Gen X in the Workforce. Are They Getting Phased Out or Kept Around? Nobody Can Decide. Here’s What to Do Either Way.

By Bridget Batson, CMRW, CERM | BridgetBatson.com

Let’s talk about adaptability for a second.

Gen X is the generation that had to watch our childhood crush, Wesley from The Princess Bride, the man who literally said “as you wish” and made an entire generation feel things, start taking on villain roles. Ted Bundy. Creepy antagonists. Characters we were supposed to fear. And you know what we did?

We adjusted.

That is Gen X in a nutshell. We do not get a graceful transition period. We do not get a warning. Things just change, sometimes horrifyingly, and we figure it out and keep moving. It is honestly one of our most underrated superpowers.

So when I see the conflicting headlines right now, “Companies are getting rid of Gen X” right next to “Companies are desperately holding onto Gen X,” I am not surprised. Both are true. Neither is the whole story. And honestly? It does not matter as much as you think.

Here is what matters: whether YOU are career resilient. And nobody is more built for career resilience than the generation that survived three recessions, a pandemic, the death of the fax machine, and the complete reinvention of every industry we ever worked in. We are not new to turbulence. We are fluent in it.

But resilience without strategy is just vibes. So let’s talk strategy.

What the Data Actually Says (The Messy Version)

Look, the research is contradictory and I’m going to be honest with you about that, because I respect you too much to pretend otherwise.

On one hand, a recent Medium analysis drawing on AARP Public Policy Institute research found that displaced workers over 45 who find new roles frequently re-enter at 20 to 30 percent below their previous salary. A 2024 study on age discrimination in white-collar hiring found callback rates for candidates over 50 were 35 to 40 percent lower than for comparable candidates under 35. In tech specifically, the numbers are not pretty.

On the other hand, research from Fortune published just this month found there’s an urgent economic reason to keep Gen X in the workforce. A UC Irvine economics professor literally said Gen X losing employment is “the group for whom this might be more serious” for the entire economy. Companies that cut experienced workers are already discovering what they lost, usually about 18 months later when nobody can remember how anything works.

So the real answer is: some companies are making a very expensive short-term mistake, and some companies are smart enough not to. The job market is not a monolith. Your next opportunity is not going to come from a company trying to replace you with someone cheaper. It’s going to come from a company that actually understands what they’re getting when they hire someone who has been through three recessions, a pandemic, the death of the fax machine, and the rise of AI and is still standing.

That’s you, by the way.

Why Gen X Is Actually Built Differently (And Not in a Cringe Way)

Let me tell you what I see every single day working with clients. Gen X professionals are not just experienced. They are adaptable in a way that is genuinely rare.

We grew up without the internet and learned it anyway. We started careers with no cell phones and figured out smartphones. We watched entire industries disappear and pivoted. We managed remote teams during a global pandemic while also homeschooling children and ordering too much sourdough starter.

And here is the thing about AI, which every single person is panicking about right now: Gen X has already done this. We have already survived technology coming for our jobs. Multiple times. We are not new to this.

The generation that adapted to email, then to smartphones, then to social media, then to remote work, then to AI tools is not the generation that’s going to be permanently left behind. They might get a rough quarter. They might get a brutal layoff. But they are not out.

Okay But Here’s What You Actually Need to Do

Resilience without strategy is just vibes. And I’m not in the vibes business. So here’s what actually moves the needle.

Get on LinkedIn and stop complaining about it.

I know. I know. You don’t want to. It feels performative and weird and you didn’t sign up to be a content creator. Neither did I, and yet here we both are. LinkedIn is not optional anymore. It is part of the job search infrastructure, the same way a resume was 20 years ago. Your profile is being looked at before you ever get a call. Your activity (or total absence of it) is being noticed.

You don’t have to post every day. You don’t have to share inspirational quotes over sunsets. But you do need to post. Share an article. Write two paragraphs about something you learned this week. Comment thoughtfully on someone else’s post. That is it. That is the whole assignment. LinkedIn content becomes evergreen. Something you write today can still be getting you visibility six months from now.

Go get on some podcasts.

I’m serious. This is wildly underutilized by Gen X professionals and it is free visibility. Find podcasts in your industry. Pitch yourself as a guest. You have 20 or 25 years of hard-won experience that someone’s audience would genuinely benefit from hearing. You don’t need a publicist. You need a short pitch email and the willingness to send it.

Get quoted. For real.

Platforms like Quoted.com and Featured.com connect journalists and content creators with expert sources. You sign up, answer questions in your area of expertise, and get featured in articles that then link back to you. This is how you build authority online without having to build an audience from scratch. Your LinkedIn profile becomes the landing page. Your expertise becomes the backlink. This is a long game but it compounds fast.

Your LinkedIn profile needs to tell a story, not list your jobs.

This is where I see Gen X professionals lose the most ground. A resume and a LinkedIn profile are not the same document. Your LinkedIn profile is a living, searchable, first-person narrative. It should sound like you. It should tell someone not just what you did but how you think, what you’re good at, and what you’re looking for next. If your About section is three sentences or completely empty, that is the first thing to fix. Today. Not after you update your resume. Today.

Bridget’s Takeaway

Is Gen X getting phased out? Some of them, at some companies, for short-sighted reasons that will cost those companies dearly. Are other Gen X professionals being actively retained because smart organizations know what they have? Absolutely yes.

The variable isn’t your age. It’s your visibility, your positioning, and your willingness to show up in the places where opportunities actually live right now.

We watched the Dread Pirate Roberts become a villain. We survived dial-up internet. We built careers before LinkedIn existed and we can absolutely figure out how to use it now.

You’re not being phased out. You’re being filtered. And the filter is not age. It’s adaptability and presence.

You already have the adaptability. Time to work on the presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gen X really being pushed out of the workforce? It depends on the company and the industry. Some organizations are making short-sighted cuts that will cost them dearly in 18 to 24 months when institutional knowledge walks out the door with those people. Others are actively retaining experienced workers because they actually understand the value. The more important question is whether your visibility and positioning are strong enough to attract the companies that get it.

What industries are hardest on Gen X workers right now? Tech has the most documented age bias, with research showing callback rates for candidates over 50 are 35 to 40 percent lower than for comparable candidates under 35. That said, age discrimination exists across industries. The antidote in every case is the same: a strong LinkedIn presence, a compelling narrative, and getting yourself in front of decision-makers before a job is even posted.

Do I really need to post on LinkedIn if I hate social media? Yes. I say this with love and zero apology. LinkedIn is no longer optional for professionals who want to stay visible. You do not have to post every day or share motivational quotes over stock photos of sunsets. But showing up consistently with your expertise, even two or three times a month, keeps your name in front of people who make hiring decisions. Think of it as networking that works while you sleep.

How do I make my LinkedIn profile actually work for me? Start with your About section. It should sound like you, tell your professional story in first person, and make clear what you bring to the table and what you are looking for. Then make sure your headline goes beyond your job title. You are not just a Marketing Director. You are whatever specific, valuable thing you do that solves real problems for real companies. If your profile reads like a job description, it needs a rewrite.

What is the fastest way to build credibility online as a Gen X professional? Getting quoted in articles is one of the most underrated strategies out there. Platforms like Quoted.com and Featured.com connect experts with journalists and content creators looking for sources. You answer questions in your area of expertise, get featured in articles, and earn backlinks and visibility without having to build an audience from scratch. Combine that with consistent LinkedIn activity and podcast guest appearances and you have a credibility engine running in the background while you focus on your actual work.

Should I be worried about AI taking my job? Gen X already survived email replacing paper memos, smartphones replacing everything else, and the complete reinvention of multiple industries we built careers in. AI is the next chapter of a story you have been navigating your entire professional life. The professionals who will struggle are the ones who refuse to learn new tools. The ones who thrive are the ones who figure out how to use AI to do their jobs better and faster. That has always been the Gen X way.

How is a resume different from a LinkedIn profile? A resume is a targeted, formal document tailored to a specific role. A LinkedIn profile is a living, searchable, first-person narrative that works for you around the clock. They should complement each other but they are not the same document. Your LinkedIn profile has room for personality, storytelling, and context that a one-page resume simply cannot hold. Both matter. Neither one replaces the other.

About Bridget Batson & Houston Outplacement

Bridget Batson, CMRW, CERM, CGRA, CPRW, NCOPE, CEIP is an 8x TORI Award-winning Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM), and the Owner of Houston Outplacement LLC. A former Fortune 500 Recruiter and contributor to the 9th edition of Resumes for Dummies, Bridget bridges the gap between high-level talent and the modern hiring landscape.

Through her firm, Houston Outplacement LLC, she provides end-to-end career solutions for both individuals and organizations:

• For Individuals: Bridget Batson, through her firm, Houston Outplacement, offers private consultations and high-authority resume development, leveraging her status as a Certified Graphic Resume Architect (CGRA) and Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) to help executives stand out in a “copy-paste” digital world.

• For Corporations: Houston Outplacement serves as a strategic partner during organizational shifts, providing compassionate, human-centric outplacement services and layoff assistance that protect employer branding and support departing talent.

• Public Speaking & Training: Bridget is a sought-after speaker on the topics of Career Resilience, Personal Branding, and Modern Hiring Strategy, helping teams navigate the intersection of human talent and AI-driven recruitment.

Credentials & Certifications: Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW) • Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM) • Certified Graphic Resume Architect (CGRA) • Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) • Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) • Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP) • Myers–Briggs STRONG® Administrator.

Ready to move beyond the generic? Schedule an Individual Consultation or inquire about Corporate Outplacement services at Houston Outplacement.

Connect with her on LinkedIn