I'm 55 with a college degree, working in retail to stay afloat. It's been hard to get past the shame and find purpose.

At 55, Tammy Rabideau took a part-time job at a department store despite having a college degree and decades of experience in social work. She initially felt shame about working retail at her age but came to appreciate the job's flexibility, lower stress, and only slightly lower pay compared to another role in her field she had applied for. In August 2025, she had been ready to rescind her acceptance of the customer-service job but ultimately stayed.

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