Ageism is alive and well! I have friends who have increasingly difficult times finding new work as they approach their 50-year mark. And those who are in the 50’s already, well, the number of months it takes and the number of actual interviews (even virtual) they get invited to are inversely proportional. I have a few colleagues who are HRE’s, HRO’s or other similar titles tell me that hiring, unlike justice, is not blind. And those who say that it is, are simply towing the corporate DEI line and agree that it’s generally bullshit.
I’ve worked enough years to see that people rarely get jobs because they are just qualified. Only the qualified ones who are referred get the jobs. Even the term ‘qualified’ is loosely enforced so long as nepotism is at play. For those who punch above their paygrade and conform to the Peter-principle (a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter which observes that people are promoted based on their previous success until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent) also reach an eventual dead end. And for those who have no influential social networks or are not helped by the DEI policies, they rarely get interviews. Let’s face it, a corporation is not going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a candidate simply because they ‘tick all the boxes.’ This scrutiny is even more extreme now.
So, to fund my living for the future, I decided to become my own mailroom boy with signing authority to bind the company and started out on my own.
I’ve been lucky to have some very good mentors throughout my career. My employers have all been excellent and invested in my corporate education. I also have my MBA and felt very privileged to have worked with professional clients who gave me unique and challenging problems to solve. With that pedigree, I started on my own after 30 years.
I have saved enough to retire in relative poverty. And after working in increasingly senior executive roles, I’m too proud to work in the mailroom. So, to fund my living for the future, I decided to become my own mailroom boy with signing authority to bind the company.
It’s funny that at the beginning of my career, I worked and hustled like it was my first time (it was) and now at the end of my career, I work and hustle like never before. The difference this time is that back then, I was doing it to impress my superiors; I’m now doing it for survival!
At the time this article is published, I’ve been self-employed for a grand total of 12 months. In this first year, I’ve spent more money than I made but I must say, I don’t regret it. I’m investing in myself. I get to choose my work, with whom I work and every day is a new challenge.
Am I scared? Beyond belief! But will I go back? No!
