When the New York Times published its "Gen X Career Meltdown" piece last March, I didn’t expect it to hit me quite so hard.
But it did.
Not because I’m struggling in my career — far from it — but because the stories it told felt personal.
I started my professional life in advertising in 1999.
It was my first creative doorway, and it got me one foot into marketing — a field I’ve now worked in for over 25 years with great love and passion. So, reading about copywriters, designers, photographers, and editors from my generation losing relevance in industries they helped build — well, it pulled a heartstring.
The article chronicled the slow erosion of creative careers Gen-Xers once thrived in — journalism, advertising, music, film, and photography. Industries that once celebrated craft, collaboration, and creative excellence now prioritise speed, scale, and low-cost content. From editorial budgets slashed to TikTok campaigns replacing full-on ad productions, the shift has been nothing short of seismic.
As Greg Paull, a marketing consultant, put it: “That TV spot you spent six months on now becomes a TikTok execution you spend six days on.”
Cue the music: “Video killed the radio star...”
It’s a little funny — until it’s not.
What stood out most wasn’t just the economic impact — it was the emotional toll. Many of the people interviewed felt invisible, discarded, or forced to start over. And for a generation that wasn’t promised much to begin with, that’s a brutal irony.
Chris Wilcha, a 53-year-old film and TV director, said it best: “The cruel irony is, the thing I perceived as the sellout move is in free-fall.”
I don’t know anyone personally who is still in the creative industry who’s been laid off or pushed out due to AI or automation.
Maybe I’ve been lucky. Or maybe I’ve been surrounded by peers who have evolved quietly, choosing reinvention before disruption forced their hand.
For that, I’m deeply thankful.
That said — I’ve lost my job before.
It happened when I was in my 30s, and I bounced back. At that age, you still have time, energy, and fewer perceived barriers. You’re not considered "too senior" or "too set in your ways."
But losing your job in your 50s? That’s a whole different beast.
We're in a tough spot: Too young to retire, too old to hire.
Sadly, many hiring managers are reluctant to hire Gen X because they assume we aren't as digitally fluent or adaptable as younger talent. The irony? We’re the generation that built the bridge between analogue and digital, but we often get overlooked simply because we’re not the loudest in the room.
It’s likely that many of us Gen-Xers will end up working well past the traditional retirement age.
Why?
Because we’re sandwiched. We’ve spent years raising kids and caring for ageing parents. We’ve been through multiple financial crises. And compared to Boomers, we have less saved for retirement. So even if we wanted to stop working at 60 or 65, most of us couldn’t — not just financially, but because we still have so much more to give.
About a year ago, I listened to a powerful podcast episode by The Futur called The Creative Journey Beyond Layoffs, featuring Matt Bretz. In it, Bretz — a seasoned creative director — shares how layoffs reshaped his view of work and identity. His reflections reminded me that creative reinvention is no longer just a choice; for many, it's a survival strategy.
And if I’m being honest, my biggest fear is losing my job — not because I’m not good at it, but because tech moves faster than any of us can anticipate.
That fear of becoming irrelevant in an industry you’ve poured your soul into? It’s real.
That’s part of why I write on LinkedIn.
For me, it’s not just about visibility. It’s about evolving.
I believe there are three things every mid-career professional — especially Gen-Xers — can do to stay in the game:
- Learn to write — so you can share your story, your value, and your lessons with clarity and confidence.
- Learn a social media platform — because that’s where the attention is, and attention still drives opportunity.
- Learn and upskill on AI — not to become a tech wizard, but to show you’re engaged, adaptable, and relevant.
The NYT article, paired with that podcast, paints a vivid picture: this isn’t just a blip. It’s a generational reckoning.
As Gen-Xers, we’re entering midlife with resumes full of analogue-era achievements — from magazine bylines to award-winning TV spots. But what happens when those skills are seen as outdated? What happens when industries that once revered your work now prize influencer posts and AI-generated visuals?
Pam Morris, a 54-year-old prop stylist, raised a tough question: “If an art director can say, ‘Give me an image of X, Y, Z,’ what does that mean for our jobs, if they don’t need to have actual photo shoots anymore?”
We find ourselves at a crossroads: hold onto the past or embrace the reboot.
And I believe Gen-X is uniquely equipped for this moment.
We’re not melting down. We’re morphing.
We’ve always been adaptable — not because we had a choice, but because we had to be.
We entered the workforce in a time of rapid change, and we’ve ridden the waves of everything from dot-com booms to digital disruption. We didn’t expect stability, so we learned to shift, stretch, and reinvent — again and again. And now, we’re facing one of the biggest shifts yet: the rise of AI.
Carl Chisolm, a photographer, put it bluntly: “There’s no way you can survive anymore being strong at one thing.”
So while the article may feel like a eulogy for the creative class, I see it differently.
It’s a rallying cry.
Some of us are launching consultancies. Others are coaching, freelancing, or writing. Some are pivoting into tech, wellness, or education. Some are turning decades of unseen experience into visible thought leadership. I even read a story on Reddit about a copywriter who pivoted to ghostwriting for young YouTubers — using his experience to craft strong, compelling messages behind the scenes for the next generation of creators.
We may not be the loudest generation, but we are thoughtful. Experienced. Strategic.
And maybe that’s what the future needs most right now.
So no — I don’t think Gen-X is having a meltdown.
But we do need a reboot.
And that’s a creative journey worth watching.
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