2025 - "Mixed Bag" and Other Words Will Make You Sound "Old" (and unemployable)

 It's a cringe. And it could knock you out of the box during a job search. That is, out-of-date ways of saying things. That's because you come across as "old." Not that you want to revert to Gen Z slang. That also can make you sound "old" because the gestalt is: They're trying way too hard. Not cool.

It was a shocker to find 20th-century term "mixed bag" in an article in Yahoo Finance:

"This year was a mixed bag for the large automakers"

After all, media is on the defensive, struggling to attract the youth demographic. The 18 to 34 group has fled to social media and social networks. 

So, what else linguistically positions and packages you as not in sync with 2025? Here is what I had found:

Spirituality. The in-lingo is "wellness." A few of the shops in this town focused on spiritual matters have shuttered. 

Revolution. It's all about "disruption." Revolution is back in Bob Dylan's time. Revisit that time in the new film "A Complete Unknown." Those big-money law firms that want to influence, such as Quinn Emanuel and Paul Weiss, crow about, you got it, how they're disrupting what used to be such a staid sector. 

A good education. No one, at least those hiring and that's what counts, values that. The demand is for proven-out skills. Talk certifications and licensing. On resumes, leave off all the advanced degrees, with the exception of the BA/BS and the professional ones directly related to a field of expertise.

WLB. With employers demanding so much more, look forward to some WLB during the phases of work history when you're between jobs or assignments. Otherwise, present yourself as all-in. The meme for working for income post-50 is that you're either all-in or that you're out. 

Trauma. Interest in that has peaked. The publishing industry isn't buying trauma memoirs anymore. As we found out through the results of the 2024 election, Oprah with all her traumas no longer moves the dial on much. Essentially trauma jaw-jawing falls into the category of oversharing.

Old. As I hammer in this award-winning podcast on working after-50, when you refer to yourself like that, you give permission to people to discard you. Ditch that whole terminology, except when requesting the "senior discount" when traveling. The hospitality industry doesn't advertise that so you have to ask. 

No money. Like Fern in "Nomadland" you're expected to find a solution to poor financial planning or just plum bad luck. Stop kvetching. Maybe the way to making ends meet is hitting the road in a reconverted van or simply picking up gig jobs. Bob Wells, who found himself with no money post-divorce, has become the patron saint of those willing to learn survival skills. 

Justice. We know that doesn't exist. You'll not only be perceived as old-line but also naive. Anyway using the legal system is expensive. A wise client for my career coaching practice once quipped: "If there were justice I'd be in prison or on my way to hell. I have done so much wrong."

I. Professional opportunities come through other people. If you want to get those people in your corner deflect attention from yourself to them. People enjoy talking about themselves. A useful guide is the Dale Carnegie classic "How to Win Friends and Influence People."

A free way to blend into the force field of what 2025 will be is to monitor and analyze social media and social networks. How are they phrasing things? Also tune in to podcasts and watch YouTube and TikTok. In addition, learn to talk less. This is the era of verbal snippets. If you need to overshare then find yourself an AI friend. Human connection can be overrated.

Affordable Career Coach Jane Genova provides end-to-end career services, ranging from diagnosis of the challenges and fix-it strategies to preparation of resume/cover letters/LinkedIn profiles and how to gain control of an interview. I specialize in over-50 work issues. My edge is a background in marketing communications. For a confidential complimentary consultation please text/phone 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com. Remote and in-person. 



 


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