Do you know anyone laid off for an extended period of time? What was their situation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

Live off your savings, downsize drastically, start a dog walking, house cleaning or babysitting business. That’s always been the American way.

I find it truly astonishing that these questions are only now popping up on DCUM. I guess the crowd here (or their parents) completely missed out on the collapse of multiple industries in the 1980-90s. Some time ago I posted here a link to a NYTimes article from 2001 about middle aged people who lost their executive jobs in tech industry and were never able to get back in the saddle.

That sounds absolutely miserable, to have to downsize and go to such a low standard of living. I feel like at a certain point I’d just find it pointless to stay alive to be honest.

Do you have a spouse and children? You don't get to give up when you have family relying on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After 50s, you should talk in years, not months.

This was ages ago but my dad was laid off the week before his 50th birthday. He applied and interviewed for jobs for 10 years before he stopped and "retired". He was told unofficially, that he was overqualified and that the company decided to hire someone more junior. He also got lots of phone calls from these same companies asking if he would be willing to answer just a few questions to help that junior person out. Looking back he should have become a consultant but this was a different time and he was in an industry where that hadn't happened before. My parents had plenty of money in their retirement account but after 3 years ran out of liquid funds. So my mom got a part time job to pay for things like groceries until they hit 60 and could access some of the retirement accounts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

Live off your savings, downsize drastically, start a dog walking, house cleaning or babysitting business. That’s always been the American way.

I find it truly astonishing that these questions are only now popping up on DCUM. I guess the crowd here (or their parents) completely missed out on the collapse of multiple industries in the 1980-90s. Some time ago I posted here a link to a NYTimes article from 2001 about middle aged people who lost their executive jobs in tech industry and were never able to get back in the saddle.

That sounds absolutely miserable, to have to downsize and go to such a low standard of living. I feel like at a certain point I’d just find it pointless to stay alive to be honest.

Do you have a spouse and children? You don't get to give up when you have family relying on you.

Spouse, no children (decided not to have them in light of the current economic climate) so that aspect is ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

I think we’re all supposed become factory workers. In the fictional factories of the future that will never be built.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It use to be said that it takes 1 month for every 10K of salary

That didn’t take into account tens of thousands of people just like you getting laid off simultaneously. I hate this administration with every fiber of my being. That we have billionaires gleefully getting rid of people whose health insurance is tied to their jobs, knowing many of the older ones might never find salaried work again. Unconscionable that anyone supports these monsters.

[Anonymous]

DD was laid off from her first real job out of college and is coming up on 15months of searching for a full-time job. She found a PT, but that barely covers her living expenses. The constant rejections were affecting her mental health, so she took a break from searching and is afraid to start again. Her confidence is shot, and she is extremely depressed. Counselors didn't seem to help. I'm not sure how to help her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD was laid off from her first real job out of college and is coming up on 15months of searching for a full-time job. She found a PT, but that barely covers her living expenses. The constant rejections were affecting her mental health, so she took a break from searching and is afraid to start again. Her confidence is shot, and she is extremely depressed. Counselors didn't seem to help. I'm not sure how to help her.

What field is she in? This is awful.

[Anonymous]

My husband worked in tech and was laid off a few years ago at 60. Gave up on job hunting after six months and embraced retirement.

Same thing happened to my dad when I was in college. Dad was in his late 50s, laid off from senior management, never got a comparable job. He enjoyed running a pretty informal small business as the neighborhood handyman.

[Anonymous]

My FIL ended up volunteering for the Small Business Administration and driving older people to their appointments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD was laid off from her first real job out of college and is coming up on 15months of searching for a full-time job. She found a PT, but that barely covers her living expenses. The constant rejections were affecting her mental health, so she took a break from searching and is afraid to start again. Her confidence is shot, and she is extremely depressed. Counselors didn't seem to help. I'm not sure how to help her.

Can she move back in with you?

[Anonymous]

Unrealistic demands / too picky or useless skills, e.g., usaid, grants, etc. The later should look into service jobs and other non office things.

[Anonymous]

I took a big payout and it's only part time work.

Luckily I get great health insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

Live off your savings, downsize drastically, start a dog walking, house cleaning or babysitting business. That’s always been the American way.

I find it truly astonishing that these questions are only now popping up on DCUM. I guess the crowd here (or their parents) completely missed out on the collapse of multiple industries in the 1980-90s. Some time ago I posted here a link to a NYTimes article from 2001 about middle aged people who lost their executive jobs in tech industry and were never able to get back in the saddle.

That sounds absolutely miserable, to have to downsize and go to such a low standard of living. I feel like at a certain point I’d just find it pointless to stay alive to be honest.

You sound on spectrum. 'Low standard of living' doesn't mean miserable life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

Live off your savings, downsize drastically, start a dog walking, house cleaning or babysitting business. That’s always been the American way.

I find it truly astonishing that these questions are only now popping up on DCUM. I guess the crowd here (or their parents) completely missed out on the collapse of multiple industries in the 1980-90s. Some time ago I posted here a link to a NYTimes article from 2001 about middle aged people who lost their executive jobs in tech industry and were never able to get back in the saddle.

That sounds absolutely miserable, to have to downsize and go to such a low standard of living. I feel like at a certain point I’d just find it pointless to stay alive to be honest.

You sound on spectrum. 'Low standard of living' doesn't mean miserable life.

I am just so worried about the future and not being able to afford health insurance, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding, OP? Months is the bare minimum these days. It’s brutal. Especially in your 40s or older.

So how are you supposed to support yourself or your family?

I think we’re all supposed become factory workers. In the fictional factories of the future that will never be built.

Or farm workers. There won't be any immigrants left to do our manual labor.