Any DU'ers out there, 55+ looking for a job?

[MANative]

20. It sucks entirely; there's no doubt about it.

But as you note, it is the reality of what many people need to do today to even get a chance to compete. There are a handful of roles/levels where the "grey hair" is considered an asset, but they are fewer and farther between, particularly as so many of the "gatekeepers" who determine whether you'll get that chance to compete are woefully under-qualified (and under-experienced) to make those decisions, and operate on their own understanding or perception of what "old" is. I'm fortunate that I don't look my 52 years, and have only a couple of grey hairs (thank you, Daddy, for those genes!), but when I compete for contracts in live presentations, I tend to wear trendier clothes than I normally might, and leave the first ten years of experiences off my CV or project summary.