This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
For the record: This piece focuses on men, though many pointed out to me that women face even steeper challenges. Or do they?
18 months and counting
“First they cut people at the bottom. Then comes another restructuring, and suddenly even deep experience and skills can’t protect you. Besides, a management position costs at least three times what a junior role does,” says a 57-year-old man who prefers to remain anonymous.
He’s an electronic engineer by training who earned an MBA from the University of Warsaw in 2002 – a deliberate move to build his management credentials.
He spent 20 years in business service centers, the last 17 as a manager and eventually director of a service center at a major international bank. He oversaw multiple teams totaling 70 people. All of it at one company.
He lost his job in spring 2024 when his position was eliminated. Eighteen months later, he’s still unemployed.
At 57: “At first, I actually felt relieved”
“At first, I felt relieved because I’d known for two or three years that I was in the crosshairs. My boss had been let go shortly before me. I was relieved I no longer had to keep firing people, slashing positions, and waiting for my own turn. But I also felt some regret that my experience, contributions, and skills weren’t valued,” he explains.
Everything was handled professionally, by the book – but in his view, without much empathy. The statutory notice period ran its course.
The early days followed a familiar pattern – newly departed executives suddenly have time for things they’d been putting off. After a few weeks, the job search begins. Our interviewee participated in several recruitment processes but passed on the offers that materialized.
“I told myself this wasn’t my first career transition. There was always something about those opportunities that didn't fit. I also wasn’t willing to relocate,” he recalls.
Deafening silence
“I finally decided to get serious about finding a new job. There were quite a few postings for similar positions. I sent out my first résumé,” he recalls.
The silence took him by surprise. By now, he’s responded to nearly 200 job listings. He’s had exactly four interviews. None led to an offer.
“Is this just how things work now – companies simply don’t respond anymore? The silence is the most distressing part. It threw me completely. I didn't know what was happening. Maybe I did something wrong when compiling my résumé?” he wonders.
He approached the search methodically. He consulted experts who helped him refine his résumé and LinkedIn profile. They recommended shifting emphasis and broadening his search parameters. From his perspective, these were mostly cosmetic tweaks. He reached out to his network. Again, silence.
Unemployment devoured my savings
“I'd heard that people over 50 struggle to find work, but I never imagined it would happen to me. I always believed qualifications were what mattered,” he explains.
After months of fruitless searching, self-doubt crept in.
“Is something wrong with me? Am I incapable of something? Have I missed some fundamental shift in the market?” These thoughts became persistent.
“And then I started thinking it wasn’t about me at all – it was my age. That made it even worse. I can’t turn back the clock. It’s completely beyond my control,” our interviewee notes.
Unemployment burned through his savings. Eventually, he sold one of his apartments -he had to support his family somehow. Then came the insomnia.
“I couldn't sleep. I’d wake up in the middle of the night, mind racing,” he says.
And then I started thinking it wasn’t about me at all – it was my age. That made it even worse. I can’t turn back the clock. It’s completely beyond my control”
Depression in the shadow of the job hunt
He went to his doctor, who referred him to a psychiatrist. Fortunately, he says, he’d seen family members treated for depression after severe loss. He knew a psychiatrist could be a lifeline.
He’s on medication now and trying to function as best he can. And he continues searching for work.
“Management is something I’m genuinely good at and enjoy. I believe it still has value somewhere – I just need to find that place,” he explains.
Today, at 57, he can’t forgive himself for once participating in age discrimination as a young manager.
“I remember we had concerns about one specialist’s performance. Normally, we’d implement a one-year improvement plan. This time, we took a different approach. It was the last window to let him go – if we’d given him that chance, within a year he’d have entered the pre-retirement protection period and our hands would have been tied,” he admits.
Headhunter: “Mature men in Poland were raised on rigid gender roles”
Magda Merk, a veteran headhunter and labor market transformation specialist, isn’t surprised by stories like these.
“Among executives, it’s men who more often identify so deeply with their professional roles that these become core to their identity. They’re not just bosses at work – they carry that identity into their personal lives. Women are more likely to shift out of professional mode when they come home, whereas men, when asked who they are, tend to answer with their job title or professional role,” says Merk, who runs the Career 50+ Group on LinkedIn.
In her view, stripping men of these roles is typically excruciating.
“All the more so because mature men in Poland are still a generation raised on rigid gender roles: boys are strong, they don’t admit weakness or pain, they’re tough guys,” the expert explains.
Mature men in Poland are still a generation raised on rigid gender roles: boys are strong, they don’t admit weakness or pain, they’re tough guys”
Communication skills matter in recruitment – and men often struggle with them
Does the over-50 job search problem disproportionately affect men?
The headhunter notes that beyond technical skills, communication abilities are crucial in recruitment. And these are often harder for mature men to demonstrate, especially those who’ve spent decades suppressing emotions and authentic expression.
“In most cases, a mature man at a job interview wants to answer concrete questions and expects his past professional achievements to speak for themselves. He doesn’t want to ‘perform’ in self-presentation, craft narratives tailored to specific roles, or mold his profile to fit organizational culture. He expects respect and recognition – and isn’t particularly inclined to adapt his skill set to role requirements,” says Merk.
The disoriented mature man
In her view, women – thanks to generally stronger communication skills – tend to perform better in high-pressure interview situations.
Additionally, women are more likely to pursue soft skills training, which has become essential in today’s workplace.
“A disoriented mature man sees fewer possibilities for himself. His worldview tends to be more binary than women’s – divided into what he had and what he’s lost because it was taken from him. When you look at mature women’s activity in the labor market, you see tremendous interest in exploring entirely new directions: launching their own businesses, pivoting to new professional roles. Men, meanwhile, gravitate toward familiar territory – either what they already know because they’ve been doing it for years, or something connected to a personal hobby,” the expert concludes.
From logistics director to contract worker
My next interviewee is a 56-year-old currently working as an operations manager at a company that produces customized cardboard packaging. He oversees a team of five. As we speak, he’s still job hunting.
“It’s precarious work – I’m on a task-specific contract. They can let me go anytime,” he admits.
He holds degrees in economics and international logistics.
His professional troubles began five years ago when, after two decades at a Polish FMCG company, he was let go following a CEO change. He was 51.
He’d joined the firm in 2000 as a finance department specialist. Promotions came quickly. By 2005, he was a manager. Eventually, he rose to logistics director, coordinating the work of one hundred staff members.
“Several CEOs cycled through during my tenure. As long as the company maintained a more family-like culture, everything was fine. I was valued - I even received an award from the local governor for my contribution to regional development. Then a new CEO took over and began restructuring the organization completely differently. That’s when I was thanked for my service,” he explains.
Getting fired feels like divorce
The man says that being let go after such a long tenure is almost like going through a divorce.
“It showed up as low mood and racing thoughts. I felt somewhat torn, though at first I was relieved that a certain chapter had ended. I started looking for a new job. And that’s when the first surprise hit: you’d think that after all those industry speeches and conference appearances, you'd have a wide network of contacts. But when you lose your job, that circle shrinks fast. That’s when I first realized this wasn’t going to be easy,” he notes.
Those were really odd interviews. No one said outright they were discriminating based on age. Instead, I kept hearing about how the team was ‘young and dynamic’"
He spent a year searching for a new position. And encountered the widespread problem of fiftyish executives unable to land work. The man consults his notes: “Between 2020 and 2021, I applied to 293 positions. 186 on Pracuj.pl, a leading Polish job portal.”
The result? Eleven interviews.
“Those were really odd interviews. No one said outright they were discriminating based on age. Instead, I kept hearing about how the team was ‘young and dynamic’,” he recalls.
How self-doubt takes root
The man anticipates my questions.
“Yes, I did have HR specialists review my résumé. And yes, over time I started applying to positions slightly below my qualifications,” he explains.
After months of unsuccessful searching and living off savings, he stopped believing in his competence and market value.
“In my age bracket, status is deeply tied to work and career trajectory. So when you fall out of that system, the world starts viewing you differently. Maybe I did retreat too much into my own world and began avoiding friends?” he wonders.
After a year, he landed a role as operations director at an electronics company. It was a three-year fixed-term contract with specific projects and deliverables – which he completed during that period.
Dismissed. Again.
As that contract winds down, he develops spinal problems and requires surgery. When he completes rehabilitation and regains full mobility, he reports back to his employer -only to hear that the team managed well in his absence. His services are no longer needed, and his contract won’t be renewed.
He’s job hunting again. This time it’s even harder. Previously, he’d applied to 293 positions. Now: 369. The result? Six interviews.
When he does get an interview, he’s told the company employs 26-year-olds. They ask how he plans to fit in. He points to research showing that multigenerational teams are more effective and better at communication – the foundation of business growth. But he doesn't sense this resonates with HR departments or the hiring managers making the final decisions.
“There’s no point fighting a losing battle”
The career of today's 58-year-old began in the mid-1990s at a telecommunications company.
“I held various roles, and after 10 years I was managing 150 people. Five such teams covered all of Poland,” says Paweł Bugajski. He’s the only person willing to discuss his labor market struggles under his real name.
In 2008, the company went through yet another restructuring ahead of being sold. Departments were consolidated.
“I got a boss who understood neither the market nor the team. He was ten years younger than me. There were snide comments about me being the oldest on the team. I decided there was no point continuing to fight a losing battle – it wasn’t heading in the right direction. I handed in my resignation and left,” Mr. Bugajski recalls.
He adds that the situation took a serious toll. “My health suffered,” our interviewee says.
He remembered what he actually loved
While employed, job offers came regularly. After he left, the phone fell silent. Personal problems compounded.
“My wife left me. Divorce. Fighting for access to my children,” Mr. Bugajski recalls.
That’s when he remembered what he’d always truly enjoyed: photography and sports. Photography couldn’t pay the bills, but sports offered opportunities. As an instructor and educator, he started working youth camps.
“I also took a medical caregiver course. I figured society is aging – maybe I could work abroad? If not, at least I’d be able to help my parents in their later years. I decided that chasing a corporate career didn’t make sense anymore. I remembered I’d always wanted to travel and live on my own terms. I started looking for 9-5 jobs. Clock out and go cycling, do things I actually enjoy. I missed ordinary, simple life,” he explains.
He worked for a charity, then at the airport, and also did manual labor abroad.
Cancer taught him to live on his own terms
He says he’s happy now.
“Fortunately, I met a partner who didn’t judge me by my career or earning power. I regained my self-confidence. I’m no longer just a man who has to be the breadwinner. We contribute to the household budget together,” says Mr. Bugajski.
Paradoxically, illness helped him find himself. In 2022, he learned he had cancer. He began living life fully, on his own terms. For over a year now, he’s been working for a company that organizes sports camps for children and teenagers.
Does the labor market need reform?
“Yes, there’s ageism. It makes it harder for people over 50 to find work. They arrive with their experience and the habits that come with age, and suddenly they’re sitting across from someone just over 30 who may become their boss. It’s difficult to build a relationship that doesn’t intimidate either party,” says Iwona Grochowska, psychologist and psychotherapist.
The expert also highlights that beyond how relationships are formed during recruitment, we don’t pay enough attention to thinking about – and practicing – how we can complement each other at work and leverage the experience and skills of people across different age groups.
Ms. Grochowska notes that the generation born around 1970 is one that devoted their lives to work. For them, personal and professional lives often merged. In her view, the mental health crisis among fiftyish workers who are unexpectedly laid off doesn’t affect only men.
The statistics on male suicide are sobering
“In my practice, I hear about the crises these people face. They often mention things that might seem trivial to outsiders – like having to leave industry associations, or receiving no cards or gifts during their first holidays while unemployed,” says Ms. Grochowska.
She adds that many who’ve lost management positions struggle with the loss of power’s external trappings. “Men certainly cope far worse with this,” she explains.
As evidence, she cites statistics showing that every day in Poland, an average of 15 people die by suicide – 12 of them men.
“And for every suicide, there are 15 to 20 attempts. This clearly demonstrates that men struggle to express emotions and talk about them. They have difficulty getting through the first stage of crisis, which involves total disintegration and collapse,” says Ms. Grochowska.
As evidence, the expert cites statistics showing that every day in Poland, an average of 15 people die by suicide – 12 of them men"
How to support men after losing their jobs
“Women have their leadership networks and spaces where they can openly discuss professional struggles. Men rarely have that kind of support,” says Ms. Grochowska, a psychologist.
According to her, a persistent stereotype still shapes how society views men. They’re expected to be strong, composed, and in control. “A man is supposed to support his family. It’s true that we now talk more about emotions and about men’s right to express them, but that’s still more theory than practice. Many women say they’re open to it, yet when the problem affects their own partner, they often struggle to cope,” she explains.
So how can men be supported when a job loss triggers a personal crisis? Ms. Grochowska points out that when she asks men who they could confide in – someone they could share a shameful or deeply personal matter with – the room often falls silent.
Don’t be afraid to talk about failure
“The greatest breakthrough is often helping another man open up, showing through your own example that there’s no shame in talking about difficult emotions,” says Ms. Grochowska. “You can be the one to start. By admitting your own struggles or talking honestly about setbacks. Male openness to these kinds of conversations is, in my view, key to overcoming emotional challenges. But it’s still a rare thing,” she emphasizes.
It’s also important, Grochowska adds, for those dealing with a setback to do their own inner work.
“In any crisis, the most important question is: what do I truly want from life? Paradoxically, a crisis can become an opening for positive change. Yet, people over 50 – and this is true for both men and women – often undervalue their own skills and talents, which can put them at a disadvantage in today’s job market,” Ms. Grochowska warns.
Key takeaways
- Fifty-something-year-old men—managers with extensive experience and track records of success—suddenly lose their jobs. They describe prolonged job searches and believe age discrimination is a reality in today's market.
- Magda Merk, an experienced headhunter and specialist in workforce transition, is well aware of the challenges faced by men over 50 struggling to find employment. "Among managers, men are more likely to identify so strongly with their professional roles that these become part of their core identity. They are executives not only at work but carry that identity into their personal lives. Women are more likely to transition between their professional and personal roles when they leave the office, while men, when asked who they are, are more likely to respond with their job title or professional function," says Ms. Merk.
- Psychologist and psychotherapist Iwona Grochowska offers guidance on how to support men who have lost their jobs. "The most valuable thing you can do is help another man open up to conversation and demonstrate through your own example that it's acceptable to discuss emotions. You can initiate this by revealing your own vulnerabilities. I believe that men's willingness to engage in meaningful conversations about feelings is key to overcoming emotional difficulties—and there's far too little of it," emphasizes Ms. Grochowska.