I'm 58 and lost my 6-figure job. Over a year of applications later, I still haven't found anything.

Pete Petersen

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Pete Petersen, 58, who has been looking for work since February 2024 after he was laid off from his corporate job. Petersen spent much of his career in the consumer products healthcare division of a pharmaceutical company. He suspects his age and salary expectations have hurt his chances of finding a white-collar job. His words have been edited for length and clarity.