How Old is Old?

By what age would you expect to have "made it" in the industry i.e. MD in banking, Partner in PE/VC, etc.?

And I don't mean being a millionaire but achieved a well-established leadership position in your given profession. The age at which you are not going to try to "break" into something or the age at which you are going to stop checking WSO

 

It really depends on your contributions and networking skills. On average, I would say if you start your career at 23 (Analyst)... it will take 2-4 years to become an associate considering you have a good performance. So that means you are 27 to be conservative. Then to become a VP, it takes another 2-4 years, depending on your performance AND connections. So that means you are 31 to be conservative. Let's add another 2 years as you move on to become Senior VP. So you are 33. You can become MD within probably the next 2-10years depending on your performance and connections and LUCK. so to be conservative you are 43.

Does that answer your question?

 

The folks posting about it never being too late are in for surprise.

I would have posted the same answer in my 20s but after being in the workforce a few years, you start to realize that an age bias definitely exists. It's probably one of the least studied items in the workforce but here the reality: companies hate hiring old people.

In another thread someone else posted that you basically have to be self-dependent (ie rich or self-employed or whatever) by the time you're 50. I think that's a pretty good number. You DO NOT want to be sending out your resume in your late 40s and beyond - that is not a time when I would consider your job prospects to be high

 

Agree with Gentleman Jack - when you hit your 30s, get married, think about kids, you start to want to settle down career-wise (i.e. not trying to break into something totally new or chase a dream at all costs)

If I had to give a number, I would say pretty much settled in my job by 37 (MD/Partner), and by 45 be self dependent. After 50, just be in the game to pass time.

 

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