I'm 55 and have applied to over 300 jobs. I never expected my 32 years of experience to work against me.

Leslie, 55, a communications pro with 32 years’ experience was laid off and has applied to 300+ jobs over 14 months — finding the search demoralizing and humbling.
She suspects ageism and overqualification are at play, noting job listings often demand “unicorn” skills and recruiters told her to trim her résumé to the last decade.
After focusing on remote roles with few results, she’s pivoted to local jobs and networking/referrals; her retirement savings are intact and she remains cautiously optimistic.