Ageism in the Workplace Is Becoming A Thing For Gen X

I’ve been noticing how ageism in the workplace is becoming a very valid concern for Gen X.

It brought back some memories.

I’ll never forget the day I went from employee to one-person business owner.

It was July 3, 2013. It was a shocking start to a 4th of July weekend. My wife and kids were at home prepping the camper for our annual camping trip.

Just before noon, the human resource lady showed up at my desk, instructed me to pack up my stuff, and then escorted me out the door.

It was the last day I’d be showing up to work for a company, I had worked for 17 years up to that point.

Heck of a way to start a vacation (a very loooong vacation, as it turns out).

It was a pretty freaky time in my life. But 11 years later, it has actually insulated me from something that my fellow Gen Xer’s are facing more and more these days, ageism in the workplace.

Check out these depressing stats:

• 3 in 5 workers aged 50+ have experienced age bias in the workplace (AARP)
• Just over 1 in 10 older adults in the labor force report being passed over for a promotion due to age (AARP)
• Nearly 1 in 6 workers (14%) report not being hired for a job in the past two years because of age (AARP)
• Out of 40 million Americans age 50 and older who are working, an estimated 22 million have or will suffer a layoff, forced retirement or other involuntary job separation (U.S. Census Bureau/ProRepublica analysis)

But my story shows a way Gen Xers can get ahead of it.

Stop waiting for others to dictate what you can an can do by learning how to make yourself more valuable outside of your job.

For example, a few years before I was let go, I started learning skills like writing and marketing online. A few blogs I created taught me skills I eventually turned into a career as a self-employed Google Ads Manager and digital marketing consultant (for just over 11 years now).

Click here to get the full story of how choosing myself made ageism a mute point.

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