From a reasonably cool boomer

An interview with, Tamara Erickson, the person I did a book review for a few months back.

Ms. Erickson: It will be harder to get the jobs because more [boomers] will be fearful of moving on or cutting back, which I always thought was the more practical solution for boomers. I never really thought that they should in fact leave totally. But I do think they should cut back and move into part-time positions and turn over the leadership reins to the Xers. I think you're going to see less willingness to do that than even before. I also think to the extent that they get the jobs, the challenge is just a lot tougher. So there's almost an element "Do you want that top job or not," because it's going to be really tough if you get it.

The one silver lining is that I don't think Xers were surprised by the recession in the same way that boomers and Generation Ys were. I think those are both very rose-colored-glasses generations. I think boomers were absolutely stunned that something bad had happened to them. Most Xers I know have always thought about the great what-if and have worked hard throughout their careers to think about back-up plans and alternatives.