It’s a bit depressing to look at LinkedIn and see that several colleagues who were laid off during my tenure at CDW. I’ve been laid off in their new roles as well. Each of them, of course, is over the age of 50. I think I would just say sc--w it and stick with consulting, rather than get on the job roller coaster and have to deal with ageism.
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Seek legal input even if you signed a letter. If it is proven that age was a factor, it still allows you to proceed and win big.
Wrong. The youngest Boomers were born in 1964, so many just turned 60 last year.
While “Boomers” is a convenient tag to use, the youngest “Boomer” is 65. It was mostly Gen X laid off in the recent rounds - those with higher salaries and generally more experience.
Most of those that I know who were laid off were Gen X (all over 40, so “old” under the law) and they quickly found new work because they are resilient, highly experienced, and hard-working people… not whiny, entitled, dilettantes that expect other people to pay their bills.
The only people laid off from my teams in recent years were either way underperforming OR they were impossible to work with. There’s no age discrimination, boomers got the ax because they’re ineffective and miserable. Stop blaming others because you’re not skilled enough and you end up on a list. Boomers love preaching accountability until it’s their turn.
Anyone who works in a client facing role at CDW is essentially a consultant. CDW doesn’t make or provide anything unique. They simply resell the products and services of others and slap a premium price on them for markup.
One thing to be mindful of - for those over the age of 50 - is that their working world has changed (at least) once or twice over their career. Some of those people likely adapted to the new way of doing things... some, perhaps, did not. Not everyone being let go from a new company means it's ageism as much as it means they struggle to adapt to whatever the new way of working/business/etc. would be.
It's no secret people get red-lined at CDW at a certain point... but if these higher-salaried (older) workers go to new companies right as the economy starts taking a huge hit? Who do you think goes first? The new person making a solid salary. I'm all for employee-defense when companies abuse them... but this isn't as cut and dry.
I think I’d really excel at being a consultant. I have an endless amount of unsolicited opinions, I love hearing myself speak in group settings and personally nobody is better than me at walking away from a job right after I give my two cents and before execution actually begins. Getting paid a premium for that? Crickey. It’s the perfect job.
consulting takes a certain type of person...its not for everyone.