By Tung Lam  September 18, 2025 | 03:53 pm PT
I thought 20 years of experience and skills would make landing a new job easy, but I was wrong.
I am 42. I used to believe that nearly 20 years of experience and skills would make finding a new job easy if I ever lost my position. But reality proved harsher.
A year ago, I lost my job when the company restructured. At first, I stayed optimistic and sent out multiple applications. But I kept getting rejected. Some never responded, while others declined politely and said they “prioritize candidates under 35 or 40.” I realized that age has become a major barrier in the job market.
I began to ask myself if a forty-year something still has a place on the job market. Would my skills and experience still matter? Most job listings had strict age limits. I felt pushed to the sidelines, no longer fitting the fast pace of the market.
The job market can be harsh for middle-aged workers. Photo by Pexels
During unemployment, I lived off my savings. At first, I thought it was a temporary break. But after dozens of failed applications, I began considering early retirement.
At 42, though not too old, I’m no longer “young” for employers. Rejection after rejection, I felt defeated. The advantages I once relied on, experience and maturity, seemed undervalued. Instead, age became a reason to reject me early in the hiring process.
Every morning, I ask myself: “What will I do next?” Anxiety grows as savings shrink and income is absent. From being in the prime of my career, I now feel lost.
With limited options, I started thinking about early retirement knowing that my future will not be easy. I am also exploring alternatives like opening a small shop or selling products online. This is not a big dream, just a way to sustain myself without relying on my depleting savings.
Should people over 40 like me keep trying to find jobs or accept early retirement and build their own path? And should society change how it values middle-aged workers, neither old nor young, on the labor market?