If I Had a $1,000,000
I recently heard from several people disappointed by their less-than-expected salary offers, so I decided to dig into the numbers and look deeper into the overall market trends.
The data above is from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and shares wage growth data since 1997. As you can see, wage growth is down considerably from where we were in 2022, so that decline certainly amplifies the feeling that salary offers aren't where people want them to be. Combine this with a compounded inflation rate of ~20% since 2020 and it's easy to see why people are disappointed about their wages.
What was especially interesting to me was that wage growth is considerably lower for people who are 55+ (3.6% in March 2025).
That’s nearly a full percentage point below the national average for workers of all ages.
There are certainly many factors at play here. There is only so much room for your salary to grow over time. Maybe some of these experienced workers decided to take a pay cut and move into a less stressful role. Maybe if we stripped out the wage growth of people in their 20s from the data we would see a clearer picture.
Either way, though, the data shows that wage growth is historically lower as you grow older, so you can't expect your experience and expertise to be rewarded in the way that you might have hoped.
In my LinkedIn post today, I talked about the future of work as AI technology is integrated into our lives and workplaces at a rapid pace. Bill Gates shared recently that AI can allow people to "retire early" - which could be great for some people and a nightmare for others who need to work to pay the bills.
The Million Dollar Question you should ask yourself is where is your industry going and what can you do to get ahead of the curve? What can AI replace about the work that you are doing (and what it can't)? I know that I'm asking myself these questions about the work that I do, especially as AI-generated content becomes more prolific. We've all got to prepare ourselves for the change that is coming. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this and how your work is changing - feel free to email me (colleen@agelesscareers.com) and let me know what is on your mind.
Question of the week
If you are in your 50s and 60s should you use "experienced" in your headline, such as experienced General Counsel?
I was curious and wanted to find the data on how many people use the adjective "experienced" in their LinkedIn profiles versus the number of jobs looking for "experienced" applicants. Here's what I found:
20,000,000+ LinkedIn members are “experienced”
14,000+ LinkedIn jobs call for “experienced” applicants
1,000,000+ members refer to themselves as “seasoned”
650+ jobs on LinkedIn call for “seasoned” applicants
My 2 quick takeaways for job searchers:
- Recruiters aren’t searching using these adjectives ✨ Replace “experienced”/”seasoned” with key skills
- Try a search for “seasoned” and “experienced” jobs ✨ There aren’t a lot of them, but it’s a place to start
In case you missed these LinkedIn posts:
If you are a Gen Xer (like me), you probably remember recording the Top 8 at 8 on your boombox.
Poll: What are your thoughts on Starbucks new dress code policy? (975+ responding)
Job search troubleshooting guide
My 57-year-old healthcare executive client just landed a new role - here are the 2 biggest takeaways
"You can retire early." - Bill Gates on AI's impacts on the future of work
Want to up your game on LinkedIn?
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Other ways that I can help:
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Hiring Help: Reach out if you have any open roles that you would like to share with this community.
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Take care of yourself and have a wonderful weekend!
Colleen
