Feeling like you can't fit in and it's silly to try?

[Dougie_D]

I recently got a job. Trouble is, majority of my co-workers are about 10-8 years younger than me. Fresh out of college mostly or some are still going.

 

I don't think they know how old I am and might be embarrassed to let them know.

 

My last job was kind of like that. My co-workers kept on wondering "so..why are you here again?" when they found out my age and my degrees.

 

Has anyone else been in the same position? It constantly reminds me of how much I regret my "lack of experiences"..

 

Thoughts on how to deal with this?

[blueidealist24]

Tell them that you worked in the music industry for a few years, but it didn't pay well enough (which isn't really a lie), so you decided to do something else.. which led you to this. You'd think that people would understand the economy is difficult and it's even hard for people with degrees to get jobs. Maybe they will be more understanding now about that, than they were like four years ago when the economy was better (or at least there seemed to be more job opportunities) and you were at that Sam's Club job.

[Dougie_D]

Yeah, I get that. I guess I'm more bummed that I have nothing in common with them so I don't think I can make friends even on a co-work level. I took the job because I needed money but it's not really in my field.

[blueidealist24]

Yeah, I get that. I guess I'm more bummed that I have nothing in common with them so I don't think I can make friends even on a co-work level. I took the job because I needed money but it's not really in my field.

 

What is the job anyway? Is it retail?

[Dougie_D]

What is the job anyway? Is it retail?

 

No. It's some sort of "start up" company. But it's got more than 70 employees and growing

[Dougie_D]

So most of my co workers are "techies" or "film" people

[blueidealist24]

Oh, ok. At least it's better than retail even if your coworkers are all youngish.

[happpybear]

who cares, don't make friends at work, do your job and be friendly, not friends, work really hard and get yourself prooted so that you are at a level above these young colleagues

[Sparklesong]

A few years back, I took a job where most of my co-workers were the age of my children, recent college grads. I felt comfortable with them because I was familiar with topics that age group talked about because of my kids, but whenever I'd try to join in one of their conversations, they'd look at me like I just grew a third head. One of them once said that they felt like they were talking to their mom, lol.

 

It's lonely but I found that it's better to just maintain your status as whatever your age actually is and don't try to "fit in" with them. Just be who you are and they will figure out how they are going to relate to you. At least you're only 10 years older....try 25 years older, lol.