOPilotbased on my own experience, companies find a way. The aforementioned boomer even had the Union behind him. Didn't work. The company did all sorts of dirty tricks to get him to lose his temper, etc etc. Personally I've only seen these laws work once with a friend who was very skilled in power games, He won but it broke him mentally.

[@johnrpizzaguy]

I’m about to turn 64 and a 40 year master mechanic,currently I have an apprentice who is 20 years younger and makes about 1/2 per hour that I do. My employer has been asking me for a timeline of retirement, I can see the writing on the wall. I’m good at what I do,never miss a day’s work and perform many more tasks than my job requires, I think it might help if I find a lawyer who specializes in labor laws and age discrimination just to get educated on my rights

[@betz6507]

Open your own shop ... you'll make a ton more money and you can't get fired.

[@johnrpizzaguy]

@@betz6507 I agree, if I was 20 years younger I’d definitely do that. I live in Nipomo California a small central coast town with only one auto shop , most of the shops in our area are extremely understaffed and almost no up and coming techs, no one wants to do this anymore everyone wants to become an influencer and create content.

[@shenaniganskywalker518]

Or you could just retire.

[@nychris2258]

So, if you were in any other profession I would tell you to just retire and give the young guy a chance to make a little more... however I know from recent experience how badly master mechanics are needed in my region. I don't know where you live, but in the Northeast there is a huge deficit of labor in the auto repair industry. You could get a job here instantaneously.

[@johnrpizzaguy]

@@nychris2258 I live on the central coast of California and yes we have huge mechanic shortage for a few reasons,the biggest being the average price of a home is well over a million.have a great day take care.

[@alanj9978]

I'm Gen X and work in tech. I fully expect to get aged out before I'm personally ready to retire. Debt free and stacking investments as fast as possible just in case.

[@Avo7bProject]

Yep. I'm mid 50s, have a steady corporate job now. But when I study the internal mobility postings, very little matches my skill set or interest. I'm leaning towards dog-paddling where I am for another 2 years or so and retiring early. I already paid off my house, own several rentals (half of them paid off too), and hold more in my 401k than the charts in this video. Scroo the rat race. I've been living below my means for decades already, and retirement will be an easy transition.

[@jgmatp]

All I can say to this scenario is always be ready for it as best you can. If you are making big bucks, you should be saving and investing big bucks. Warren Buffett famously said, “If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Smart advice. Save those extra bucks.

[@niamhleeson3522]

This just isn't realistic advice for most of us.

[@vindictivetiger]

I did. Then COVID happened and the economy fell into hording, inflation, price gouging, rent increases---all for no good reason other than to profit off a crisis. Warren Buffett is rich enough to spew those inane platitudes when he'll never in life have to worry about a dime bc the system was set up for men like him.

[@jp.8154]

lol, Warren Buffett NEVER said that. But I like how you put it in quotes.

[@Darth_Bateman]

@@jgmatp Warren Buffett will literally work until he dies though.

[@fluffysox6072]

As a Gen Zer it’s so hard for me to express how much this infuriates me for the baby boomers. People always talk about how millennials and Gen Z had their futures stolen, but so did the baby boomers. They were obedient to the system and fell into it blindly. They were led in by promises of security and financial freedom if they put in their 30-40 years. A lot of them did and spent countless hours commuting, damaging their bodies by toiling in factories, being away from home and their families all working towards this dream that doesn’t exist. Their savings are being drained by inflation. Many are being forced back into work (including my mother 🤬) just to make ends meet. For those who held up their end of the bargain and are getting ready to retire, the rug is being pulled from under their feet just as they were about to reach the promised land. Even worse, they’re coming to realize that the promised land never existed. Corporations built their empires on the backs of the baby boomers who trusted them fully. It’s all because of companies who think of money over people. It’s all *ucked and I’m so sorry and sad for the people who gave so much of themselves to this.

[@undinexxx4335]

Boomer here! The culture and corporations were very different when I was younger. It was much easier to trust back then when you could depend on the average person having a certain level of decency (sure, there are the exceptions), but decency amongst our fellow citizens seems much harder to come by these days, especially ones in management. Also, most corporations were not multinational and were not all controlled by a few mega conglomerates. It was very common to stay with a job until you retired. The bigger these corporations get the more soulless they become.

[@bakerinthehouse5346]

I'm Generation X and lost out on a great job which I was a perfect fit for- my skill set is an exact match for what they were seeking. I KNOW they didn't hire me because of my age. I'm 59. Both of the department heads for HR interviewed me and were even going to pay me above what the position pays. Then the department manager interviewed me. She is the person who shut the door on me.

[@spacegene]

Now you're an honorary Zoomer.

[@genx7006]

Can you be 59 and be considered a GenXer?

[@bakerinthehouse5346]

@@genx7006 I was born in 1965 so yes

[@shanesprecher8290]

@@spacegene I understand why you’re angry, the entire capitalist system has become a joke and unfortunately the younger generations have been antagonized by the older generations to no end. The problem is you’ll probably be blamed by your children for letting AI take all of the jobs people once had. They’ll say you could have stopped it, when in reality there’s nothing you could have done to stop it. You live in a world where your voice is no longer heard and there are a bunch of idiots running the entire economic system.

[@cuivre2004]

@@bakerinthehouse5346 Technically a Gen Xer- but you are actually considered a Boomer by companies, whether you realize it or not. I'm 60 and was born in 1963. My dad was a WW2 veteran.

[@Amypond1234]

If young people can’t get hired and older people are being fired and not getting hired.. who is working?

[@ExistenceUniversity]

Immigrants with slave labor practices

[@critenks229]

immigrants, offshore teams, and robots

[@donaldvermillion1253]

@@critenks229 winner winner!!!

[@duancoviero9759]

​@@critenks229🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯

[@flybrand]

@@Amypond1234 rich people

[@KHKH-os6kt]

My job was taken by an east indian when I was 60 years old. I am now 65 and retired, screw the whole system.

[@TheBeachkitten]

It’s never about skills, it’s merely about greed

[@larrymonus3605]

Working in the trades, your skill sets are all that matter.

[@TheKh783]

​@@larrymonus3605Hi, actual tradesman worker here, quit the misinformation. They dont care about skill, they just want a warm body to replace the aging boomers leaving the industry.

[@skeezix8156]

@@larrymonus3605no kidding. Once you’ve got an arsenal of quality skills you learn the business end of it all and make bank. When you’ve got skills, eventually you don’t even have to go looking for work, it comes to you

[@thomassabados6748]

Beach kitty, you sound like a leftist talking point.

[@TheBeachkitten]

@@thomassabados6748 I don’t fit under any label. It’s just the facts

[@krussell89]

I'm a boomer, layed off 3 years before retirement from a company I'd worked for 19 years. They had to hire 3 people to do my job. It definately wasn't about the money. Last I heard, the turn around for that position cost them more money than if they'd just kept me on for 5 more years.

[@ultravioletiris6241]

You mustve been an absolute tool on a personal level for them to be willing to go through with that.

[@l.w.paradis2108]

​@ultravioletiris6241 😂😂😂😂😂 The stupid assumptions you make. By contrast, we've got top-notch people running for President! Tremendous interpersonal skills.

[@ultravioletiris6241]

@@l.w.paradis2108 Youre right, the only logical explanation is that everyone else was just jealous of how perfect they were 🤡

[@dennistyler9852]

@@ultravioletiris6241What a fool you are…Tools are useful, are you?

[@dennistyler9852]

Glad it hit the Company where it hurts, the pocketbook…

[@gatewayz75]

I’m an ex HR Director and everything you say is so true. I went to great lengths to engineer myself into a demotion, yes a demotion. I experienced a lot of stress for 20 years, I subtly tried applying for lesser jobs but no one would hire me as I was overqualified and assumed I’d get bored. I created a work from home Talent Acquisition job and took a 60k pay cut, moved interstate close to family and then once established, found a recruitment job with no stress. I’m a different person with no stress. People in my network did not help me when I needed help but they all want my help now I’m in a different role. It’s tough out there. I call it experience discrimination, I couldn’t find the job I wanted because I had too much experience.

[@Roseequartz]

Ah yessss, being overqualified yet they don’t want someone even in their 50s on their staff. They want you to train your coworkers on top of doing your job. Then dump work on you or cut your hours til you leave. The thing is, THEY are not getting any younger and the same thing will happen to them.

[@WhyteHorse2023]

It's not your experience but your age. Younger people are cheaper, period.

[@michelfortier9563]

You hit it right on the nail about someone who's with a company for a long time, making too much then laid off. I'm a late boomer. I've been there 3 times but I knew what was coming therefore always had myself ready for it. I told a friend who's had numerous raises over the years and now, in my mind, is making too much money. He lives beyond his income, has little in savings and sees no issues. I've tried to explain he's probably training his replacement but just doesn't realize it. Everyone should realize this happens everywhere. And, once you hit mid 50's, you're screwed. The people interviewing you are much younger, sitting across the table from you thinking your too old. You see it in their face. Stay out of debt and invest wisely. Fortunately, I was financially independent in my mid 50's and was able to bail out.

[@marianhunt8899]

People lost most of the value of their portfolios in the 2008 great recession. Unfortunately, in this dog eat dog economic system there are no safe havens unfortunately.

[@francesfisher795]

@@michelfortier9563 Tell them, "Yes, I'm old and soon you will be, too." 😅

[@kathymc234]

We have a friend who hit 55 and we keep warning him to watch out. But he believes that he will have this job forever. Okay... Time will tell.

[@michelfortier9563]

@@kathymc234 Good luck with that thought process. When you look around at work and start to realize you're the oldest in the room, it's time to make sure you're ready for that unexpected proverbial meeting with HR.

[@barbarianbenji]

That scenario literally happened to my manager. He was 58 and spent 20 years at the company. New director took over and got rid of him.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

I’ve lost count of the people I’ve encountered who are dealing with this right now.

[@spacegene]

"Was it good for the company?"

[@mmeeddddddozzzzzzz3421]

@@spacegene probably not. He probably took a lot of knowledge with him, both about the company and the industry. HOWEVER, companies nowadays are looking only at the next quarter, maybe the next year. Rarely if ever, do they look at the next five years.

[@barbarianbenji]

@@spacegene not really. The new director got rid of the whole team, including me. Trouble is her new team are very inexperienced and from what I’ve heard, are struggling.

[@tjtj7161]

Absolutely horrible.

[@enonknives5449]

In experienced positions, if the choice is between a 55 yr old with experience who wants to work, or a 25 yr old with no experience who doesn't want to work, businesses today will ALWAYS choose the 25 yr old. In entry level positions, if the choice is between hiring someone without knowledge and training them to do the job correctly or hiring some who lies about their knowledge and ending up having to train them anyway, businesses today will ALWAYS hire the liar. In fact, it the choice is training someone to do a job or going bankrupt, most businesses today would choose bankruptcy. If the choice is between promoting a loyal employee or hiring a disloyal employee abandoning their former company, business today will ALWAYS hire the disloyal person. Loyalty is not only NOT rewarded; it is actively punished. I don't see much hope for America in the long-term as most Americans have abandoned morality and ethics.

[@Aaron_R]

For those of you actually struggling to find employment. Try fast food, construction, or nursing home. If you show up and work, you'll be ahead of 90% of your coworkers.

[@Aaron_R]

@@Runner466 I work fast food. The bar is low.

[@marianhunt8899]

You will also be payed a wage that is so low, you won't be able to purchase the basics of life such as rent and food. Some healthcare workers are living in their vehicles eventhough they are working 40 to 60 hrs a week. Our economic system is a rotten joke.

[@donaldvermillion1253]

@@marianhunt8899 dont forget we just got 18 million illegal immigrants, all those construction jobs will be fought over.

[@luannkelly5071]

It's better than no job.

[@Stothehighest]

​​@@luannkelly5071No, no it's not. But I guess one should be grateful for the rotted meat and maggoty bread the castle liege provides, yes?

[@theconfusedphilosopher4724]

As a millennial who can still remember being turned down for jobs by boomer hiring managers for my lack of experience, I have to say it's interesting to now hear these same boomers complain about age discrimination.

[@chiplangowski3298]

Except when you are just a little bit older (Millennials are knock on the door of 50), the same will happen to you. Are you watching and learning and preparing yourself financially for when the axe falls on you? Or are you sitting back gloating while thinking that you will be young forever?

[@gauloise6442]

The same generation that had no problem those below them slackers, snowflakes and lazy, now calling ageism is delicious.

[@gauloise6442]

@@chiplangowski3298 The same happened to many in the Silent Gen by the Boomers, only thing is I felt sorry for that generation because they were hardworking and, more importantly, decent. Aging happens to everyone but at least Millennials and Gen Z and X are trying to right ship into something more sustainable.

[@scottchelmford7136]

@@theconfusedphilosopher4724 I don't feel bad for boomers. They are arrogant and greedy

[@hendrx]

​@@chiplangowski3298difference is, we are already used to being fired lol

[@garnetwilliamson7817]

I was a victim of this layed off at 62... I had foresight to plan for early retirement just was not mentally ready. I encourage all young people to have no corporate loyalty. Companies do not care about you work for yourself and not an organization. Make moves that benefit you......

[@shanesprecher8290]

I’m GenX and I hate to say it but there’s a certain group of my generation and boomers (not all) who loved to antagonize the younger generations about not wanting to work. I was expecting this sort of thing to happen for a while now. When four out of ten job postings by employers are fake job listings and you have close to a one million job revision by the BLS, there is something else going on and it’s not the younger generations fault. Now, the younger folks are doing the hiring and it’s not going to be easy to get back into the market.

[@moniqrupley6019]

Yes. It is like people forget how hard it is to be starting out. Couple that with a terrible economy. I get why younger people are upset.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I also was thinking of this. As a Millenial, I think we all need to stop punching down on each other because at the end of the day...we're all fucked. Boomers are laid off for ageism (those younger generations are remembering all the unkind things said about them and are weaponizing it right back) and yet then say younger people don't want to work hard, but how can you expect anyone to want to physically or mentally break themselves when they see what is happening with their grandparents? The cost of living is such that many things, even outside of home ownership, are a luxury. Kids and now even pets are a luxury. I want to adopt a cat, but I don't have a vehicle and feel it would be awful for an emergency to arise and I'm unable to get the cat quickly to a vet. Not to mention, I'd need a car to even get to the shelter, as I'm not sure a Lyft driver would appreciate me bringing an animal into their vehicle, even in a cat carrier. We're all hurting and while pointing the finger is easy and might feel satisfying in the moment, the answer to the situation is a frustrating "It's complicated".

[@robd7934]

Bottom line is that the job market is really bad right now. Outsourcing, automation, way less jobs being posted and now ghost jobs are all a toxic mix that's making it very difficult to even get a phone call from a recruiter after applying (thanks ATS)!

[@shanesprecher8290]

@@robd7934 The ATS is a big issue. What bothers me is the number of graduates who will be sitting around not getting experience because of the ATS filtering them out because of them not having previous work history. I think our workforce will begin to atrophy making it easier for corporate to outsource. Corporate may claim they don’t have any qualified candidates to choose from when in reality it was them that created the problem.

[@robd7934]

@shanesprecher8290 agreed. So many companies implemented ATS to screen out unqualified applicants based on key words like its a magic bullet. But this results in perfectly qualified candidates getting rejected by the automation and non qualified candidates getting interviews because they know how to game ATS. To make matters worse, recruiters have the nerve to complain about "word stuffing" on resumes when they created this problem.

[@bobbisanchez2299]

I have been out of work for two years. I am so tired of placing my feelings on hold when I am considered garbage. My shills are good and have always been proactive. Why can’t I make the decision to retire instead of being forced out? This is just another example of society cruelty. I will go back to my corner now🥵

[@bobbisanchez2299]

That is skills not shills!😛

[@wavargasmolina]

I have been always proactive and a good worker. But, when ageism arrives to the workplace, there is nothing that you can do. But, its is important that it may have nothing to do with your performance.

[@bobbisanchez2299]

@@wavargasmolina I know. That is why it hurts.

[@dukeofgibbon4043]

Yhe world is utterly sick of garbage boomer feelings. Your shills, lol

[@lionhearted5881]

@bobbisanchez2299 I'm not laughing at you! I'm laughing at your humor! "I will go back to my corner now" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 BTW, I'm a retired boomer!!

[@cl5193]

I'm a 62 yr old nurse and I can't retire. I financially help my 82 yr old mom who doesn't have 2 nickels to rub together. My granddaughter and her 2 sons (great-grandsons) have moved in with me and my husband because her husband left her. I make too much money per hour now and my clinic is looking at letting me go because I cost too much. My husband is a 70 yr old electrician who is still working, but if we lose my income, we are all in serious trouble.

[@chelebelle2223]

@@cl5193 I'm sorry to hear that. Praying that you all will make it through fine. 🤗🙏 I, too, am a boomer in need of employment.

[@UncleDavesKitchen]

I'm a 70 year old RN, we're the last generation of workaholics. nurses 1/3 my age won'd do the patient care I do. It's sad. I'm working because I love it. Sorry for your situation, but comes a point you need to take care of yourself. If you go down you all go down. My family all died off young so I never had your situation. Maybe see a counselor and get a third party viewpoint if you are enabling or rescuing at your own detriment.

[@WhyteHorse2023]

Look into becoming an independent nurse. I have no idea how it works but my wife can do it as a care-giver. You get the same money that your hospital gets from medicare. Then expand to be more of a manager of independent nurses. Hope this gets you to a place you can retire and screws over the corporations screwing you over.

[@discombobulatedfishbowl7548]

It's very good you're speaking the harsh truth everyone needs to hear. Our glory days don't last. Gen X never got to get very far because there were so many boomers, plus the 2008 recession. I hope those under Gen X have an easier time being able to get somewhere at their jobs, and have an easier time being able to keep their jobs later in life. Robots and AI have me worried about it tho.

[@freedomdude5420]

Rome O 2

[@dennistyler9852]

This boomer graduated into a recession and double digit interest rates. I prefer to be called Generation Jones or early Gen X

[@toneloc-cz2xi]

@@dennistyler9852 Yr a boomer - own that shjt - it IS something to be ashamed of tho

[@TheSnerggly]

Job discrimination starts happening at 50 years old, I am an older Gen Xer and I am watching that happening to people 10 years younger than I am.

[@macmcleod1188]

In 1983 I saw age discrimination for people who were 45. I started living on half of what I made as soon as I got my college degree. I was finally laid off in 2012. Literally one day before I intended to retire at 51. It was nice because I got 12 weeks severance pay and unemployment benefits instead of getting 5 weeks of vacation pay. I never told them why I wasn't upset though. Many of my 50 year old co-workers were devastated by the layoff though. They had no savings and had kids in college.

[@TheSnerggly]

@@macmcleod1188 That's horrible! This job market right now is really not being discussed except for accounts like this one and what I see on REDDIT. I have a few friends who are 20 years younger than I am and they got laid off, some of them have kids.

[@cuivre2004]

@@macmcleod1188 How much do you pay out of pocket for health insurance per month at that age> Are you in the U.S.?

[@macmcleod1188]

@@cuivre2004 People covered by the ACA pay between $200 and $800 plus $1500 in drug and test copays and another $2,000 to $5,000 in copays if they are hospitalized (once). If they are hospitalized a second time, the copays are covered. Pre-ACA, many could not get any health care at any price and the drugs would have been about the same but the hospitalization costs were bankrupting many people each year (2000-2008). People who can't get the financial assistance because they are too poor (in red states that refused the medicare subsidy) or make too much money (about $55,000 ish-- look it up) still are *able* get get coverage but it costs about $1000 a month plus the copays mentioned above.

[@slappyabromowitz]

I saw it pretty transparently when I was in my early 40s and I saw a group of very nice folks in their mid 50s absolutely terrified to lose their job when a restructure was announced. I’m not sure it can still work, but I stayed ahead of the trend by learning what the market needed. It was difficult as hell but if the market needed cyber security, for instance, at the minimum I would become a strong generalist and remain marketable. To your overall point something happened in the last 10 years where the workplace is a cold place ruled by imperial HR governance & ageism is rampant. I hear it everywhere.

[@coldlyanalytical1351]

Boomer here : I reached very close to the top of a high tech .. but I realised that ageism was around, so I retrained into medicine in my later 40s. No ageism in medicine.

[@TheSnerggly]

Excellent, if I was smarter, I would become a nurse.

[@GigaChad_169]

That’s true, my aunt is a nurse and is STILL WORKING at 74 years old. Im surprised.

[@jamesbecker3420]

As a boomer Licensed Funeral Director, advanced age sometimes helps when working with older family members.

[@iwrist313]

I'm in healthcare at 64 and in high demand bc the younger ones in healthcare went into for the money, refuse to listen to the more seasoned boomers to improve their skills. Hospital admin wanted cheaper employees that they thought they could control and manipulate. Now health care is at it worse and they are calling us back. And the complaints come from my patients of how bad it is now in hospitals.

[@Fuzzmom903]

@@coldlyanalytical1351 my long time dr would disagree. Broke my heart to see him forced to retire. He could diagnose you by looking at you. Major hospitals buy out local practices and treat them like corporations. Profits over patients and good doctoring.

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

I am 61 and with my experience I will tell any younger person that will listen... work and get skills, and continue to look for a new job. Read the job descriptions and see what the requirements are.. Follow your career on Linkden and see what the new technology is, or how things are changing. If you aren't doing the 'new' things, it's time to start looking for a new job. Ideally 1 to 2 years is enough.. Do NOT be like me and stay somewhere for a decade thinking they will take care of you. The place that I thought I would retire from was sold and the new management was a nightmare. I quit and started the job hop in 2021. I am on the 3rd job since then. And I kinda like moving around learning new things. I feel like I got left behind in the technology of my career and am trying to play catch up. If you have been there 5 years, you definitely need to find something else. And if you are nearing retirement age and am having the ageism problem when looking for a new job, try something completely different than what you were doing before. Healthcare hires all ages because it's desperately shorthanded.

[@ddellwo]

I had a buddy who pivoted to healthcare a few years ago - he said he’s never wiped so many old people’s a$$e$ in his entire life……..😂

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

@@ddellwo I have been in healthcare 20 plus years never wiped anyones rear end besides my own.. so it depends on the job. Working the front desk, getting patients ready in an outpatient clinic, assisting the techs.. none of these require experience or wiping butts.

[@marianhunt8899]

And healthcare will burn you out fierce fast. There is a reason people are fleeing those jobs and even returning to 4rd world countries rather than endure the stress of those jobs. Greed has infested the healthcare sphere unfortunately.

[@marianhunt8899]

​@@anniesshenanigans3815those are the better jobs in healthcare and are like gold dust. Most of the jobs are very stressful even at the junior level. There is a reason fewer and fewer people want to do healthcare.

[@AJwoodway]

To every young person. Dont spend your entire life making other people rich. Learn how to make, build, repair, or install something. I learned construction and later focused on drywall repair and painting. Been my own boss for 40 years. Retired fairly young and enjoying life. You dont need the fanciest cars, houses or clothes. Put the money in savings for later. No company is going to care about you after 50.

[@williamrosas9787]

I worked in the Sign Industry for almost 40 years and I am not talking about the 1 hour franchised vinyl shops. Real Sign Companies can do anything from some vinyl that gives hours of operation on a glass door all the way up to Giant Pylon Signs and Steel structures. Ever wonder where all the signs come from at every business when your driving down the road? Most sign shops have on the job training and if you are mechanically inclined you can make a decent living. Skills you could learn : Steel and Aluminum Fab., Welding , trim cap, channel letters, prep, paint, vinyl install, vinyl wrap, CNC machines and routers, final assembly, LED install, shipping and crating, Installation, estimating, sales, management and more.

[@nosoupforyou425]

Advice... interview at least once a year your entire career. This will keep your resume current as well as keep you up to speed on the market. Mr.Murray have me this advice back in 1987 - one of the best single pieces of advice I have received through the years

[@kibblenbits]

I retired from a Fortune 100 company, at the age of 68, in 2019 (my choice). I knew 5 other co-workers, in various departments, who were laid off in their 50's (3 were supervisors), due to "restructuring" (meaning the employer could hire 2, or even 3 people, for the same amount of money). I believe the reason(s) I survived was because I was the oldest worker in the place, and not a supervisor (I worked remote). No one in management ever asked me when I was going to retire, but I didn't realize how rare that was, until after I'd retired.

[@RonHelton]

A lot of people have been lulled into a sense of false security with the stock market. Eventually it will tumble and when it does it will wipe out the 401ks for a lot of retirees. I have seen it happen twice during my lifetime. Some of my co-workers lost over half of their investments especially when they were not diversified enough. Some put all of their retirement money into the company which plummeted from 80 dollars a share to less than 4 dollars a share when the company was outcompeted by China. I would say the last 20 to 25 years has been hard on everybody to save money or retire without stressing over their retirement funds.

[@Avo7bProject]

Preach it! I've moved 95% of my 401k into bond funds. I'd just hold treasuries directly if my plan allowed it. There is a point in life where the stability of capital should be a consideration, instead of chasing aggressive growth.

[@user-zb7qf8rq5r]

As a banker and economist I am sick of the constant references as to baby boomers getting their houses cheaply. The reality is that real wages in the developed world have been forced down due to underdeveloped economies industrialising. A worker in the developed world cannot compete with workers earning 3% of their wages in Asia. In 1971 the US and all of the developed world whose currencies were fixed to the USD came off the gold standard. This enabled politicians to pretend wages still held their value as the underlying currency was diluted. The house prices went up not because the houses were more valuable but because the currency is less valuable. If we had still remained on a currency linked to gold house prices would now be cheaper. The question is have living standards fallen or risen. House prices are more expensive in terms of currency but the average 12 year old controls more computing power that the entire Apollo moonshot program. The average man in the developed world enjoys a lifestyle better than the average king did but 100 years ago. Remember Prince Albert died of drinking dirty water.

[@jtaylor7572]

@@user-zb7qf8rq5r what currency is on the gold standard? None, right?

[@patnor7354]

Ok, boomer. Reality is still that they did, and then opened up the borders to all the crap younger men face today.

[@joem.7621]

At 53, I fully expect my next job could very well be a non-skilled lower pay position than my 6-figure position and I save 50% of my income after taxes for that very reason. You all better start preparing out there. Just read some of the comments from younger people who seem to enjoy the suffering of older people and wish them ill. That's who will be running things soon. Also, you absolutely must get skill certifications and or continuing education credits to "prove" you are up to date. It's the reason I haven't been laid off already frankly

[@worldadventuretravel]

As a late Gen X perpetually stuck in middle management because the Boomers have refused to retire at an appropriate age for the social contract and wellbeing of everyone born after them, I've suffered decades of income losses and two generations of new workers competing to surpass me when I've been prevented from building a typical earnings trajectory to retire in 20 years. Being younger than a Boomer also hasn't stopped me from getting passed over as "overqualified" which is really ageism in disguise. Worse, it's Gen X getting saddled with taking care of our aging parents as they become infirm while trying to support and raise our own families. We've had the rug pulled out from under us economically several times more than Millennials and Gen Z, and yet we are consistently left out of the conversation entirely (when we're not being blamed for the failures of the Boomers). Capitalism is a failed system. Short of an actual revolution, we are utterly screwed.

[@ronlanter6906]

*CRONEY* Capitalism and *CORRUPT* Government is what we in the USA have had throughout the 1900's & 2000's. *BIG DIFFERENCE*

[@skippythetubrat]

Do you really believe boomers do not want to retire? Imagine working for fifty years and not being able to retire. That's your fear. For many boomers it's their reality. But keep believing that generations are ideological monolith. Elon thanks you for your service. Congratulations, you are reacting exactly as the Capitalists want you to react.

[@janetgrega5613]

Staying at one job your whole life is not an accomplishment. It’s detrimental. Not only is age against them, but also their lack of new skills.

[@ikeameltdown8012]

Yep.

[@spacegene]

"I spent 20 years of my life at the same company because I was too lazy, too cowardly, and too unambitious to ever leave or attempt anything else. So now I have 20 years of experience (which I got by merely existing). And that means I'm qualified and desirable."

[@jelm9304]

Last I looked JavaScript, BootStrap, Hand coding and AI coding are still in demand? Along with Python and C#. But, I don't want to work anymore 🙂 The key is being 100% debt free!!

[@ayanamariemia]

Exactly. When I see that on LinkedIn, I cringe. It’s so not a flex.

[@chiplangowski3298]

It used to be. Long ago it was pensions. Then it was 401ks, stock options, stock grants and bonuses. Now it is people jumping jobs every time they get offered a few more bucks. I sure hope that the people that are doing that are saving at least 25% of their gross income for retirement. If not, they will look back and wish that they could have had one of those long, boring careers at one company and the deferred compensation that came with them.

[@carolynracine6380]

Im Gen X and got laid off in my 50s. I didn't have the drive to retrain, so I worked contracts until i just couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, i have no debt, so i work a part-time job.

[@nulldude782]

Born in 1961, was never a Boomer until recently when they started naming every generation. Anyone my age not ready for retirement is in trouble.

[@raysalter2270]

The baby boomers are the largest and wealthiest generation to have ever existed, I’m 67 and can’t afford to quit working I’m banking/ investing my SS money until probably 70.

[@tomhavenith2330]

European here, Some people I know (family) advocated their entire life to kill off our generous unemployment benefits because of "slackers". Well... they succeeded all right! While our unemployment benefits aren't nearly as garbage as US, but they are far from what they were some ten years ago. And now I hear them moan... I find it rather, euhm... poetic. But I don't tell that to uncle Jacques...

[@TheMuclusla]

Have fun with the continued collapse of your social programs as you take in hordes of migrants that have over 50% unemployment rates and take more benefits than the natives. Generous social programs don't work when you have open borders.

[@gethriel]

Pro tip: if you don't have a steady job, you don't have a career: you have a bunch of jobs. Looking for work becomes the closest thing to a career you've got.

[@chesterwilberforce9832]

Unless you are into very narrow highly specialized fields, like astrophysics or biochemical engineering, there really is no such thing as a career anymore. You are exactly right. My parents had 3 jobs between them their entire working life. I've had 3 in one year.

[@DigitallFlesh]

Gen-x here. Stayed at a small company for 20 years and haven’t found anything in five years. Been driving Uber and living in poverty. Went as low as taking a gas station job but they wouldn’t give me full time work and it was more drama than it was worth. Thank god my house is paid for but I’ve been living on Pennie’s for years now barley keeping the lights on, and food in the house and the good old divorce that gets most of us and unpaid child support. Trying to get off the booze and get my head straight since I don’t have much to look forward to these days. If I didn’t have child support I would be dipping out to Eastern Europe.

[@zoomzoom3950]

I'm in a high demand tech field with more years of experience than most; I was let go a few years ago, along with several other mostly white guys in our 50s. Had to sign an acknowledgement that it wasn't discriminatory, etc. They gave us 30 days to find another internal position or we were gone. Got the basic severance package for my nearly 20 years there; and started to look for a new position; I had enough in the emergency fund to take my time and be selective, but was not financially ready to retire. Because of the severance package I didn't qualify for unemployment. Within a month I found a new position, in an even better (role, level, work and compensation) position; I had and accepted the offer; I had negotiated my start date another month out, so I had two months of vacation before starting the new role without having to touch my emergency fund. Fast forward to today, I'm 1-2 years, at most 3 years, away from early retirement; getting my house repairs done, and getting all my toys for retirement while I'm still working. Good luck!

[@jurassicthunder]

is it ai?

[@moikechan]

No. It's having a technical career that makes the difference. These tangible skill sets are in high demand and experience in this market is king. I'm not in the same boat but somewhat similar with no end or dimming in sight insofar as job security is concerned.

[@Anton43218]

@@moikechan in Romania medics, lawyers, white collar professionals and anyone in technical roles except those in IT working for foreign corporation.

[@chesterwilberforce9832]

Luck does play a big role.

[@zoomzoom3950]

@@chesterwilberforce9832 I think having marketable skills and experience also helps; I think it was more timing than luck. The job market had many opportunities when i was looking, and I had time to be selective.

[@keith62970]

Yeah, and GenX have to save them. I've been looking for a job for 5 years. My wife and I spent all our savings to keep our parents from becoming destitute. Who will be there for us when we need help, especially when social security goes away. We're screwed.

[@davewebbtheauthor]

Social Security is not going away.

[@danieldonaldson8634]

The dependence on your definition of baby boomer as being someone born up until the early 60s is bad thinking. Currently, nobody sees any contradiction in so-called generations that have a birth timeframe of about 10 years. There is no real reason why we should be defining this group as ones that were born over a period of 20 years. The reason this matters, and I speak as someone who is affected by this, is it if you were born in 1957 as I was, (making me sixty seven years old in about a week), the most important economic event of your young life, and arguably your life - was the global recession driven by the crisis of 1973. The whole point of the boomer generation is that they were people who represented a demographic bulge driven by high levels of prosperity. The assumption is, and it holds for people who are born prior to about 1955, is that that prosperity shaped their young lives including the transition to adulthood, creating opportunities in education, employment, travel, and so forth. But if you were born in 1957, then when you were 16 or 15 interest rates spiked over a very short period of time to 18% from their 2% average throughout the 60s and 50s the price of oil tripled overnight acting is the original driver. But prices and wages spiral upwards with wages, always falling behind, and unemployment, the cost of education, along with multiple other important factors moved very rapidly against you. It’s well understood in economics that initial conditions will have a huge effect on later performance and opportunity. This was the case for many people of my generation - which is not the boomer generation. Why does this matter? In large part because people of my age and younger started off in a world where all the expectations were of ever greater economic opportunity and lower barriers. But when it came time to begin adult lives, all of that reversed dramatically for a period of 10 years. This is what brought Reagan to power, and began the process of the reversal of all of the social benefits and active support of a healthy middle class that FDR‘s economics had produced. So people of the age that are actually boomers, gaining all the economic benefits, have long since retired. Those of us whose generation was dominated by these adverse conditions that they did not face, belong in a separate economic category, and one of the things that is most relevant is that we spent much longer before we could establish ourselves the way boomers had by the time they were 35.

[@realMacMadame]

I've been laid off many times in my career. It's not been a big deal until this time when I'm three years from retirement. I'm in a field that is sexist and ageist but I haven't even been able to be discriminated against for that because the Monday after I got laid off, the tech field went to crap. My resume gets good responses but companies are posting ghost jobs, pulling jobs in the middle of the hiring process, etc. My recommendation for people in their 50s is to pay off all debt, save like crazy for retirement, and keep your skills up to date. Because statistics show that the majority of people retire earlier than they planned and losing your job as an older worker is one way that happens.

[@ellenk9604]

Yeah, I'm totally screwed with nothing but $1k/month in SS. I'm almost 70, working my back and joints off at an am*z*n warehouse, and did not keep up with the networking from an earlier career. It's hard because everyone I know is retired and no longer active on linkedin. Honestly, I'm horrified at my lack of savings, and deeply afraid for what the future holds. I'm going for some upskilling/retraining, but I don't know if age discrimination can be overcome.

[@Nightmoore]

This isn't just a boomer issue. If you're 50+, get ready to deal with this nonsense. Especially if you traditionally work in the marketing world. Suddenly, every hiring manager just assumes you're too old to connect with the target audience.

[@ivobiancucci4528]

In Canada the government will give the employer up to 70% of a person's wages if they hire a new comer (immigrant) out goes the person who's been with that company for many years. You can thank Justin Trudeau for losing your job.

[@JJ-vp3bd]

ouch

[@Inkling777]

I wonder why Canadians haven't found a way to get rid of Trudeau... then I recall who we have as president here in the U.S.

[@jeffeby2218]

When you are in your sixties, healthcare is a key consideration. Being laid off and losing healthcare coverage or having to pay extra for COBRA coverage can be a challenge. ALWAYS stay up on getting procedures done while you have healthcare. This is not the time to "save money" for other things since you might lose coverage with little or no notice. Get your eyes examined and take care of your teeth. Invest in maintaining and, if possible by going to the gym and making diet changes that will result in improving your health instead of just focusing on your 401k. If you need to do so, get a will done and keep it updated. These are all easier when you still have income. Do not just focus on the financial side of the equation.

[@hbbstn]

Why are people surprised? In my 20 years of corporate life I've seen older people being laid off over and over and replaced with cheaper younger people.

[@barabajagal2625]

It's funny that the younger ones aren't that cheap, though 🤔

[@anonanon2325]

@barabajagal2625 younger people don't have savings or the experienced development of a backbone to stand up to workplace manipulation. Nor do they have the ability to risk going without work for one week, without savings and having bills and a dual income home to support.

[@anonanon2325]

​@@barabajagal2625Companies have more leverage to abuse younger employees than they do to people more established in their career

[@MrWill-ng8dg]

This problem is an extension of yet another current US economic recession, and the US government is to blame. All American citizens, not just boomers, are in the same serious trouble. As usual, good analysis Brian. 👍

[@vsgfilmgroup]

5:48 "How do I fix this?" "You don't. You should have done this, thus, and such 10 years ago." "So why am I paying you again?"

[@Tomcat71]

The last job I worked I watched a guy who had been there 40 years walk out the door and nobody even said congratulations to him as he was leaving the plant

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Why didn't you congratulate him?

[@robins_rodeo]

Yep, this happened to me. Lots of management experience, strong technical skills (including data/ai), people-focused, great resume... I even applied for jobs paying less. But none of this matters once you're at a certain age and you get laid off. Fortunately, when I started seeing age discrimination in my 50s, I began taking some precautions 'just in case': 1) Paid the house off sooner. 2) Got the most expensive repairs/updates done sooner. 3) Increased the amount of money to directly into savings. 4) Started a sideline to generate additional income (in my case, an Airbnb). I had to cut back on other things to get these done, but I'm glad I did. On another note... I question how applicable 'flight risk' is. What's the difference between an older candidate planning to retire in a few years and a younger candidate planning to move on to another company in 2 years for better pay or more skills?

[@curiouspenguin6887]

Or the younger workers just get laid off in a couple of years.

[@robins_rodeo]

@@curiouspenguin6887 That too, unfortunately.

[@hendrx]

Your Generation doesn't want to work, pull yourself up by the bootstrap next time

[@tonyjones1560]

In one of my darker moments, I told a prospective manager that he wasn’t going to tell me any lies about how “we’re family here” or whatever. “I’m signing on to do a job for a certain amount of money. You hold up your end, I hold up mine. Want any extra, be ready to negotiate extra. I’m actually going to be less of a hassle to you than all those young wannabe superstars because you’re going to have to compete to get them and to keep them. All I want is a job.” Didn’t get that job, by the way.

[@marianhunt8899]

​@@tonyjones1560they want obedience and someone who will do extra work for free. The last thing they want is someone who can see right through their marketing games. They would never admit this of course.

[@narcoosseefl]

64 years old here. Got laid off in April. Been applying for jobs ever since. Not one call or contact for follow-up. I'll be okay, but it's disappointing to the ego, for sure.

[@frankcorrea8691]

Age discrimination whit black brown seen it, no call backs and young ones say they work with grandfather types snd old cougars ,and they shuffle papers ,well everyone somehow will catch up with you some now are Uber drivers snd janitors just to survive@😮

[@spacegene]

You know what you should do? Go down to the local hardware store. Ask for the manager. Shake his hand, look him square in the eye, and say: "Can I have a job, sir?"

[@billwalsh388]

I'm 60, and it seems like I'm hanging on to my manual labor job for dear life until I can retire. The health issues keep coming and I desperately need to hang on to my health insurance. If I get laid off I'm toast, hello bankruptcy.

[@bmer92k86]

Just flip burgers, Its what you told your millenial kids to do. Maybe youd still have a job if you just kept your head down and worked harder.

[@cultmecca]

These boomers are all entitled and don't want to work

[@nyneeveanya8861]

My first home was a two bedroom one bath 600 sqft home. I paid $38,000 for it. My wage at that time was$5.35/hour that’s about $12,000 a year with overtime. So yes we did pay a lot less for a home but we also made a lot less. Pay mortgage, childcare, utilities, food, clothing, healthcare on $1,000 a month by yourself and tell me how easy boomers had it. A lot of us worked 2+3 jobs to get by. I’m retired and disabled now and my ssi is a grand total of less than $1300 a month. Yeah boomers had it easy, that’s why so many are still working minimum wage jobs in their 70’s.

[@chesterwilberforce9832]

Agree 100%. People don't realize that boomers were crippled by the financial crisis, too. Many of us lost not just jobs, but careers, and homes as well. 2008 didn't care what generation you were in. I'm currently 71 working as a maintenance man for about as much money/hour as I made as a part time worker in high school 50 years ago. Even with SSI I spend over 60% of my income just to keep a roof over my head. I'll work until I can't anymore then just go off into the woods somewhere and wait for the sweet release of death.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Just retired, Boomer. I took the blue pill and did 401K. It worked. I fear for the kids. Whatever you hear, there just are not the jobs out there right now like there were when I was let go 3 times, once with a 6 week old baby at home. No problem, just found another job. It's not like that today.

[@dawnreneegmail]

I've been given the ' you're taking the job of a man trying to feed his family'. Heard, but I gotta eat too and if you're paying him what you're offering me, no way a family can live on this....

[@shermanngjazz]

My dad got laid off in this March. It's been a tough year for both of us.

[@mmeeddddddozzzzzzz3421]

Find something that you can train for on YOUR OWN. Companies don't train anyone any more, except in the barest sense.

[@spacegene]

Tech is the future. If you need a direction, then consider cloud infrastructure.

[@mmeeddddddozzzzzzz3421]

@@spacegene but you need to be able and willing to study a lot and learn lots of new things. No more going home to watch tv. It's going home to study on the latest and greatest. It's like always being in night school. A friend of mine who is a librarian and got her Masters in Library Science at least 20 years ago, thinks I'm weird because I don't watch a lot of tv. Well. I'm online doing stuff for work. Learning new skills and such.

[@spacegene]

@@mmeeddddddozzzzzzz3421 True dat. But this is the path forward. I believe you can walk it.

[@nmccw3245]

Tail end boomer here - retired two years ago at 58. Feel bad for any boomer still dealing with today’s toxic work environment.

[@criticalinfrastructurepart1959]

You were born in 1966 you're not not a "tail end boomer" you're an early Gen X'er

[@nmccw3245]

@@criticalinfrastructurepart1959 - math is hard, try again. 😜

[@criticalinfrastructurepart1959]

@@nmccw3245 Actually not a math issue, a reading comprehension issue (somehow I completely missed "two years ago") my mistake. As I was saying, you're a tail end baby-boomer...ha!

[@2rx_bni]

Intel forcibly retired my dad as part of the 15k layoffs. These companies ain't loyal or reasonable. That's a knowledge drain. He worked there for 25 damn years. Makes me sick.