The Unwanted – Why No One Wants Experience in the Job Market

A reflection on age, truth, and why we’re not being let back in

Maybe it's exactly because we're older and more experienced that we're no longer desirable on the job market. We've seen most of it. We’re no longer fooled by flashy talk. We see through the polished presentations, the confident buzzwords, the trendy titles. We've lived through the booms and busts, new methods and old mistakes dressed up in fresh packaging.

And perhaps that’s precisely why we’re not let back in. Because we see the truth. And no one really wants to hear it.

We’re the Ones Who Say “No”

It’s not easy being the one who says “that’s not going to work.” Especially not when the surrounding culture prefers enthusiasm and buzzwords. Agile! AI! Growth hacking! It doesn’t matter that we tested similar ideas in the '90s under different names and watched them crash and burn in projects that never delivered.

The senior voice that dares to question is often seen as negative. As a roadblock. But in reality, it's usually the opposite – we’re trying to save the project from crashing. In a culture where speed and surface are often prioritized over long-term value and depth, it’s easier to silence the criticism than to listen to it.

Junior Bubbles

In many organizations today, projects and decisions are led by people with impressive educations but very little real-world experience. It's not their fault – it’s the system’s. A culture has been built where it’s more important to sell an idea than to deliver it.

This is especially obvious in the IT world. Bubbles form constantly – chasing innovation for innovation’s sake. Solutions are built that nobody asked for, on platforms that aren’t sustainable, by teams that rotate faster than the technology can stabilize.

And we – the older ones – we see it. We can tell when it won’t last. We see when the business model is weak. We see when leadership lacks depth. We recognize the red flags because we’ve lived them.

Asking the Wrong – or Right – Questions?

We're often accused of asking the "wrong questions." The uncomfortable ones. The ones that create silence in the room. But maybe they’re exactly the ones that need to be asked.

– What happens if this project doesn't deliver in three months?
– Have you calculated the operating costs three years from now?
– Are you sure the users actually have the problem you're trying to solve?
– Who takes responsibility when it doesn’t work?

These are the kinds of questions younger, more eager minds often avoid – to protect the bubble. But we, who’ve seen it all collapse before – we ask them. Not to sabotage, but to help. To prevent new disasters.

When Your CV Becomes a Problem

It can be painful to watch your CV become a liability. That thing you’re proud of – your 30–40 years of experience – suddenly turned against you. You’re “too experienced,” “overqualified,” “too expensive,” or the classic: “not a cultural fit.”

But what does that really mean? Most of the time, it’s code for: you’re older than the rest of the team. You might expose the boss’s lack of competence. You might ask tough questions. You might take up space. And that’s a risk they don’t want to take.

Recruitment today has become a game of coded language. And we – the experienced – we understand it. Which makes it all the more frustrating.

Wasted Potential

What’s most tragic isn’t that we older workers are excluded – it’s what society loses because of it. The knowledge we carry isn’t searchable on Google. It’s not found in any course. It’s wrapped in life experience – in failures, victories, intuition, and patience.

Just imagine a project where young and old work side by side. Where the energy and vision of youth are combined with the strategic depth and calm of experience. That’s when magic happens. That’s when sustainable, long-term solutions are created – not just the next flashy app.

What Is It That We Threaten?

So what do we older professionals threaten, really? The answer is: the illusion. The illusion of control. The illusion that everything is new. The illusion that experience is unnecessary in a fast-moving world.

We threaten the structure where loyalty, collaboration, and sustainability have been replaced by KPIs, short-term profits, and prestige meetings. We threaten the comfort of self-assured leaders who surround themselves with yes-men instead of people who challenge them.

And of course, we threaten their convenience. Because we come with demands. We demand plans that work. Budgets that hold. Decisions made with responsibility. People treated with dignity. Ethics prioritized over hype.

A New Opportunity

But there’s an opportunity in all this. A growing fatigue is setting in. More and more people are beginning to see that the system is broken. Projects fail. Talents burn out. Visions implode.

And that – right there – is where we come in. We who have lived through it all. We who know how to build things that last. We who dare to say what others won’t.

We might not be invited to all interviews. We might not be the first choice. But the day will come when people realize that what we say – and what we know – is exactly what they need.

Final Words: We Carry the Truth

Maybe it’s our curse – that we see reality. But it’s also our strength. We carry the truth, even when no one wants to hear it. And we know that doesn’t make us less valuable. On the contrary – it makes us essential.

Because we’re the ones who know how to truly build something new. With heart, backbone, and experience. We know that true change isn’t about throwing out the old – it’s about refining it and combining it with what’s new.

So to all of you out there who feel pushed aside, overlooked, or labeled “too old”: You’re not alone. You are the future – even if the future hasn’t realized it yet.