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Skyping friends all day > working
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Shall we organize a gathering next week?
Anyone want to run Bain-style cases with me?
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I think AI is going to replace you before the next generation of humans does.
If you're thinking ageism you're generation isn't thinking law. Talk to a yuppie and learn how great sleeping America really is!
I’ve worked at several non Big 4 national/large regional firms and it seemed to be a thing in your mid to late 40s due to the up or out pressure and the fact that you typically don’t make partner after 45 (at the latest). There were always exceptions where an office might be okay with a “career Sr. Manager,” or someone might make partner after that age, but it was uncommon. Ageism doesn’t seem to be as big of a deal at your smaller firms.
Being a Partner sometimes isn't what it is all about. The father of the informant of The 911 attacks turned down his Partnership and maintained his status. He really pulled in the money for his firm. The American Mut.
If you can prove it, you won't need a job anymore. If you can't prove it, then you can't do anything about it, so why worry about it? Know your value, sell it to employers, and hope they're buying.
I’m in the same boat. 45 and in my second year as an audit manager. I think because of my age I will never become a partner, to be fair I’m not sure I even want to at this point. I think I my age may be more of an issue if I went to industry than in public accounting.
P1 - I think that is the route I am going assuming all things work out.
I wouldn’t call it ageism but being able to defend your salary with what you do for the firm. You have to defend the cost.
I started public later in my career as well. As reading this, are you suggesting after mid 40's to leave public? Couldn't you still retire as a director or principal in public if not going for partner?
Director yes, principal no
At KPMG, I’ve seen people make partner at 50. There’s accelerated vesting that happens when you make partner later in your career. Or you can take the MD path which also doesn’t have a mandatory retirement age.
You need to be concerned now, but there are things you can do about it to protect your career. It’s amazing and almost shocking to me how younger staff people have very basic and unsophisticated skills with tools like Excel. Most have no clue how to use more advanced tools like alteryx or power query or even Microsoft lists. Get good with that stuff, you might not be able to help your department be more efficient, but you’ll make yourself more efficient and that’ll keep you in the game.
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