“I didn’t even think it could happen to me,” – Justine said to me. – “But when I moved to another city, suddenly I couldn’t find a job. And not because there were no jobs… I never saw this coming when I was 40, but now many of my friends and clients who are older are experiencing job losses. The pity is that we, women, think: this won’t happen to me.”
We do. We think “this won’t happen to me” when we are (relatively) young. Or, rather, are perceived as (relatively) young. We don’t lose a job only to find out our role was updated to sound slightly different and someone younger (or a male!) was hired in our place. And if anything happens to our job, it’s (relatively) easy for us to find another one.
But suddenly things change. We go through the interview process, maybe even get to the finish line. And… don’t get an offer. Over and over again. And then we start thinking we are lucky to even be considered. Then we start lowering the salary expectations. Then, the seniority expectations.
Then, when we run out of unemployment benefits and (sometimes all the) savings we had, we accept any job that at least remotely resembles that we like to do.
And consider ourselves lucky we don’t have to go to do physical work in a grocery store.
Some of us are luckier – when we look younger. Some are less fortunate.
And in the back of our minds, an unsettling thought is scratching us hard “Why the heck is this happening? Doesn’t my experience outweigh me being older?
And at the same time we understand that this is a rhetorical question. Because nobody will answer it. But you know what the answer may be.
I won’t go there. It doesn’t matter, why. The fact is – this is what is happening. And, at least for the time being, we don’t have the power to change this. It affects the best of us – even the most decorated, and incredibly valuable. There will always be a younger alternative. So even an attempt to remain indispensable may not protect us, at least not with any guarantees.
And the current job market and expansion of AI don’t make the forecast any more favorable.
What’s Coming
Well, it’s not so encouraging. Some researchers say that by 2030, companies will have eliminated over half of their middle management roles through AI / process automation. Big boys like Amazon explicitly expect AI to shrink their “corporate workforce” in coming years as they lean into automation and “efficiency”. So the trends are already underway, not in the hypothetical.
And then what? Downshifting in pay, seniority, and benefits. That is, if we’re lucky enough to even have a job. Women of color may face even greater challenges.
Who Will Go First?
Here are roles likely to be lost or heavily squeezed:
- Middle management (department/project/operations managers) with many “middle layers” under them, or roles where oversight is routine rather than strategic.
- Human Resources, Administrative & Support Functions – recruiters, office management, executive assistants. AI + process automation + remote work culture reduce the necessity of some roles.
- Back-office Finance, Compliance, Procurement – standardization, automation, software tools reducing headcount.
- Corporate Marketing & Communications (non-revenue side) – event planning, brand management, internal comms. These are often among the first discretionary budgets cut.
- Legacy tech / system admin roles for outdated systems; roles rigidly tied to older frameworks without updating skills.
So, Sister, What Do We Do Now?
Even if you have some savings, even if you’ve been in corporate awhile: you may not have enough. The months ahead may be long. You may need to do things you feel you’re too good for – temp work, consulting gigs, parallel income streams – while you build something more sustainable.
I am a good example: I started my business after being dismissed from a large corporation. I applied for another role internally, and was interviewed by people with far less experience. I didn’t say the “expected” line. Although I could demonstrate in documentation that I knew what I was doing, I was passed over. That anger pushed me to fly solo.
Regardless of how terrifying it sounds, consider this: you may never land another equivalent corporate role. Even if you do, there is no guarantee it will be more secure than the one you just lost.
Why do you need permission from the corporate world to live, contribute, or lead? You’ve built skills, experience, wisdom. These are not liabilities. They’re your capital.
The real question is whether you want your future to depend entirely on decisions made by people who may never fully recognize your experience, skills, or value.
Yes, working for yourself or starting a business brings a certain level of instability. But the truth is – even a good, well-paid corporate job with benefits may provide less security than many people assume. In the unstable American reality, everything comes and goes.
And you know, if you go solo, you don’t have to build a big business. Start lean. Start consulting. Offer what you already know. Build credibility, referrals. Use your savings as cushion rather than anchor. If needed, take a temporary job to stay afloat. But don’t let it distract you from building something aligned to your value. Use your money cushion wisely and build your authority and ambition cushion – so you could use them when it’s time to launch.
Don’t Wait!
We are already heading into a labor market where corporate jobs for women over 45 are becoming significantly harder to preserve or replace. Discrimination, technology, and cost pressures will collide. Older men face age-related career challenges as well, but women often experience the combined effects of both age and gender bias.
But this is also a turning point: it forces the question – are you going to ride out a shrinking system, or build something that reflects your worth, on your terms?
I am not asking you to start a business. Or leave your corporate job. Or become a coach. Just start thinking about it. When you are in the inquiry, relevant information becomes more accessible. Consider, evaluate, mentally, try on different roles – of a business owner, of a solopreneur, or maybe even someone who has a gig on the side. Imagine yourself as someone other than an employee.
You don’t have to admit it to me or anyone else – but ask yourself, when was the last time you dreamt about what you want to be when you grow up? The growth isn’t over. Make it on your terms.
