50 and facing ageism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hiring Managers don't want to work with expert people in fear of looking less senior.

Another side of the story is we have hired experienced people and they all left within a month. But the naïve young hires are still around after 3 years.

Less experienced managers are worried their lack of expertise will be revealed. Totally stupid and 100% happening in all industries.

[Anonymous]

Op, are you working with a head hunter?
Call at least three and setup interviews asap!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you are less highly skilled and expert than you imagine.

+1 This is very possible. However, OP could also be too highly experienced. Good hiring managers are confident enough to hire individuals who are smarter and more experienced than them. However, in practice, if you’re more experienced than the hiring manager, you could be viewed as a threat to the hiring manager.

[Anonymous]

re: age discrimination: employers know that unemployed former employees won't have money to continue long legal processes to sue, and former employees won't have time for the lengthy delays in the legal process. so they do it and as assumed, don't get caught 99.5% of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you are less highly skilled and expert than you imagine.

+1 This is very possible. However, OP could also be too highly experienced. Good hiring managers are confident enough to hire individuals who are smarter and more experienced than them. However, in practice, if you’re more experienced than the hiring manager, you could be viewed as a threat to the hiring manager.

The key is to be experienced up to 95% of the HM's capacity, but with visible shortcoming in an area associated with leadership qualities. For example, have all the technical competencies and communication skills, but demonstrate a disinterest in managing expectation from senior leadership. Or have all the skills but show preference in bring innovation to the day to day grind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am highly skilled and considered an expert in my field, yet cant seem to even get a reply to job applications. Is it my age?

I was 53 when I realized that my current job would end and I was unlikely to find a new job. My wife, son. and I lived in Denver at that time. Between September 2009 and April 2010 I applied to over 600 jobs on USAjobs. A handful of interviews, but no offers. Finally an interview and then an offer, but only by lying. "Why are you leaving Denver?" "Oh, my wife has a job offer in Washington so we have to move." (Yes, I lied. You may to also to land a job.) I received the job offer April 5, EOD was April 24, a term position GS-13.

I rented a basement efficiency posted on Craigslist, across the street from a Metro stop, as my wife needed the car in Denver. A Zipcar stand existed in the Metro parking lot, so I would rent a car for 2-3 hours every Saturday for groceries, etc. I flew into Reagan with two suitcases
and rode the Metro to my new apartment which I had rented sight unseen. I lodged in a hotel the first night a few blocks from my apartment. The next afternoon I Zipped to the College Park IKEA and for $300 purchased a single bed frame, rolled mattress, and a ready to assemble dining table and 4 chairs.
Literally my first day in DC I began submitting USAjob applications. Ten months and 300 applications later I was offered a permanent position with the State Department.

Finally, after a bounce to a contractor for a few years, returned to a permanent Federal position and a '1' on my SF-50.

I am now 68 and will work as many years as I can. Cannot afford to retire, plus my wife now has a permanent Federal position. I am healthy and will keeping working.