The Harsh Reality: When Turning 50 Becomes a Career Liability

The moment you realize that your 30-year career is not actually an asset

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

A little over a week ago I sat on a call with a good friend chit-chatting about life in general.

Over the course of that conversation, which drifted towards the subject of career and age, he said, “that at his age he thought that he would never get another job,” and was grateful for an out-of-the-blue opportunity that had unexpectedly just come up.

Listening intently, I remained silent, lost in my own thoughts, a sense of panic setting in.

I was thrilled for him, but I am only a year younger.

To be honest, I had never really given much thought to actually retiring, but these words struck home, hard.

While still a few years away, this was now a far closer reality than I had considered, as my current employer has a retirement age policy of just 60. Now this is typically extended for a few years, for senior positions, but not guaranteed and is need-based and on an annual basis.

Job security after that then, was effectively out of the window.

Thoughts came flashing into my mind about how I would even find a new job at 60, not to mention the added challenge of still living in another country and over 20 years disconnected from my own.

I certainly couldn’t rely on my own out-of-the-blue opportunity unexpectedly turning up at the eleventh hour that’s for sure.

Those of you who have followed my story for a little while will remember that I live away from my home country, (with its retirement age of 66), leaving me with a 6-year gap that I would need to figure out how to bridge.

How the hell did this happen?

I’m not ready to retire and I don’t want to retire.

For as long as I can remember, I was always the youngest of my immediate peers.

Back then, starting out in my career, age didn’t seem to matter too much. What did matter though, was experience gained in the trenches, working your way up from junior sales roles to a more coveted management title.

The “manager” title was a badge of honour. It showed that you had consistently delivered and performed and were on the right path. It opened doors and presented more opportunities.

In short, back then, tenure and experience were a valuable asset sitting on your career balance sheet.

Well, that’s what I thought.

Now, apparently not and what I once considered to be that asset, had become a clear liability.

So what changed?

Technology advanced

For one, technology is considered to be far easier to grasp for a younger, more tech-savvy generation.

I don’t disagree, but surely, even us “single finger” typers over 30 can still learn a thing or two when we need to, right?

Companies evolved

COVID-19 changed working practices, making working from home the rule rather than the exception.

But, shouldn’t this be a benefit though and make age actually less relevant?

Apparently not in my case at least.

Changing demographics

Even before COVID came to the party, demographics had been gradually shifting in the background.

Many societies, in general, saw a growing ageing population. People were simply living longer.

Added back in the technology part of the equation. Jobs and the types of jobs were evolving.

All these together, mean that the over 50s, us, are right in the thick of it with some serious decisions to make.

This was the moment when I recognised that ageism will affect us all at some point, I just didn’t expect it to be right now and don’t especially like it.

Did I mention I am most definitely not ready to retire any time soon?

So what do we do next?

Number 1, 2 and 3, banish the victim mindset

The right mindset is a powerful secret weapon and can be used as a motivator for just about anything.

Power that now needs to be focused on starting to define and write your own next chapter, ideally, right now.

Never play the victim (in bold for a reason)!

Playing the victim will kill a dream dead in its tracks.

It’s also important to realise that nobody is going to save you, this is on you now.

Everyone will approach this juncture in life with their own new sense of priorities. For me though, it’s time to make some choices.

Do I though simply accept the inevitable, and roll over and wait to die?

That’s a hard NO!

I have decided to use this as a catalyst for personal growth. The proverbial “kick in the but” to finally write my next chapter and start to build a new career on my own terms, focused on what matters most to me.

Time with loved ones, family and friends

Time outside

Doing things that I’ve always wanted to do and sharing those new experiences.

For one, I’ve always wanted to learn how to fly fish; now I have that chance if I choose.

Time to start planning for what next

First up, I’ve conducted my own “skills inventory,” something that I’d recommend to anyone regardless of the stage of their career.

Identify those gaps and look at how they can be filled based on the end goal you are considering.

I have a definite head start here, as the skills many seek to learn are the very ones that I have been practising for three decades, for this, I consider myself to be incredibly fortunate and already have a solid base that includes.

• Sales

• Marketing

• Business Development

• International Business

• Leadership

• Teambuilding

• Coaching and mentoring

These are not career-specific and can be repurposed and redirected into building something new and my own.

How that will ultimately look, I’m not entirely certain at this point as is still evolving.

Hope, though, is not a strategy, and this needs to be refined and clarified, but it’s coming together nicely.

I do know that writing, a passion for health, leadership and performance will form a big part of that, as will my interest in coaching and mentoring new leaders on their own journeys.

One thing is clear though, there is no better time to start planning the next chapter than right now.

What are we waiting for?

More to follow…