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Granted, I'm only 26, but after reading how those 45 and over are having a horrible time finding work and are being told they are "overqualified" or are being turned down in favor of younger workers, I would think it important to either find a career that pays VERY well now so that you can retire at 45 or so or else one that can last longer than 45 where they cannot just hire someone younger for a fraction of the cost or where you're ability to do the job is no longer good enough to get hired (take manual labor for instance).
For instance, professional sports (I know that's an extreme as so few get into that). They spend years in there and it puts a lot of strain on their body. By the time of their 40's, if not sooner, they are too worn out to keep going and also their ability to do many other jobs is affected by it. I mean, if they didn't pay millions for the job, do you think we'd see so many professional sporting events? If they only made $100K a year, they'd be in a bind as they'd be worn out by their late 30's/early 40's and may well have to retire then due to all the damage to their bodies.
On the flip side, if you go into software programming or something along those lines, you might be fine till your 40's, but if you get laid off then, then likely they'll want to hire someone younger that they can pay cheaper.
One field I can think of is a doctor, where you can do somewhat well starting out and can last into your 50's or 60's and not have to worry about being turned down for being too old or having too much experience.
I have a friend who was a professional football player for 5-6 years before his knees went kaput. He became an offensive line coach and still does that for an NFL team. So professional athletes aren't always necessarily washed up once they stop playing their sport of choice. There are other avenues they can pursue (another friend who played professional football went on to sports medicine and now treats injured players). I have another friend that didn't play football professionally, but after his college football career ended, he became the chaplain for an NFL team before eventually becoming a head coach for a private school in his hometown.
The key to longevity in a career is to remain valuable, remain flexible, and remain optimistic. I'm closer to 50 than 40, and I have remained all three of those by positively investing in the work that I do, the company I work for, and the boss I work with. If you can do that, it doesn't matter what industry you choose.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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I think industries like financial advising, accounting, taxation treat older workers well---at least that's been my experience and I'm in my 40s. Companies may want younger workers, but customers want older, more experienced advisors/consultants.
As I get older, I plan to expand my side businesses.
It's rather ingrained that politics is incredibly skewed towards older people. In fact, 35 is the minimum age to be President of the United States, but the youngest presidents have been into their 40's.
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