Over 40 in Advertising

I’m 49 with two young kids. I left agency life in 2024 due to burnout, moved brand-side, but the company was toxic and I was let go in September. I’ve been job hunting hard—mostly agency roles—but get...

At what point did you resign to the fact that you’d have a boss who was in middle school when you were a few years into your career.

Got laid off a while back and I’ve been freelancing ever since. I really just want full time work and have been applying like crazy with rejection after rejection. The thing is I’m even applying at pl...

Salaries / freelance comp is half of what it used to be. I know the industry is struggling, that all job markets are struggling, and the economic climate is rough. But WTF? In the late aughts I was in...

Remember kids, it’s not a democracy unless there is #democracyatwork

Have you ever had to partner w someone who is half your age? I find the nicer, more respectful I am, the quicker they are to condescend to me, and order me around/direct me. I try to treat them as I w...

Ugh, had an interview for a great role but the hiring manager is so young and I could tell he was uncomfortable with the idea of having an older woman report into him. I tried to turn it around but I ...

Considering leaving this industry to become a teacher in NYC. Particularly leveraging my experience to become an art teacher. Anyone else considering this or know of people who have?

Question for the bowl: we read a lot about people struggling in their 20s and 30s, but finally catching on in 40s and 50s (great Vanity Fair article on Pedro Pascal who didn’t get hot — or work — for ...

Cannes commentary? https://www.thereductionist.biz/blog/creative-matters

I’m over 50, and though I’ve recently made it to Associate Creative Director, it feels like I arrived late. I still work like a bee, and honestly, I think I only have this job because I settled for a ...

Has anyone considered not putting work dates on your resume? With 20 years of successful ad agency experience I feel like this screams I’m of a certain age and immediately overlooked due to agencies t...

Started a new role recently and I’m being more micromanaged than I have in my career. My boss has zero trust in me and zero interest in anything I have to say if it doesn’t align with their point of v...

Has anyone left a major market like NYC for a smaller market and found work more easily (either in advertising or out)?

This is very real and depressing - https://removepaywalls.com/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/28/style/gen-x-creative-work.html

Hi, I’m 50. I’ve been unemployed now for a while. There are so few opportunities at my level. I’m at a point where I need to expand my job search. I’ve been on the agency side my entire career and so ...

Any advice on how to manage work while trying to take care of a parent undergoing chemo treatments? My company provides three months paid leave, but the road ahead is much longer than three months. Th...

Anyone going to SXSW? Love to meet some of you. I've never made a bowl, but I thought I'd give it a shot https://joinfishbowl.com/bowl_h625c4n7ve

Any ideas on how to break into pharma advertising?

Folks with experience: we keep seeing media centers of gravity lose traction — TikTok, just the latest. Question: are we ultimately locked into a maximally fragmented media future. And, if so, what ...