When younger people are more senior at work

cheesyboy · 24 Jul 2022 at 10:27

I think it's an interesting enough topic anyway, regardless of bot OP.

Prior to my current job, the *idea* of my seniors being younger felt uncomfortable. But the reality has not been.

peterwalkley · 24 Jul 2022 at 11:04

cheesyboy said:
I think it's an interesting enough topic anyway, regardless of bot OP.

....

I agree, which is why I answered even though it was a single post account and there's been a few good points raised. I'm sure the forum demographic leans towards the old fart side of the bell curve too

olderthansenior · 24 Jul 2022 at 14:21

I'm in the wrong job for climbing the management ladder. Many of those senior people are known industry experts. The industry has never made any sense to me and I have no interest in it.

Even when I used to do extra curricular activities when I was younger such as youth club there was a common theme. It would be great in the beginning because everyone else there is older but it would get worse over time because the older people leave and the younger people join and I end up leaving myself before I reach the age I'm supposed to because it's got too many young people there.

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of just leaving work because I need the money.

Minstadave · 24 Jul 2022 at 14:47

olderthansenior said:
I'm in the wrong job for climbing the management ladder. Many of those senior people are known industry experts. The industry has never made any sense to me and I have no interest in it.

Not really surprising you've not got far is it?

uber soldat · 24 Jul 2022 at 15:25

cheesyboy · 24 Jul 2022 at 15:39

olderthansenior said:
I'm in the wrong job for climbing the management ladder. Many of those senior people are known industry experts. The industry has never made any sense to me and I have no interest in it.

Even when I used to do extra curricular activities when I was younger such as youth club there was a common theme. It would be great in the beginning because everyone else there is older but it would get worse over time because the older people leave and the younger people join and I end up leaving myself before I reach the age I'm supposed to because it's got too many young people there.

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of just leaving work because I need the money.

It's entirely fine to not climb the ladder. But you need to make peace with it. Clearly, you're not doing the work to enable progression (learning the industry): presumably these younger people are. You don't have to be like them, just don't resent them, or your position, for it.

robj20 · 24 Jul 2022 at 16:08

Doesn't bother me in the slightest, while I do have a boss, they don't really act like it. Where I work it's more a collection of people that work together to achieve a task. You don't feel like you're working for someone, the Director is my immediate boss and they'll do what ever work is required to aid me in my work, and where time allows I'll do work for them to aid them. It's basically a very flat structure.
I couldn't imagine now going to work somewhere with loads of managers and supervisors.

SexyGreyFox · 24 Jul 2022 at 17:04

robj20 said:
Doesn't bother me in the slightest, while I do have a boss, they don't really act like it.

Same as in my department, the boss is the Lawyer of the Trust and my two immediate bosses are Trust Solicitors, all younger and none act like bosses.

olderthansenior · 24 Jul 2022 at 20:34

If I was in an industry I have more of an interest in then I'd probably have more of a desire to climb the ladder. I hate the industry I'm in and hate my job.

dlockers · 24 Jul 2022 at 20:39

Is this cheesefest alt?

Mr^B · 24 Jul 2022 at 23:15

Interesting first post!

If you hate the company, the people there and the industry, why are you still there?

Where were you before you joined your current company, or have you always worked in an industry you hate?

Where were you when you were 23, and why didn't you stay there if it was so amazing?

Ayahuasca · 25 Jul 2022 at 13:24

dLockers said:
Is this cheesefest alt?

That feel when wee Timmy tells you ya haven't stocked the freezers correctly.

chroniclard · 25 Jul 2022 at 13:26

Not happened yet but it will as I have no interest in management.

Housey · 25 Jul 2022 at 20:54

I can't take this one seriously. Seems far too troll like.

Diddums · 25 Jul 2022 at 21:47

Housey said:
I can't take this one seriously. Seems far too troll like.

How many times have I told you to get off social media during working hours? Next time I catch you posting during till time I'm taking away your fag break.

olderthansenior · 25 Jul 2022 at 21:49

Mr^B said:
Interesting first post!

If you hate the company, the people there and the industry, why are you still there?

Where were you before you joined your current company, or have you always worked in an industry you hate?

Where were you when you were 23, and why didn't you stay there if it was so amazing?

I don't hate the people but I prefer the company of older people, always have. I do want to leave but whilst my job isn't industry specific I'm going to be at a disadvantage compared to those who have experience in those other industries.

I've spent most of my career in this industry. It's one I never gave any thought to until I got a job in it. In the beginning I tried my best to learn about the industry but I've never been able to get my head round it but I've also learned I have no interest in it whatsoever. Prior to that I was in a different uninteresting industry but at least I understood it. Obviously I didn't know how to do everyone's job at that company but I at least knew what each job entailed and I knew what the company was all about. In the industry I'm in now there are many companies who I've never understood the point of or have any idea of what they do. There are lots of industry events which as far as I can tell is just people gathering to spout a load of nonsense.

When I was 23 it was a temporary job so I had to leave it. That place doesn't exist anymore and the over 40s working there at the time have probably retired by now.

dowie · 26 Jul 2022 at 12:49

Maybe you could become a COBOL or visual basic developer or something... only really old people doing that AFAIK*.

*Or at least in the UK that is, IIRC there are younger people in India being trained in COBOL).

cheesefest · 26 Jul 2022 at 16:58

My managers have been younger than me since 2019. Don’t find it a problem.

My current line manager is 23 and acting older than he is.

Store manager is 15 months younger than me. The previous store manager was 10 years younger

Mr Badger · 26 Jul 2022 at 17:41

labbby said:
Oh come on I can’t say freezing rain + thing you stick in a 69 ?

I've always stuck two things in a 69.

skyripper said:
Get used to it as you ain't getting any younger.

No, but his bosses are.

Mr^B said:
Interesting first post!

If you hate the company, the people there and the industry, why are you still there?

Because it sounds as though the thing he really hates most of all is himself.

olderthansenior · 26 Jul 2022 at 22:57

dowie said:
Maybe you could become a COBOL or visual basic developer or something... only really old people doing that AFAIK*.

*Or at least in the UK that is, IIRC there are younger people in India being trained in COBOL).

No idea what any of that means but it sounds like something I don't want to do.

I get that being an individual contributor has its merits but for quite some time now I've done what I can individually contribute until the cows come home and have been ready to step up to management but not in this industry.