Experienced, talented, and looking

Among the people I know affected in the great layoffs of 2023, one group stands out in particular. People born in the 60s and 70s are finding it particularly challenging to get back up to speed.

I find this particularly strange given how much I have gained from being around that cohort in personal and professional settings. While many of my millennial peers were jumping around from the framework or tool of the day, I found this generation to be more capable of handling hype cycles with a clear head. I have also noticed that they are far more attuned to larger-scale dynamics, like inertia and focus, that make teams successful in the long run but can be hard to gauge on a day-to-day level.

If you are a startup and need an older White guy who can confidently say, “This package starts at $50,000. It will easily drive 4x that in value within a year” without skipping a beat, I have someone great for you. And they can do this in-person while looking great in a suit that actually fits them.

If you need a dev who can build you something robust for an organization that just works quickly, I have someone who can get you running on the Microsoft Stack.

I think that there is some Gen X resentment of this cohort as well. But I don’t think Gen X has been doing very well at innovating and building things that last. I can’t help but think of some form of this conversation I have had with multiple (mostly Gen-X) peers over the years.

I think wise founders of all ages would do well to have some of the still-working Boomer cohort at least in some sort of advisory role.

I am happy to connect people, I know some incredible talent in the Seattle area.