Getting new job at 60

[Anonymous]

I’m a woman of color who did project management for a legacy tech company. I was laid off pre pandemic, and haven’t worked since then.

My kids are having some failure to launch scenarios, and my parents need help, so I’m looking to return to workforce.

I’ve applied a bunch but had no leads, all my contacts have retired.

Where should I be looking at age 60??

[Anonymous]

State government?

[Anonymous]

Contract work ... project management should be easy... do you have a PMP?

[Anonymous]

Alos remove dates from your college graduation or any jobs in your 20's so it looks like you are 50.

[Anonymous]

OP - I am mid 50s and was laid off last year. It took six months for me to get a new position. I applied to ~ 10 positions each week. A few of my older call leagues have not been a successful. It is tough.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

One question that employers may be wondering when they assess your application is, why didn't you look for jobs after your layoff several years ago? How long ago were you laid off? You mentioned "pre-pandemic" but what does that mean, was it 4 years ago, 5, 10??

Project Management has evolved quite a bit over the past 10 years. Your skill set is likely being seen as stale, and especially so if you haven't bothered to pick up any contract or consulting gigs in the past several years. This means you haven't kept up with current industry trends and all the many new PM tools and technology out there, or methodologies. It also doesn't help that the background you do have was at a legacy tech company, bc that means your scope of experience is very limited to only what that 1 company had going on.

Explain to us why an employer should hire you to be their PM. If you can do that, that will help you articulate your value during future interviews.

I also think you should focus your job search on applications with contracting and consulting firms, then use that to leverage a full time role later. I can't imagine any company being willing to take a risk offering a FT role to someone who hasn't worked at all in at least 4-5 years+.

[Anonymous]

Why can’t I get an entry level QA position. They hire fresh grads with zero experience

[Anonymous]

What age will you likely retire? 62? 65? This is a tough age because many companies don’t want to train someone who might just leave in 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age will you likely retire? 62? 65? This is a tough age because many companies don’t want to train someone who might just leave in 2 years.

72 from the looks of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age will you likely retire? 62? 65? This is a tough age because many companies don’t want to train someone who might just leave in 2 years.

That is BS. millenials have been job hopping for decades, 2 year stints or less, and they still get hired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age will you likely retire? 62? 65? This is a tough age because many companies don’t want to train someone who might just leave in 2 years.

That is BS. millenials have been job hopping for decades, 2 year stints or less, and they still get hired.

Is job hopping even stigmatized anymore?

[Anonymous]

I am 61 and start a new job next week. Just don’t tell them your age or any personal info

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age will you likely retire? 62? 65? This is a tough age because many companies don’t want to train someone who might just leave in 2 years.

That is BS. millenials have been job hopping for decades, 2 year stints or less, and they still get hired.

Is job hopping even stigmatized anymore?

No and it in fact is encouraged because it’s the only way to get meaningful raises.

Yet PP is saying “oh how long will you stick around at 60, three years?”

[Anonymous]

I’m in HR. You can do this. Your experience has value!
Remove graduation dates and all jobs that indicate you have more than 20 years experience from your resume
Spruce up your linkedin account. You have one right? That’s the first place I go when I want to check on a resume I’ve received. It better be solid thorough and appealing
Color your hair, beautify, work on makeup and wardrobe for your interviews. If you wear a boxy blazer statement necklace and slacks I immediately think you are too old, you are current
Then Get ready for interviews and phone screens- Watch your language…. Don’t drop words that indicate you are a boomer … one of my boomers says Young ‘uns. A Gen x would Never say that. Don’t drop industry terms from 1980. Eradicate and replace with current terminology. Google is your friend.
Once hired Do not leak your age your graduation date how long you have been married for the first 12 months on the job

[Anonymous]

My FIL went back to work at 65 after being laid off a few years earlier. It took him over a year to get an offer, but he also wasn’t giving it much effort at first. I also think it helped that he colored his hair to more of a grey, when it had been white. He will likely work til he’s 75 if he can!