Job hunt challenges/how to downsize resume/job?

[jm65129290]

56 yrs old. Been out of work for a year now. Several hundred applications sent as well as other out reaches. Resume is getting traction but have interviewed with close to 40 companies. 30 have had multiples interviews and finalist at several. The jobs are slightly below levels where I had been and even adjusting sal requirements doesnt seem to get it aacross the line. Seems after a face to face or video interview things change. I have never had this type challenge before - even after downsizings. Any thoughts or suggestions on the interview/interactions? I've gotten feedback and convos wiht hring managers post rejection but it's the always just short, would have hired both... willing and looking to relocate and have stated that dont need relo help.

Now looking to just get any job (not in my field - fairly specialized) and to generate some amount of income/healthcare. How do I amend my resume to make it employer friendly and not have an employers concerned I am just bridging or am way over-qualified? 

[PatrickR720159]

Hey, where I work, the job site is ALWAYS coming up short on workers.  And where I work, we even try to encourage the applicant to not include the year of graduation from school.  From what I found out, asking for when you graduated from high school is illegal.  I saw a sign on the door of a coffee shop that stated that they have job fairs every Thursday from 4 to 6 PM.  When it comes to your previous amount of work, try to stay away from posting your other hiring dates that were 40 years ago.  

[SSSeelig]

I have been unemployed for almost  a year now.  The closer you get to retirement, the harder the job market gets.  My problem is getting past the HR departments who do not underestand the technical requirements.  Most contacts from networking say I am perfect for the job but usually do not want to fight the system.

I try to show that I can bring a new product line to the business but that falls on deaf ears.  To many companies are worried about the present and don't have time for the future.

[EDChou]

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@jm65129290 wrote:

56 yrs old. Been out of work for a year now. Several hundred applications sent as well as other out reaches. Resume is getting traction but have interviewed with close to 40 companies. 30 have had multiples interviews and finalist at several. The jobs are slightly below levels where I had been and even adjusting sal requirements doesnt seem to get it aacross the line. Seems after a face to face or video interview things change.

Yes.  They can see our age.

I have never had this type challenge before - even after downsizings. Any thoughts or suggestions on the interview/interactions? I've gotten feedback and convos wiht hring managers post rejection but it's the always just short, would have hired both... willing and looking to relocate and have stated that dont need relo help.

We are looking at changing social attitudes, about redefining the word Retirement itself.  This has to come from multiple directions simultaneously.  As stated in other posts, I changed my resume to reflect my actual experience and capabilities.  I wanted to save badly needed resources from being wasted on fruitless interviews, as well as work toward affecting the status quo.

Now looking to just get any job (not in my field - fairly specialized) and to generate some amount of income/healthcare. How do I amend my resume to make it employer friendly and not have an employers concerned I am just bridging or am way over-qualified? 

There are two paths:  Getting just any job AND selling your specialty.  Looks like you want and need both.  Amend your resume to reflect your strengths, one of which is the experience and expertise derived from years in the field, whatever that is!  You are probably at the consulting level.  Contact companies, entities, directly, that need your services, skills.  The hard part is trying to figure out what you have, what they want (Or what you might convince them they want or need), and how to sell that.  On the just-job level, I found that again, telling the truth is a good bet.  When that just-job sees your resume, they will know you are not looking for their job as more than a stepping stone.  The playing field is leveled here also.

Its the process we are discussing here that ran me away from the mainstream jobs-work world and into the contractor-project world.  It wasn't easy and isn't for everybody.  The 50 - 55 years made me rethink about making money, due to how hard it was becoming to get "jobs".  I got out!  Today, I look for projects, and projects look for me.

[EDChou]

Look back. See what you have done and what you know. Translate that into things you can sell direct. You might be pleasantly and economically surprised.

"Jobs" are controlled by third parties. The world of hunting "jobs" is dominated by young people, most of whom have no clue to the jobs and skills they are trying to sell, yet they are sales people, recruiters, for companies, businesses, seeking just these skills. This is seldom positive for the person looking for these jobs, and even less if that person is a senior.

I became a freelancer, contractor, doing several of the things (Since no One of them made a complete living) I did during my pre-retirement life.

[retiredtraveler]

'....Any thoughts or suggestions on the interview/interactions?"......

I certainly don't know if this applies to you, so don't take it personally. There is another set of discrimination, aside from simple age, that people don't talk about, but is very real:

"Appearance Discrimination".

   I'll put it in simple terms, not PC. If you're fat, or unattractive, you will have difficulty getting a job on top of the age issue. There are plenty of studies showing this, but it's just too distressing to talk about. I've seen a study that showed that women who frowned tended not to get hired. If you're overweight, you are perceived as a health risk, or someone who doesn't take care of themself, so you 'obviously' are not going to be much of a worker.

   You may not like it, but it's definitely a major factor out there.

From a Forbes article; "....Only 15.6% of hiring managers said they would hire an overweight woman. In fact, 20% described an overweight candidate as lazy, 21% described her as unprofessional and only 18% said she had leadership potential. If you are overweight, be prepared to emphasize your work ethic, professionalism and leadership skills, the report recommends.".

   It's not a lot different for men.

[ch2656]

We’re older so I am assuming most of us know how to present ourselves at an interview. If not then age discrimination is not the problem.  

[CassandraP573296]

Good luck my friends

[htinsley]

Hello all - joining the conversation a bit late, but I wanted to provide my thoughts.  First, I acknowledge (and sadly so) the persistence of age discrimination in employment.  AARP recently published research showing that 61% of workers 45 plus have seen or experienced age discrimination at work.  We are definitely in your corner on this issue, fighting age discrimination in the courts and also continually engaging with employers on the value of hiring older workers.  Over 600 employers have already signed the AARP Employer Pledge, publicly affiming the value of experienced workers, and our Job Board is a place where you can connect with employers who are looking for experienced talent.

With regard to advice on how to job search in the digital age, including tips on resume writing, social profile creation, etc., check out the wealth of resources on our Learning Portal.  I hope these resources are helpful to you and I wish you all good luck in your job search.  

[MaximeD823154]

Why there is no actual advice about the valid postings that I have read from AARP staff? People 50 and older are facing severe discrimination in the US needless to say to oversea as well. How does AARP protect us and help us to join back the job market and getting paid a fair salary not take or leave it salary? Please respond.

Max

[EDChou]

The age discrimination you speak of is bigger than the AARP.  It is a societal issue that's tied into our definition of old age and "retirement".  This is why you don't see much here about "solutions".  There is no one solution.

I became so fed up with the status quo that I modified my resume to reflect the truth.  I updated it to show and say I am a senior with many years of excellent work.  I felt that if that isn't enough, I don't need to be there at all.  My responses went to near zero, but there was no more wasted resources looking for work I won't get because of nothing more than my age. The few responses since these changes have been of higher quality.

In the real world and real time, I reaccessed my work history, and looked for skills I have, then started figuring out how to market them.  So far that's been suprisingly good.

[ss11943859]

EdChou : Good luck to you !   I really need a part time job. I'd stock shelves in Walmart, if they'd hire an 'old person'. I'm in good health, but that doesn't always make a difference.

I see a lot of 'hiring' signs in stores, & wonder where are  the workers  ?

[EDChou]

Walmart does good at hiring seniors but they can't hire everybody.  They've called me several times but seem to have ESP about when I'm already working, making much more than they offer.

You might want to look in stores like Lowes and Home Depot.  They tend to hire experience and know how.

There's also freelancing from home.  I've been contracting freelancers for my web projects for several years through Upwork and Freelancer, so I know they do work.  There is fierce competition, be ready for that.

I have a friend who took her art to a new level and now sells on line.  She saw one day that she had a basement room full of sewing equipment.  A hobby that was able to be marketed.  Another who sells the town's top chocolate pies.

Seniors are full of this stuff.  Finding it and making use of it is the new "job" for us.

[ch2656]

I'm having the same problem.  Been out of work for over three months since being laid off after a bank buy out.  Nothing pans out.  Spoke with a woman at unemployment office who agreed age discrimination is real but no way to prove it.  

[CassandraP573296]

I'm in the early childhood realm has been for 30 years the last past 20 years I've been with Head Start I taught preschool body wouldn't let me continue to do that so I got into family development social work. I subject you try early childhood they need people all over the world.