For our Still in the Game series, Business Insider has been interviewing and surveying people in their 50s who are navigating career changes. As we’ve shared their struggles and triumphs through unemployment and career pivots, we’ve heard from more than 100 readers via emails and comments, many expressing the same sentiment: “Thank you for showing me that I’m not alone.”
While looking for work or starting over at any age comes with challenges — especially after spending decades building a career and in the current difficult job market — some of those challenges may come as a surprise.
One surprise this age demographic seems to share is the sudden realization that their job experience doesn’t hold as much weight as they expected. As these Gen X job seekers go through the growing pains of starting over at 50, they reflected on that reality, plus the other challenging headwinds they’re experiencing.
Here’s what they told us.
Fifty is, apparently, old
When responding to our survey, one 55-year-old mentioned they’re having trouble finding work because companies think people in their 50s are old now. “They forget that my generation is the one that, much like cockroaches, don’t seem to age and are really hard to kill,” they wrote.
Almost all of the Gen X workers and job seekers we spoke with feel that age discrimination is a major challenge in their current career journey. At the same time, they say it’s difficult to prove. “It feels obvious to me that age is a factor in why I can’t find a job,” 56-year-old job seeker Kymm Dracup told BI.
Read more about Dracup’s story.
Getting past AI isn’t as easy as they thought
Some of the people we spoke with also mentioned concerns about how AI might be keeping their applications from reaching recruiters.
They also have fears about how their limited AI knowledge is making them weaker candidates. “There’s AI now, and having been out of the tech loop for almost five years, catching up at 52 is a minefield,” Jodi Lynn Karpes said.
Thankfully, there are workarounds for the AI issue. For example, Karpes, similar to the other non-tech job seekers who responded to BI, is taking courses and educating herself about AI tools.
Read more about Karpes’ story.
Most companies lack hiring etiquette. The ghosting is out of control.
It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when companies would inform candidates if they weren’t selected.
Job seekers who have been gainfully employed for the last 25 years and have found themselves in today’s tough job market said they are shocked by the lack of etiquette companies have shown.
“The number of times I’ve heard about friends of mine in their 50s being ghosted — it’s such a slap in the face to people,” 56-year-old Michael Shmarak said. “I don’t care how senior or junior a role is; there’s a lack of decency, and I’d love to see that come back.”
Shmarak has also experienced being ghosted.
Read more about Shmarak’s story.
Job hunting can take a serious emotional toll
While the feeling of rejection isn’t unique to job hunters in their 50s, it was one of the most common challenges shared in our interviews and surveys.
Frustration. Low self-worth. Panic. Desperation. These feelings consistently surfaced in various interviews. “Rejections are all part of the process, but it’s taken a big toll on my self-esteem and contributed to situational depression,” 57-year-old Gregory Brooks told BI. “My job was a big part of my identity, and leaving it was a big blow.”
Read more about Brooks’ story.
Job seekers in their 50s have to remind themselves that their age and experience are strengths, not weaknesses
After quitting her job of 15 years, 54-year-old Nicole Cicero landed a new one in a few months. Her best advice? Go into interviews with confidence, saying, I know what I can do. “It’s a mindset shift that I’ve really embodied in my 50s,” she said.
Cicero also relied on her connections and her network to quickly pivot into a new role.
Similar to Cicero, Shmarak shared how his mindset shift has kept him motivated, despite the ghosting and rejection in his job search, “50-somethings can learn to stop resting on the laurels of what we’ve done, and start focusing on the value we continue to deliver,” he said.
Read more about Cicero’s story.
Are you navigating a career change in your 50s? Contact this editor, Manseen Logan, at [email protected] to share your story.
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