So depressed ...18 months and still no job

[kaytieeldr]

You certainly don't and since it opens a company up to discrimination claims to ask, you won't find many that do.

Age, religion, marital status, number of kids - not their business. Legally, not their business.

You also don't need to disclose every job you've ever held or dates. Nor do you need to advertise the full scope of your job. If you managed a staff of seven that had people working for them, and some of them had people working for them - so your complete organization was 60 people, no need to mention it at all when applying for a job at Home Depot for a cashiers job.

Another option is to bill yourself as an early "semi-retiree." "The economy and my former company's reductions in staff encouraged me to think about what I wanted to do - and I decided it wasn't working a forty plus hour a week job that I took home in order to work more on nights and weekends. I still want to work - I'm too young to retire and get social security or start using my retirement savings, but I have the luxury of being able to work part time now" (or alternatively, "the luxury to accept a less demanding position."

You're good at this!

 

[blondietink]

Another option is to bill yourself as an early "semi-retiree." "The economy and my former company's reductions in staff encouraged me to think about what I wanted to do - and I decided it wasn't working a forty plus hour a week job that I took home in order to work more on nights and weekends. I still want to work - I'm too young to retire and get social security or start using my retirement savings, but I have the luxury of being able to work part time now" (or alternatively, "the luxury to accept a less demanding position."

I am alredy doing this as I only want a part-time job and my last employment was only part-time. Besides my elderly father, who by the way, refuses to move and our house isn't big enough anyway, I have two young adult sons with developmental disabiltiies living at home with us. If we move, they would lose all of their services. I have to find a part-time job that takes place when my sons are at school/day program. It is impossible for only 1 person to care for both of them when they are at home, and if any job took place in the evenings/weekends when they are at home, I would have to hire a caregiver to help DH to the tune of $15.00/hr or more, which would be more than I would be making in any part-time job. I am also concerned that I am not contributing to my future social security benefit any more and/or my IRA because I don't have a job.

I have kind of resigned myself to not finding a job that will fit my family's issues in this economy. I am mostly sad that this is how my life turned out. I don't feel like a "success" at all. All I really ever wanted was the same life I had while growing up as part of my parent's generation.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Unfortunately in an employers' market legal and illegal are mostly irrelevant. I've seen applications that ask age/date of birth, marital status, number of children, etc. and the people I know who are in positions that handle hiring have all said the first thing that will get an application tossed in the trash is leaving any field blank.

Interestingly, I once got a job in part because I put something on every line of the application - including the armed services lines. Granted, it was N/A or "not applicable" depending on the amount of space. The hiring manager told me he was impressed by my thoroughness.

Anyway, on a hand-completed application it's easy to write n/a, all zeroes, or whatever else is appropriate. On a computer application, it would depend on the program.

I am also concerned that I am not contributing to my future social security benefit any more

They use your highest forty quarters of earnings to calculate your social security benefits. Do you think you'd earn more per hour in the future than you know you did before? That sounds confusing go me, too, so check out the Social Security website for more information. Can't help you with the IRA. I'd think you're right, though. If you're not contributing, it's only growing on earnings, investments, interest, or a combination. Depends on the plan.

 

[LSUDis]

I know that job availability is very different in different regions, but I was going to suggest that, for those who like children, you apply to your local schools as a substitute teacher, cook, bus driver, or custodian. Not fulltime jobs, but may provide enough money to get by. The district here is not hiring new teachers for new positions--only replacements, so get your names on the school district's personnel lists now for next year. In this area, even college graduates with no education degree can get hired if they agree to take classes to get certified. (They are hired last, but it DOES happen sometimes.)

A change in thought now is that college degrees are not the guarantee that they used to be in getting a job. The push is for technical training like HVAC, plumbing, electrician certification, welding, LPNs, instrumentation, etc. I guess these are more ?practical?, job-ready trainings that are more likely to get quickly hired in tough times?? (My parents told me, "Major in what you love, minor in what is getting jobs.")

Another thought--many junior colleges offer free (or low cost) seminars to update skills. Technical schools can train you quickly in high-need areas.

Good luck to everyone--I know times are so tough.

 

[disney1990]

This is just so depressing. Lost my job 18 months ago when it was eliminated. Finally in the last couple of months have actually been getting some interviews. However, now I am seeing age discrimination at it's finest. The excuses for not hiring me are all the same: over-qualified, not right for us, can't pay you what you are worth (even though I say I will work for what they advertised the job at), etc. Then when I find out who they actually gave the job I applied to, they are all very young, right out of high school or college. A friend of mine who has been out of work for 6 months and is 2 years older than me is running into the same thing. We are in our 50's.

Now, we are not destitute as DH is retired which means we are on a fixed income. We had to drop our prescription insurance coverage as of Jan. 1st as it was just too expensive. We can get by. But is it wrong of me to want more than just getting by? I know there are many families out there that are worse off than we are, but I feel like such a failure. Why did I bother to go to college when the only jobs that are out there seem to be for truck drivers, auto mechanics and cashiers? I have sent out so many applications and resumes in the last 18 motnhs that I can't understand why the US Postal Service is running out of money. This hope and change stuff is not happening for this family.

My heart goes out to you. I was in the same position two years ago that you are in. I was out of work for 16 months and, as an older worker, could not find another job. Finally, I found a job through a friend of mine -- probably the best way to find a job in this economy

I certainly hope that you find something soon - I know how depressing this can be day after day. Keep looking; I hope you find something soon.

 

[leebee]

Being in a similar situation as the other 50-somethings who've posted, can I just say how totally annoying the whole "we know more experienced workers are just going to jump ship as soon as a better job comes along" line is? Let's see... I have been unemployed in my professional field for 4 years now. What makes employers think there's such a plethora of jobs open for me to leave for, if I've been unemployed for 4 years? It's also insulting to think that my word means nothing... If I say I'll work for less than I was making, it's because I WILL. I guarantee your position will pay me more in the long run than unemployment, and a HECK of a lot more than being unemployed.

Four years ago I lost my position as a scientific researcher because of funding cutbacks; the financial source that paid me reneged on the contract and I was unemployed with 2 weeks notice. Six months later I was hired as an educational technician in a local school district, recommended by a friend in the school who knew I could "do math." It's technically 35 hrs a week but I only work when school is in session so I actually am only paid for 171 days per year. It stinks, I make about one-third of what I used to, have no benefits, and with the housing market the way it is, we can't sell our home for something cheaper. It would be nice to get a summer job, but nobody hires for summer around here, and if they do, it's a college or high school kid that they can pay under the counter or less than minimum wage (under 15 years old). I have applied for 7 professional openings in the past 4 years; I always get the interview but never get the job. I realize my age is against me, my experience is against me, and now, unfortunately, I've been out of the field for so long that it's passed me by; my knowledge is no longer up-to-date. I have come to realize that I am pretty much stuck where I am. DH has a good job but is working a second job to make up for what we lost in income when I lost my "real" job... although I guess working in the school IS my real job now. Of course, with a $2 million dollar shortage in the school budget for next fall, I am only hoping that I am not one of the people whose job is eliminated...

 

[phoenixphantom]

Have any of you thought about starting your own business. Depending on what you did, it may be a consulting job in that field or something on the internet. You all obviously have computers and a general knowledge of them if you are posting on here. Could you do typing, bookkeeping, social media, web design. I am a self taught web designer, it is not that hard to learn and you can do the work from any where. Be creative and think outside the box. The computer puts the world at your finger tips. Use social media like Linkedin and Facebook to find others in your field to network with. If you are really into Facebook, you could build Facebook pages for small businesses and maintain them. Social media is huge these days and you can do it from anywhere!! Good luck!!

 

[EclecticWAHM]

I thought for sure I had to fill that out last time I applied for a job, but it has been a long time so I may not be remembering correctly. I had to put my social security number down and my birthday.

Dawn

My thoughts on that are just because it's on an application doesn't mean you NEED to fill it out. Perspective employers don't need my SSN or birth date. If they actually hire me, fine, I will give them the info, but I sure as heck wouldn't be giving my SSN out just because they ask.

 

[eliza61]

Thanks for all of the encouraging words! I knew I could count on my Dis friends.



I just can't believe that in a country as great as the USA, this sad job market is what we have come to.

We haven't "come" to any thing. We have had really difficult times in this country before. We have had recessions before, we have had a brutual depression and we've had periods of high unemployment, Between 1982-begininng of 1984 we were hovering around an unemployment rate of almost 10% some months 8.8%, some months 9.8%

I know that doesn't make you feel better, I'm just not one of those "doom and gloom', the country is ending types. Probably because I'm old enough to remember harder times.

anyhoo...
Is there some way to "reinvent" yourself? pick up some more skills. I had a period of unemployment once and I went and picked up some court reporting skills. found out that there was lot of data processing temp jobs around.
How about home health aide work? Once again,not saying this is some thing that can help but my local cc offered a certificate program in 12 months and here in my area there were lots of temp jobs. Is there a hobby you have that can make you marketable?
How about volunteering? I have a few clients at my churchs food bank that started volunteering their time, picked up some great organizational skills and then became employees.

I agree with many others that it is easier to find a job while you're working. Also you make contacts while working.

Good luck, and best wishes for you. I know it's extremely difficult

My thoughts on that are just because it's on an application doesn't mean you NEED to fill it out. Perspective employers don't need my SSN or birth date. If they actually hire me, fine, I will give them the info, but I sure as heck wouldn't be giving my SSN out just because they ask.

That can be a double edge sword. My company recieves hundreds of applications. One easy way for human resources to weed people out is by mistakes on the application. Simply put, if we can't trust you to fill out an application correctly we're not bringing you in for an interview and asking you all the information that should have been supplied.
I always encourage people applying to fill out the application completely.

 

[Zephyr]

If you are just sending in your own resume and not filling out their applications yet, modify your resume to remove dates of graduation from college (or high school) and remove your earliest jobs after graduating. That's what I did on mine, I just essentially chopped off 10 years that way. It will help get you into the door so that you can impress them in person. However, I did end up working for the state instead of the private industry. I've noticed that the state seems to appreciate older employees more than the private industry does.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I sympathize with everyone having difficulty finding a job. I lost my job in February 2009. I went back to school through the WIA program, and in the meantime, I took a temp job in January 2010. They cut my hours in May 2010 and finally let me go just before Thanksgiving. Then I took a part-time teller position at my now-DH's bank in January 2011. What a nightmare that was...the head teller disliked me so much that she began writing me up on my very first day. They let me go in late May 2011. One month later, I got a FABULOUS job with a local wholesale nursery. I absolutely LOVED that job, but I became physically ill a month after I started. I got to the point where I had difficulty walking from my office in the back of the building to the shipping office in the front. On my 91st day, they decided it was my last day, as "we don't see you being able to keep up" (but all up through my 90th day, I was told I was doing a great job and I'd just keep getting better through repetition).

Four days later, I was informed I had to have major surgery to correct my illness. I told my doctor that I'd lost my job because of it, that I couldn't wait to have surgery and I needed to get another job. My doctor said, "You can't work with this." I asked her for assistance with unemployment, and she ignored me. She sent me to a specialist...who was expecting me, but the earliest appointment they could give me was 2 months out. So I get there and he says the earliest surgery date he can give me is ANOTHER 2 months out (late January). I cried and told him that I really can't wait, I explained the lack of a job and my financial situation and he just smiled at me.

So now we get to early January, when I see him again for my pre-op appointment. I tried to voice my concerns about possible problems during my recovery (I've had this same exact surgery once before and I had problems in recovery) and TWICE again, reiterated that I need to mitigate those issues so that I can recover and get back to work; DH's and my financial situation has become so dire that we're resorting to taking food from his parents' house. So what does the doctor do? He decides that I have too much anxiety - about the surgery itself - that he's not going to do it, and he has now postponed it indefinitely. I tried to explain to him that I have no problem with the surgery; my anxiety stems from the finances and lack of work, the longer I'm out of work, the harder it will be to find a job (not to mention that my fatigue is increasing daily and the chance of infertility/septic shock/death are also increasing as this goes untreated).

I am having trouble finding something I can do from home during my recovery...I have a hearing impairment, so phone work is out. It's basically data entry. I also would like to start my own business, but we have no money for the product and start-up costs. So I need to get a real job first. Just let me have my surgery so I can get home and recovered and GET A JOB.

(Sorry for the long rant. This is weighing horribly on me.)

 

[crisi]

A change in thought now is that college degrees are not the guarantee that they used to be in getting a job. The push is for technical training like HVAC, plumbing, electrician certification, welding, LPNs, instrumentation, etc. I guess these are more ?practical?, job-ready trainings that are more likely to get quickly hired in tough times?? (My parents told me, "Major in what you love, minor in what is getting jobs.")

I'd like to know when they were guarantees to getting jobs. English majors and other liberal arts fields have had a hard time finding jobs for as long as I've been aware - with the exception of the boom in the late 90s where if you could breathe you were employable (and I think I hired a few people out of desperation that didn't qualify at that). Science degrees - if you want to work in the field - have pretty much always required a grad degree - unless you major in a tech field (like Engineering or Computer Science) instead of a general science field (Biology or Chemistry).

There are exceptions, people who get lucky and fall into jobs. But I graduated into the recession of the 1980s, I know a lot of people who never really did find their feet with their Anthropology degrees and picked up MBAs in their 30s to be employable at something other than running the latte machine.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I know we aren't supposed to post links here, so I'd like to direct some of you to a website (is that ok?). Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs" testified before Congress last spring about Vocational-Technical education and the dearth of jobs in those fields. I don't know if I like the video more because I teach in a Vo-Tech high school or because I really like Mike Rowe. Anyway, it is on his website (mikeroweworks dot com) and click on the tv in the middle.

 

[AJ1983]

Yes, she should definitely be waitressing while she is looking for a FT job in her field of choice! Like both PPs, I'd recommend that over a cashier job because she has potential to earn decent money and hopefully even save up a few bucks. PP, tell her to apply for EVERY unpaid internship and see if she can do multiple at a time. Also, if she can, an admin position at ANY office would serve her even better than waitressing. To get an entry-level job at a publishing house, they'll want to see she has office/assistant experience.

NO-- she absolutely does NOT need a masters to get a job in editing/publishing. PP, Unless you're willing to pay for it completely or she somehow manages to get a free ride, she'll be wasting her money completely. An undergrad degree is all she needs. In fact, with a masters she might run into the problem the OP has-- people not wanting to hire her because they know they'd have to pay her more in accordance to her degree.
OP-- I am so sorry. I know there are no words that will make you feel better, I just hope your situation improves soon...

I will correct my earlier post: I didn't mean a Master's is required, I just mean that, as another poster said, its a saturated market and people with higher education have a prima facie competitive edge for the jobs that will actually earn you a decent living. I'm sure I could have gotten A job with my English degree, but it would likely have been minimum wage. I now have about $55,000 in student loans from my second degree, but I also have a job that allows me to have a nice home, maintain a comfortable lifestyle, AND make above the minimum payment for student loan.

 

[Colleen27]

That can be a double edge sword. My company recieves hundreds of applications. One easy way for human resources to weed people out is by mistakes on the application. Simply put, if we can't trust you to fill out an application correctly we're not bringing you in for an interview and asking you all the information that should have been supplied.
I always encourage people applying to fill out the application completely.

It is a tough choice, but I'm in the camp that won't give my SS# & DOB unless I'm filling out my W4 and other pre-hire paperwork. Too often stacks of applications, especially those for low-wage positions like retail or food service, simply go into the trash rather than the shredder and I'm not comfortable with having my full name, address, SS# and DOB floating around for anyone who dumpster dives to find. That's just asking for problems.

 

[yoopermom]

I feel for you, OP, it sounds like you are under a lot of stress. I have suggestions:

1) definitely go to your local school district(s) and ask if any jobs are available, even substitute ones (cook, custodian, aide, etc) Getting your foot in the door is HUGE.

2)think about volunteering in ANY position within your community, but preferably one that has connections to possible positions in the future

3)do you have a nursing home nearby? Do they ever hire for p/t workers, or do you still have the physical ability to go back and get your CNA?

I'm 45 and DH is 50, and we'd love to move, but are both afraid of age discrimination in job getting. I've been laid off three times in the past eight years, and I know how frustrating this all is....

Terri

 

[blondietink]

I feel for you, OP, it sounds like you are under a lot of stress. I have suggestions:

1) definitely go to your local school district(s) and ask if any jobs are available, even substitute ones (cook, custodian, aide, etc) Getting your foot in the door is HUGE.

2)think about volunteering in ANY position within your community, but preferably one that has connections to possible positions in the future

3)do you have a nursing home nearby? Do they ever hire for p/t workers, or do you still have the physical ability to go back and get your CNA?

I'm 45 and DH is 50, and we'd love to move, but are both afraid of age discrimination in job getting. I've been laid off three times in the past eight years, and I know how frustrating this all is....

Terri

Thank you for your suggestions. Unfortunately I am already on the substitute list and 2 school districts within driving distance. Both laid off teachers, aides, etc. last year and they are the ones getting all the calls to substitute so far. My phone hasn't rung once so far this school year even though I have visited each school more than once.

One of my last interviews was at a local nursing home for a part-time job that paid $8.00/hr for a 4 hour day 5 days a week. I didn't get hired. Neither did my friend who has experience doing what they wanted and she is 3 years older than I am.

I do volunteer at the local hospital whenever I have the time. Hopefully soon somebody around here will have one of those free trainings to be a CNA that they used to give, but haven't in the last 2 years.

 

[eliza61]

Thank you for your suggestions. Unfortunately I am already on the substitute list and 2 school districts within driving distance. Both laid off teachers, aides, etc. last year and they are the ones getting all the calls to substitute so far. My phone hasn't rung once so far this school year even though I have visited each school more than once.

One of my last interviews was at a local nursing home for a part-time job that paid $8.00/hr for a 4 hour day 5 days a week. I didn't get hired. Neither did my friend who has experience doing what they wanted and she is 3 years older than I am.

I do volunteer at the local hospital whenever I have the time. Hopefully soon somebody around here will have one of those free trainings to be a CNA that they used to give, but haven't in the last 2 years.

Also check your local federal unemployment office. A lot of times they are the first to get free training information especially if it's paid for by a government grant. and quite often you don't have to be dirt poor to qualify for retraining ( a popular myth was that you had to be a welfare recepient to qualify)

 

[LSUDis]

I'd like to know when they were guarantees to getting jobs. English majors and other liberal arts fields have had a hard time finding jobs for as long as I've been aware - with the exception of the boom in the late 90s...

May be different elsewhere, but I double-majored in English in the early 90s and had no problem finding a job b/c nobody wanted to be teachers. It's life--you make changes based on the job you can get where-ever it is that you want to live. As I said, "Major in what you love (English)--minor in what is hiring (education)."

I'm coming from the perspective of having first-generation college grads as parents who lifted themselves from what a lot of people would consider poverty through getting an education. They pounded into my head that the way to change your life was through a college education. It was more like "Which college will you attend?" instead of "Are you going to college?"

My main point was that this may be a changing view. Wasn't there a point in which fairly sharp kids were expected to go to college and that a college degree in hand DID pretty much give you a good shot at SOME good job?

 

[Poppin]

Social networking is everything. Both my children were recruited immediately out of college doing this. LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/ is one of the best for networking.

Get a Facebook or Google+ account and reach out to all your friends to be on the lookout for a job for your skills.

Get a headhunter on board with you.

Go to the 50+ job sites...I recall one that use to send us job postings all the time....I think it was a part of Career Builder. DH had a resume out on Monster.com for some time as well.

Be prepared for the phone interviews. I recall only when they were very interested did he actually have a face to face interview. My daughter's job was a done deal 90% by phone interviews. Be prepared with a script.

My DH was in the same position at 50 with the same discrimination. He did find another position, but it was not the white collar job he previously had...yet the pay ultimately grew to be just as good.

Good luck!! My heart so goes out to you. When my DH lost his professional job at 50, our twins were only 15 in a tuition high school etc. It was devastating. My mom and dad were also living with us. A new door will open for you....I just know it!!!