Bayer

Frankfurt am Main – October 28, 2026 -- Managers who lose their jobs at 40 or 50 don't have to start from zero, according to career adviser Dr. Hans-Peter Luippold, who says the key is repositioning existing experience for a changed job market.

Companies such as Volkswagen and Bayer have been cutting management positions for months. For executives with 15 or 20 successful years behind them, that can mean a sudden restart.

Job loss often shakes professional identity

For longtime managers, a dismissal frequently means more than lost income. Familiar structures, responsibility and professional recognition disappear. Many also haven't written a job application in years, because they got their previous roles through promotions or personal contacts, so standardized rejections can be especially unsettling.