'Be Modern' is what my boss said to me literally 10 seconds before I was about to present to the (relatively new) big boss a few weeks ago. She flew into the meeting room 10 seconds before he did and blurted out 'remember, this meeting is about you, so be modern'.
I work in a large marketing dept and it's full of fairly young people (late 20's to mid 30's). On my next birthday I will be firmly in my late 40's. Unlike most, I have a family and live in the suburbs. I have loads of experience, and have worked in my current company for years and years (am now operating at quite a senior level with team responsibility etc). But suddenly feel my experience is a disadvantage. And that I no longer fit the mould. It's a horrible feeling.
It has made me question my future there.
What my boss expected me to do to 'be modern' with 10secs notice is beyond me. I haven't had a chance to catch up with her since but found it the most unhelpful comment ever & it's really been playing on my mind since. I felt like laughing at her when she said it (she is about 3 years younger than me).
AIBU to feel like this? WTH was she expecting me to do - break out into a TikTok dance midway through the presentation? It was a presentation on flipping strategy FFS. It really pi$$ed me off.