People in the web industry work very, very hard. It is not easy to become a “magician” at what you do, which is especially the case when you go the design direction. But when you become a top contender in this area, then what? Get a job with an agency? Start your own business? The problem is that there is no hard and fast pathway, and when searching for it anyway, you get hit hard. Maybe for reasons you had learned about, but did not take seriously during your recent education?
Age. You discover there is a lot of competition out there. Especially of those who are younger than you are. You realize that, you, as someone who has been around for a while, you are considered extinct because of advancing in numerals. The numbers that represent how old you are, are used to designate how long you have lived on this earth and sometimes against you. U.S. Ageism is alive and well. It can make you start to question your ability. You realize you are officially an “Old Fogie” sometimes the targeted by the young, thinking it, but not saying it, in the context of things like job interviews, if you even manage to get one.
It is almost as if you are seeking that stamp of approval from from Millennials, or Gen Y. But then things get even worse. It does not stop there. This members of demographic are not the only ones who are gatekeepers who practice U.S. Ageism. The people holding up the green light “U-Turn” sign even includes older members of Gen Z. You realize that not only will you never get a position from them, but you can kiss goodbye even think they’ll call you in for an interview. What would you do if this happened to you and you were a “magician,” magic at what you do?