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Laid off at 49. How do I survive now?

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It always ends in a fried chicken shop—an unfunny reality. It has been two months since my former overseas sales team lead left the company and opened one. I. Office workers usually live with only two options Most office workers follow the same pattern. We get hired, we adapt, we endure, and then we consider switching jobs. And then we repeat the same 고민 all over again. The paycheck that arrives every month is always tight. There is rarely any spare money to invest. So our choices narrow naturally into one question: Do I stay at this company, or do I move to a better one? Starting a business always feels like a distant story. Until a colleague sitting right next to us says, “I think I’m going to try running my own business.” Even then, most of us see it as reckless. But looking back, that judgment wasn’t a calm analysis. It was fear—quiet, vague, and d...
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8 Types of People Who Made Work Life Difficult

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Right after I finished basic training, there was a time when someone could tap my shoulder and my rank and name would come out automatically. Back then, I thought relationships in the military were the hardest thing in the world. Then I joined a company, and I realized the military was easier—at least in some ways. Even now, after leaving my job, I still catch myself thinking, “Why were they like that?” Here are eight types of people I really struggled with at work. 1. The person who is always judging others “That manager… it looks like he works, but I never get reports.” “How’s he doing these days? If you ask me…” When you hear things like that right next to you, one thought comes first. “What do they say about me when I’m not around?” ...
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The Average Retirement Age of Employees and When People Start Their Own Business

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📊 The Age People Leave Their Jobs, and the Age They Start a Business Age Group Job Exit Reality Self-Employment Entry Under 30s Rarely leave; long-term employment expected Approx. 15% 40s Anxiety begins; restructuring and promotion stagnation Approx. 22% 50s Exits accelerate; early retirement and buyouts common Approx. 27% 60 and over Only a few remain (executives or exceptional cases) Approx. 36% The official retirement age is 60. But most employees realize long before that they won’t actually make it that far. “Even if the paycheck is small, you should have something you can do on your own.” My mother-in-law, who ran her own hair salon, used to say this to my wife from time to time. Every time I heard it, I found myse...
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The Resentment You Feel at Work

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On the way home after working late, there are moments when a thought slips in. “I did this much… and this is all I get?” Did I do something wrong? Or is the company the one that’s wrong? If you’ve worked long enough, you’ve probably asked yourself this at least once. I. How you become “the dependable one” People often say this about interviews: “The company evaluates me, but I evaluate the company too.” In reality, that’s rarely how it feels. There are dozens—sometimes hundreds—of applicants, and the company gets to choose. Meanwhile, we’re just hoping to be chosen by at least one place. Once you finally get in, you do everything you can to be recognized. You stay late when the workload explodes. If you have evening plans, you come in early to finish what you can. If it still won’t work, you show up on the weekend “just for a bit.” And when things don’t go well, you keep thinking about work even ...
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Why My Life Doesn’t Change No Matter How Hard I Work

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Have you ever had a thought like this? You worked late again today, but it doesn’t feel like your life is getting any better. You believed that if you kept working hard, things would eventually change. And yet—strangely— no matter how much you try, your life can still feel stuck in the same place. This is a story about why life doesn’t change even when you’ve worked hard at a company. I started thinking this way only after I left— after time had passed and the dust had settled. I. If I Ever Got Hired Again I started a small business based on what I’d been doing for years— not too long ago. After spending twenty years in a company, I was surprised to find that even now— paying my own office rent— I still find myself waiting for the weekend. In some ways, it doesn’t feel that different from my old life. I have a friend w...
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The Illusion That Enduring Means You Can Stay Until Retirement

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I. Losing the Steering Wheel Until my 30s, when work was exhausting, or when the company’s direction didn’t match what I believed, “Should I just go somewhere else?” I had options. I could keep control over my life—at least to some extent. But once I stepped into my 40s, I had to decide— do I stay at this job, or do I attempt one last move? And no matter what I chose, “Should I just go somewhere else?” was no longer an option. I became sensitive to promotions, and to where I stood inside the company. My relationship with the people above me, how they looked at me, how they evaluated me— I couldn’t help but care. By the time I turned 45, I knew it. And the people above me knew it too. “At your age, where else could you possibly go?” There are kind people, of course. But there ...
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When Paychecks Start Coming Late, Step by Step

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When Paychecks Start Coming Late, Companies Collapse in Stages When a paycheck is delayed by a day or two, you don’t feel anxious right away. “It’s probably just this month.” “Everyone’s struggling these days.” That’s what you tell yourself. But at some point, you stop counting pay dates and start watching people’s faces. This is a story about the order in which a company collapses once paychecks start coming late. I. Stage One — Senior Employees First In companies of a certain size, restructuring usually begins before pay is delayed. Small businesses are different. Late paychecks happen more often than you might expect. Every company handles it differently, but pay delays often begin with people who hold titles, or those the owner feels are easier to pressure. People still ne...
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