how does one prep for fossilisation? i turned 39 in ’22 & started thinking seriously of my “shelf-life” in a fickle industry — advertising.

i got into advertising practically a dinosaur at 32, in a line of work that has an incredibly pronounced bias towards “the young and the new”

so i obvi coped by living life as the “hello, fellow kids” steve buscemi meme

curious to know how other folks have dealt and/or are dealing with growing older in a profession that is openly hostile to aged p’s…just dropped a charles dickens ref there, so i’m clearly very trendy 😂

Replies4

  • Hey Harpal, I'm also turning 39 this year and I've pondered the same thing but I think that as I get older I'm also getting more skilled and more experienced. Things that used to stress and phase me do that less and I've also built up a really decent network of excellent people around me who know what my strengths are. I've realised that as much as I can teach the younger people entering into the business I also have lots to learn from them too.
  • Take inspiration from Mark Denton, the 65 year old intern.
    As he says:
    “A lot of older people write themselves off rather than reinventing or re-presenting themselves. If you’re really creative, just give yourself a new coat of paint and get in the queue again.”
    Only 26 years to go.
  • I think if you're good, you're good. And if people see age over talent, they're not the right people to want to work with/for.

    P.S. I'm 45 this year so fingers crossed my reply holds true for me too!
  • Yikes – I'm older than that and don't see myself as a dinosaur 😅
    One thing to start with – dont' let them see yourself in this way. In using those words about yourself you (intentionally or unintentionally) absorb that thinking about yourself. Open hostility about age is ageism and it is not ok. Don't let bias get you down!

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