Workers across the world are facing an uncertain future. Job markets are shifting, industries are evolving, and technology is reshaping the way we work. 

And all of these changes make employees wonder: What’s next for my career?

Yet, when workplace discussions come up, the focus is almost always on Millennials and Gen Z. We hear about their expectations, their struggles, and how they’re redefining the professional landscape.

But what about the generation that came before them?

Generation X still plays a crucial — yet often overlooked — role in today’s workforce. They’re not fresh graduates trying to get a foot in the door, nor are they retirees easing into their golden years. They are … somewhere in between. 

At Kickresume, we surveyed 1,584 respondents globally to understand how workers perceive their career prospects. Roughly a fourth of them were Gen X, so we decided to take a closer look at what they had to say.

Who is Gen X? Managers, leaders, and CEOs

If you were born between 1965 and 1980, congratulations — you’re part of Generation X. That means you’re somewhere between 45 and 60 years old today. 

Not too young, not too old, but definitely experienced (and probably named Michael, David, Jennifer, or Lisa).

To be fair, Gen X has been through a lot.

They’ve witnessed economic booms — and some of the worst financial downturns. From the oil shocks of the '70s to the dot-com bust of the early 2000s, they’ve seen their fair share of turbulence. Just when they thought they’d weathered it all, the Great Recession hit. Then came the chaos of a post-pandemic job market.

Oh, and let’s not forget this rollercoaster of an economy we’re in right now.

But despite the ups and downs, Gen X prevailed, and today, they’re the managers, directors, and leaders keeping businesses afloat. 

Ironically, a 1990 TIME article described Gen X as a generation that "has trouble making decisions" and would "rather hike in the Himalayas than climb a corporate ladder." 

Well, the numbers say otherwise:

  • 34% of our Gen X respondents work at the mid-level.
  • 51% hold senior management positions.
  • 9% are C-suite executives.
  • And 6% are working at the entry level.

Clearly, Gen X isn’t just climbing the corporate ladder — they’ve been building it all along.

Climbing the ladder, but is the view worth it? 

We’ve established that 96% of our Gen X respondents are firmly planted in the workplace, holding mid-level, senior, or C-suite positions. 

And yet, despite 35+ years of experience and a knack for riding out economic highs and lows, Gen Xers aren’t exactly brimming with positivity about their professional future. 

At least, not as much as the younger generations we surveyed.

When we asked respondents how they feel about their professional future compared to a few years ago, the generational differences couldn't be more clear.

Across all generations:

  • 67% reported feeling more positive (37% much more positive, 30% slightly more positive).
  • Only 23% felt more negative about their future (16% slightly more negative, 7% much more negative).

But Gen X? Their responses turned out to be more cautious:

  • Only 22% felt much more positive — the lowest of any generation.
  • 29% felt slightly more positive (a small dip from the overall average).
  • A significant 25% felt slightly more negative, and 13% felt much more negative.
  • And, Gen X was the only generation where more people felt much more negative about their future (13%) than those who felt the same as before (12%).

Compare that to Millennials:

  • 30% felt much more positive, and 29% felt slightly more positive — a far more balanced spread.
  • Only 5% felt much more negative, significantly lower than Gen X.

And Gen Z?

  • 44% — nearly half — felt much more positive.
  • Only 4% felt much more negative, compared to Gen X’s 13%.

Can we get a bit more specific about what exactly they mean by slightly more negative? Yes, we actually can. 

X marks the spot … of anxiety and frustration

We also wanted to know the exact types of feelings ruminations about their professional future brings.

The general results (all generations included) look like this: 

  • Excitement (39%), hope (38%), and optimism (38%) topped the list. 
  • Uncertainty (30%) and confidence (29%) were trailing close behind. 
  • Anxiety sat at 24%, while frustration (10%) and sadness (4%) were at the bottom.

However, the data provided by Gen X (and Gen X only) look like so: 

  • The positive emotions — excitement (37%), hope (36%), and optimism (34%) — were slightly lower than the overall averages. 
  • Confidence dipped a little, too (28%). 
  • Meanwhile, the more negative emotions told a different story. Anxiety? It crept up to 26%. 
  • Frustration ticked up to 12%, and sadness inched higher to 5%.

Are these the kind of drastic shifts that send alarm bells ringing? No, not really.

But they do reveal a consistent tendency — when Gen X thinks about their career future, they feel the weight of uncertainty, frustration, and anxiety more intensely than other generations. And they feel the highs — hope, optimism, excitement — a little less.

Pulled in all directions while standing still

So what might be behind this slightly more negative sentiment among Gen X? 

As with all generational questions, the underpinnings of this reality are nuanced, and the possible reasons are many. So, let’s break it down:

#1 The weight of leadership 

Gen X isn’t just part of the workforce — they’re running the show. Over 96% of our Gen X respondents hold senior management or executive roles. And while that comes with a sense of accomplishment, it also means relentless pressure. Unlike younger workers who still have room to explore, many Gen Xers can feel stuck — like they can’t afford to make a wrong move at this stage in their careers.

#2 Tough competition 

Even the most seasoned pros can’t escape the reality of workplace competition. Gen X now finds itself going toe-to-toe with Millennials and Gen Z. The pressure to stay ahead and prove they’re just as adaptable as their younger counterparts is definitively there. 

#3 The elephant in the room — ageism

Technically, age discrimination is illegal. But in practice? Well, let’s just say it’s a gray area. There’s this persistent (and unfair) stereotype that older workers struggle to adapt to change or aren’t as tech-savvy. Because of this, some companies lean toward hiring younger employees, thinking they have more long-term potential. 

#4 Their need to provide 

Unlike past generations, many Gen Xers are still helping their grown children financially — whether it’s with rent, tuition, or just getting by in an increasingly expensive world. At the same time, their parents are reaching an age where they need more support, whether it’s financial, medical, or just day-to-day assistance. While looking out for everyone else, Gen X is also trying to make sure they don’t end up in financial trouble themselves when they retire. 

Unlike Millennials or Gen Z, who still have time to switch gears and experiment, Gen X is at a point where the stakes feel higher. Many may be asking themselves: Have I peaked? Is there still room for growth? Can I afford to take a risk — or is stability the safer bet? These are all heavy questions — enough to make Gen X view their career future through a grayer lens.

Final thoughts 

Gen X workers tend to see their professional future with a bit more caution than their younger colleagues. 

They Are a generation that has to juggle big responsibilities both at work and at home, like supporting aging parents or grown kids. Because of this, they have to be extra careful when it comes to taking risks — their choices can impact a lot of people. 

While younger generations have the freedom to experiment and take chances, Gen X is more focused on stability and the weight of their decisions, which makes their outlook on the future feel a bit more uncertain.

Demographics

Age distribution of respondents:

  • Less than 27 - 28.7%
  • 35-43 - 24.9%
  • 28-34 - 24.6%
  • 44-59 - 19.3%
  • 60 and above - 2.4%

Composition of respondents by industry:

  • Technology & IT - 29.1%
  • Education & Academia - 8.4%
  • Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals - 7.3%
  • Finance & Accounting - 7.1%
  • Manufacturing & Engineering - 6.2%
  • Marketing & Advertising - 5.8%
  • Retail & E-commerce - 4.4%
  • Construction & Real Estate - 4.3%
  • Arts & Design - 3.7%
  • Media & Entertainment - 3.3%
  • Government & Public Administration - 3%
  • Legal & Consulting Services - 3%
  • Transportation & Logistics - 2.9%
  • Hospitality & Tourism - 2.8%
  • Energy & Utilities - 2.7%
  • Nonprofit & Social Services - 2.1%
  • Science & Research - 1.7%
  • Agriculture & Farming - 1.2%
  • Manual Labor - 0.7%
  • Sport & Recreation - 0.3%

Composition of respondents by seniority:

  • Mid-level - 37.7%
  • Entry-level - 29.8%
  • Senior-level - 28.3%
  • C-suite / Executive - 4.2%

Note

This anonymous online survey by Kickresume, conducted in January 2025, gathered insights from 1,584 global participants about their career prospects. All participants were reached via Kickresume's internal database, primarily consisting of Kickresume users.

About Kickresume

Kickresume is an AI-based career tool that helps candidates source jobs and raise salary with powerful resume and cover letter tools, skills analytics, and automated job search assistance. It already helped more than 6 million job seekers worldwide.