The Beached White Male*
The Great Recession of 2007-09 began with the bursting of the housing bubble. The sharp economic decline that followed ushered in bankruptcies, layoffs and cutbacks in consumer spending. In 2011, NEWSWEEK magazine featured a middle-aged white male in a business suit lying face down on the beach holding his briefcase with water rising at his feet. It notes he is a college-educated middle to upper-class professional or corporate guy who lost his job at age 45 or above. He’s a beached white male.
Many executives found themselves downsized throughout the Obama administration as we suffered through the recession and one of the slowest economic recoveries on record. Many of these executives found other work. Some became underemployed while others reinvented themselves by starting their own business. Most military professionals go through a similar experience at some point in their career when the time comes to retire or forced reductions cause many to leave military service prematurely.
In my own case, I was laid-off (forced into early retirement) by the Army at the end of the Cold War at 50 years of age. I struggled with a new business venture for two years before I landed a “real” job in the defense industry. What I experienced is, when it’s over, it’s over. You are totally on your own. All of the support systems you have once enjoyed in the service are gone. I also learned that constant rejection can be crushing, causing one to question one’s own self-worth.
Dan Lyon in his new book Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble recounts how he found himself all washed up after being laid off from NEWSWEEK at 51 years of age in 2012. His story is highly entertaining as he lands a job in a tech startup where he struggles as the oldest employee in a company full of millennial’s who seem to live in a fantasy world.
While I suspect there is age discrimination, I have not experienced that. The key is to prepare thoroughly and have a plan for your transition. I have always found that good people, with relevant skills, and a good attitude always find meaningful work.
At the Center for Transitional Leadership, our focus is helping military professionals 45 to 55 years of age find meaningful leadership positions in the private sector. Over the past three years about a third end up going back into government service as civilians, a small number take defense contractor jobs but the majority become managers, directors, vice presidents or enter the C-suite in the private sector. We have learned that the biggest challenge our associates experience is learning to deal with a civilian workplace culture where it’s seemingly every man for himself and the concept of teams, while widely touted as being important, is far from the teams we formed, trained, bonded with, and led in the military.
In the end, it all comes down to humility, character, preparation, and attitude. Accepting that you must adapt and adjust to new circumstances, remaining open to new ideas and methods, learning about the industry you wish to work in, becoming conversant in the language of business and, working hard to fit in to your new company’s culture to accomplish your objectives are the keys to success.
*The Beached White Male: He had a Big job, a Big office, a Big bonus. Now he’s all Washed Up and Doesn’t Have a Freakin’ Prayer. NEWSWEEK, April 25, 2011.
