I can't find a job at 57. I'm fighting feelings of humiliation and panic.
A 57-year-old professional shares his personal struggle with ageism and job insecurity while searching for new employment. The essay highlights the emotional toll of career transitions and the competitive nature of the modern job market for older workers.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the systemic challenges and psychological impacts faced by older professionals navigating a youth-oriented labor market.
Gregory Brooks (not pictured) thinks his age could be helping and hurting his job search. Tatiana Maksimova/Getty Images This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gregory Brooks, a 57-year-old based in Rochester, New York. It's been edited for length and clarity. After reluctantly resigning from my technology services job at a community college in May, I was terrified to be out of work . I'm not a young guy anymore. Starting over at 57 feels like a mix of humiliation and frustration — and it feels harder than when I was younger. I think for the most part, young professionals are more willing to work late, sacrifice work-life balance, and hustle to climb the corporate ladder. I'm not looking to build my career the way I did as a 20-something hustling to finish my Ph.D.
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