Hi, I was out of work totally from October, 2005, until I took a job at 1/3 of the pay in April, 2006. Sent out over 300 portfolios (an educator) with only one response...
Thanks for speaking up. People over 50 are shocked when they see how much work may go into finding a new job at this age. 6-7 months for a job search in the 50 plus category is better than a lot of responses I've seen. We're taking a poll on the business blog (www.genplus.blogspot.com) and your search time parallels what we are seeing, even at this early stage in the poll. What is harder to bear is that your experience is worth 1/3 to this employer. But that is becoming the harsher reality for many 50 plussers. Glad to have your voice on this blog.
It's now been roughly six months, though I must confess I haven't been beating the bricks. I'm an international consultant with about 30 years experience with NGOs, international organizations and national governments, so Idaho is where the jobs aren't -- I've lived most of my professional life abroad.
Locally jobs are somewhere between $6 and $8 an hour (Wal Mart Greeter, telephone support, phone interviewing, etc.), certainly not below me to take, but do not take advantage of my education and experience.
I'm still looking...
It does appear that it is harder for 50 plussers to find jobs in the center of the country than in the major city centers, so lack of positions in Idaho doesn't surprise me. We have a lot of jobseekers from the central states -- far more than from the far West or far East coasts. We also have very few employers from the center of the country actively seeking 50 plussers.
I'd love to hear from (or about) proactive 50 plus friendly employers in the central states.
I am 56 and a divorced female. I spent almost 17 years in municipal government at the management level. I changed my career late in life and at the age of 50 completed a police academy. I have about three years experience in law enforcement and due to my integrity and honesty, I have been out of steady full time work since 2003. I have an attorney, and maybe someday my past employer will make the situation right, but in the meantime, I seem to be unemployable. I sold my home, have taken any odd job I could to survive. It seems good jobs are simply not a consideration at my age, lesser positions feel I would leave as soon as something better came along. Although I am still financially afloat I will soon be using my retirement to continue my solvency. So what is a person suppose to do? And please do not think the problem is really only in the central part of the country. I am in Southern California. Negative factors that impact my employment are age, gender and litigation with prior employer. I could wallpaper an entire room with the rejection letters. I am beginning to understand how some of the homeless get to that point in their life.
I encounter everyday people who are employed who are not literate, lack common sense, have few social skills, but are certainly ahead of me, because they have a job. It begins to take a toll on ones psyche, another factor that comes into play in the whole big picture.
So, with that said, that is my two cents worth. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear it.
Good heavens! Doesn't age, maturity, & experience mean anything anymore? I am not an employer but I think I would hire an over 50 person rather than a 20 something. Us older people would take the jobs seriously while the younger ones would call in sick just because they don't feel like going in. We have a stronger work ethic. Is that not important?
Also, there has to be resources for us to use where we do not have to compete with the youth driven industry. Let's see what we can find.
