I’m 55 with 25 years of marketing experience and can’t find a job after 1000 queries — can you give me frank advice?
I’m 55 with 25 years of experience in digital marketing + communications and I can’t find a job.
What am I doing wrong? Be honest. I can take criticism.
I have no idea where to go from here.
Was in corporate marketing roles from 1996-2009. I worked for Fortune 500 companies.
Battled cancer and only worked part-time / freelance 2009-2013
Launched a company in 2014 that did great till covid, but never recovered after. I had a roster of prestigious clients. All my work came on referral. Never had to solicit a client. I was lucky, but also worked hard and I’m good at what I do.
Now I have parents I need to help financially, and I have caretaking responsibilities so I can only work remotely.
HR folks/ recruiters blow me off for being “self-employed for so long.”
But my company was quite successful before covid, but nobody wants to hear it.
Totally dumbed down my resume and can’t even get local retailers to respond for seasonal jobs.
Have so many versions of my resume/ cover letter to get through ATS that I lost count (40+ I think)
Over 1000 applications and queries.
Yesterday, someone posted for a PT assistant in my local Nextdoor community.
65 COMMENTS within 10 minutes — mostly from folks with grey hair.
WTF is going on?! We have a job market problem that is NOT being accurately reflected in the monthly jobs report.
White collar jobs are disappearing…college was a waste of time and money
Us older folks are facing diminishing opportunities
Where are my fellow GenXers in terms of work/ career?
Jobadvisor:
I'll be frank with you, as requested. Your situation reflects several challenging realities, but there are also some potential opportunities worth exploring.
Let's break this down:
1. **The Elephant in the Room: Age Discrimination**
- While illegal, it's a real issue in marketing, particularly digital
- However, your extensive experience can be reframed as an advantage
- Positioning yourself as someone who understands both traditional and digital marketing could be valuable
2. **Resume Red Flags I'm Noticing:**
- The gap for health reasons (2009-2013)
- Long period of self-employment
- Possible perception of being "overqualified" for some roles
- Multiple versions might be diluting your core message
3. **Specific Suggestions:**
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
- Stop applying to retail/seasonal jobs - it's likely making you look desperate and confused about your career direction
- Focus your resume on the last 10-15 years, emphasizing measurable results
- Consider a skills-based resume format rather than chronological
- Highlight remote work capabilities and digital tools proficiency
STRATEGIC PIVOT:
- Look into consulting roles for traditional companies transitioning to digital
- Consider fractional CMO positions - many companies can't afford full-time executives but need experienced guidance
- Explore industries that value mature expertise: Healthcare, B2B, Professional Services
- Target companies with older customer demographics where your age is an asset
4. **Network Differently:**
- Reach out to former Fortune 500 colleagues - many are likely in senior positions now
- Join professional organizations specifically for marketing executives
- Consider business development partnerships with younger digital agencies who need strategic expertise
5. **The Remote Work Reality:**
Be upfront about remote requirements but frame it as a benefit:
- "Proven track record of successful remote client management since 2014"
- "Established virtual collaboration processes that increased efficiency by X%"
Would you like me to help you reframe your experience for a specific type of role? It might be more productive to target a narrower segment rather than continuing with mass applications.
Also, regarding your observation about white-collar jobs - you're right that there's a shift happening, but it's not that these jobs are disappearing entirely. They're transforming, and we need to position you for where they're going rather than where they've been.