38 year old Associate - Am I Cooked?

Coming out of a semi-target undergrad, I started off in a non-RE industry for 4 years. Then I worked somewhere for a long time that never really promoted me. Then add in COVID chaos and a lil gap year, and I'm an Associate at 38 in a HCOL market. 

I'm now worrying if I will ever reach the middle management level. Am I damaged goods to recruiters who will wonder why I never got promoted?  Has anyone here convinced a hiring manager they are Assistant VP or Director material despite having an Associate title? My experience is strong enough to warrant the title increase, but it has been a tough sell just to even get interviews for higher roles.

7 Comments
 

I genuinely don’t think it matters when taking the Associate to VP step, but we’re also the same age so throw in the obligatory bias and wishful thinking against age discrimination. 

I think if you are in your mid to late 30s and trying to get into a coordinated analyst or associate class, the age difference between you and the 24 year olds might be odd. But standalone VP and Director roles? Nah. 

You’re not 65. Plenty of years of work left. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

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