Who will hire me when I turn 50?

[Anonymous]

Government

[Anonymous]

It's an amazing coincidence that me and four of my friends from a prestigious university all suddenly became unemployed for the first time in our lives within 6 months of our 50th birthdays. It was a pretty quick trip from being our companies' "most valuable asset" to the unemployment line.

I finally got another job at a fraction of the pay and no benefits but at lease I have somewhere to go tomorrow morning.

Don't kid yourself. Employers have their pick of qualified candidates and "over 50" is a pretty common screening technique. Go to your chosen job NOW.

[Anonymous]

I'm close to 50 in an IT field. The key for me is to work really hard to stay current with emerging technologies. I'm one of the few (perhaps only?) older technical people at the company that does this. It helps immensely when leading teams of much younger developers. If you're good, and stay really current it greatly helps. Not saying that age discrimination doesn't exist, but often older workers simply don't put in the time to stay current.

[Anonymous]

22:16. When it comes to a company's bottom line, nobody gives a rat's behind about how prestigious a school is. It's what have you done for me lately. 21:23. 100% agree. The trick is to stay current and makes yourself invaluable. And if not for them, then somebody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a PMP. Start networking now, etc etc.

I'm the OP. I have my PMP. The thing is that I'm well compensated right now and feel like I should keep doing what I'm doing for now and save money. But by 50 I'm not going to have it in me to keep doing this at my current company. Maybe I can look at universities or non-profit? There have to be companies that are open to an older workforce, right? I wouldn't expect to make the same salary so a salary cut would be expected.

[Anonymous]

What's pmp?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's pmp?

It's a project management professional certification

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a PMP. Start networking now, etc etc.

I'm the OP. I have my PMP. The thing is that I'm well compensated right now and feel like I should keep doing what I'm doing for now and save money. But by 50 I'm not going to have it in me to keep doing this at my current company. Maybe I can look at universities or non-profit? There have to be companies that are open to an older workforce, right? I wouldn't expect to make the same salary so a salary cut would be expected.

As PPs have said, OP, you need to make this transition NOW. If you wait until you are 50, you'll slow down and get laid off, joining the legions of 50+ workers who thought they were prized by their employers only to find a few years later that all their skills and experience meant nothing when they hit the big 5-0. I've seen it over and over and over again. A friend's DH was just laid off last month at age 55, after 30 years at the same company. Promotion after promotion, loads of very highly technical skill, and commensurate pay. But in a sweep, a group of workers, all over 50, were laid off. The company is profitable, and this is one way they stay that way -- by pushing older, highly compensated workers out the door and onto the unemployment lines.

Another friend lost her job at age 49, and quickly took another job for 30% less money. She's employed, but feels like she's hanging on by a thread. Once you hit 50, that's how you are going to feel, OP, unless you own the company. Another friend got laid off the week she turned 51. Her company was bought by another company, and the vast majority of the over-50s were laid off. My brother lost his job when he was 49. He was LOVED by his company, but when the recession hit, he and his fat paycheck had to go. He works for himself now, at half the pay and no benefits and no real job security. He has to hustle all the time.

These are all Ivy League graduates with graduate degrees, MBAs, MAs, PhDs!! We are talking highly skilled professionals!

There are over-50 success stories, and you may be lucky enough to be one of them, but the odds are against you. Beware and prepare, OP.

[Anonymous]

Also, there's no security in being the person who is doing the laying off, unless you own the company.

My friend was laid off by her boss, who was laid off six months later by HER boss. Many of the people involved in that layoff were subsequently laid off! And take a guess -- ALL of these employees were at or over 50!

This is the friend who's employed at a lower salary, worse benefits, but is extremely grateful at 50+ to have a job at all. It's not pretty out there if you are over 50, no matter who you are, you have to watch your back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a PMP. Start networking now, etc etc.

I'm the OP. I have my PMP. The thing is that I'm well compensated right now and feel like I should keep doing what I'm doing for now and save money. But by 50 I'm not going to have it in me to keep doing this at my current company. Maybe I can look at universities or non-profit? There have to be companies that are open to an older workforce, right? I wouldn't expect to make the same salary so a salary cut would be expected.

As PPs have said, OP, you need to make this transition NOW. If you wait until you are 50, you'll slow down and get laid off, joining the legions of 50+ workers who thought they were prized by their employers only to find a few years later that all their skills and experience meant nothing when they hit the big 5-0. I've seen it over and over and over again. A friend's DH was just laid off last month at age 55, after 30 years at the same company. Promotion after promotion, loads of very highly technical skill, and commensurate pay. But in a sweep, a group of workers, all over 50, were laid off. The company is profitable, and this is one way they stay that way -- by pushing older, highly compensated workers out the door and onto the unemployment lines.

Another friend lost her job at age 49, and quickly took another job for 30% less money. She's employed, but feels like she's hanging on by a thread. Once you hit 50, that's how you are going to feel, OP, unless you own the company. Another friend got laid off the week she turned 51. Her company was bought by another company, and the vast majority of the over-50s were laid off. My brother lost his job when he was 49. He was LOVED by his company, but when the recession hit, he and his fat paycheck had to go. He works for himself now, at half the pay and no benefits and no real job security. He has to hustle all the time.

These are all Ivy League graduates with graduate degrees, MBAs, MAs, PhDs!! We are talking highly skilled professionals!

There are over-50 success stories, and you may be lucky enough to be one of them, but the odds are against you. Beware and prepare, OP.

OP here. I am an Ivy League graduate with an MBA. Problem is I don't know where to go that's "safe". I'm going to need to work at least until I'm 60. I have small children so at least 20 years of working left. Wouldn't an age friendly workplace higher me in my late 40's? I'd be fine with a salary cut at that time.

[Anonymous]

Yikes, depressing thread!

[Anonymous]

OP, you can teach PMP courses? I think there is a pretty high demand for doing that. Maybe focus on bumping up to the next level and then try to teach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't an age friendly workplace higher me in my late 40's?

No. You need to be already employed at the company/association and be tremendously valuable. And even that combination is not safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a PMP. Start networking now, etc etc.

I'm the OP. I have my PMP. The thing is that I'm well compensated right now and feel like I should keep doing what I'm doing for now and save money. But by 50 I'm not going to have it in me to keep doing this at my current company. Maybe I can look at universities or non-profit? There have to be companies that are open to an older workforce, right? I wouldn't expect to make the same salary so a salary cut would be expected.

As PPs have said, OP, you need to make this transition NOW. If you wait until you are 50, you'll slow down and get laid off, joining the legions of 50+ workers who thought they were prized by their employers only to find a few years later that all their skills and experience meant nothing when they hit the big 5-0. I've seen it over and over and over again. A friend's DH was just laid off last month at age 55, after 30 years at the same company. Promotion after promotion, loads of very highly technical skill, and commensurate pay. But in a sweep, a group of workers, all over 50, were laid off. The company is profitable, and this is one way they stay that way -- by pushing older, highly compensated workers out the door and onto the unemployment lines.

Another friend lost her job at age 49, and quickly took another job for 30% less money. She's employed, but feels like she's hanging on by a thread. Once you hit 50, that's how you are going to feel, OP, unless you own the company. Another friend got laid off the week she turned 51. Her company was bought by another company, and the vast majority of the over-50s were laid off. My brother lost his job when he was 49. He was LOVED by his company, but when the recession hit, he and his fat paycheck had to go. He works for himself now, at half the pay and no benefits and no real job security. He has to hustle all the time.

These are all Ivy League graduates with graduate degrees, MBAs, MAs, PhDs!! We are talking highly skilled professionals!

There are over-50 success stories, and you may be lucky enough to be one of them, but the odds are against you. Beware and prepare, OP.

OP here. I am an Ivy League graduate with an MBA. Problem is I don't know where to go that's "safe". I'm going to need to work at least until I'm 60. I have small children so at least 20 years of working left. Wouldn't an age friendly workplace higher me in my late 40's? I'd be fine with a salary cut at that time.

very few careers are safe anymore for professionals in the us.

our culture is every man/women for themselves and we pride ourselves on replacing skilled workers with H1Bs from India and China on the cheap. and watch it from a distance and when it hits us wonder how this could have ever happened.

only way to protect yourself is to work in an industry that requires deep domain knowledge and in which the knowledge is not constantly changing, where experience is an asset and not a liability. Find that career and you can work for a long time and not worry about being replaced by an H1B or college student. Not IT, but biology or chemistry or tax law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a PMP. Start networking now, etc etc.

I'm the OP. I have my PMP. The thing is that I'm well compensated right now and feel like I should keep doing what I'm doing for now and save money. But by 50 I'm not going to have it in me to keep doing this at my current company. Maybe I can look at universities or non-profit? There have to be companies that are open to an older workforce, right? I wouldn't expect to make the same salary so a salary cut would be expected.

As PPs have said, OP, you need to make this transition NOW. If you wait until you are 50, you'll slow down and get laid off, joining the legions of 50+ workers who thought they were prized by their employers only to find a few years later that all their skills and experience meant nothing when they hit the big 5-0. I've seen it over and over and over again. A friend's DH was just laid off last month at age 55, after 30 years at the same company. Promotion after promotion, loads of very highly technical skill, and commensurate pay. But in a sweep, a group of workers, all over 50, were laid off. The company is profitable, and this is one way they stay that way -- by pushing older, highly compensated workers out the door and onto the unemployment lines.

Another friend lost her job at age 49, and quickly took another job for 30% less money. She's employed, but feels like she's hanging on by a thread. Once you hit 50, that's how you are going to feel, OP, unless you own the company. Another friend got laid off the week she turned 51. Her company was bought by another company, and the vast majority of the over-50s were laid off. My brother lost his job when he was 49. He was LOVED by his company, but when the recession hit, he and his fat paycheck had to go. He works for himself now, at half the pay and no benefits and no real job security. He has to hustle all the time.

These are all Ivy League graduates with graduate degrees, MBAs, MAs, PhDs!! We are talking highly skilled professionals!

There are over-50 success stories, and you may be lucky enough to be one of them, but the odds are against you. Beware and prepare, OP.

OP here. I am an Ivy League graduate with an MBA. Problem is I don't know where to go that's "safe". I'm going to need to work at least until I'm 60. I have small children so at least 20 years of working left. Wouldn't an age friendly workplace higher me in my late 40's? I'd be fine with a salary cut at that time.

very few careers are safe anymore for professionals in the us.

our culture is every man/women for themselves and we pride ourselves on replacing skilled workers with H1Bs from India and China on the cheap. and watch it from a distance and when it hits us wonder how this could have ever happened.

only way to protect yourself is to work in an industry that requires deep domain knowledge and in which the knowledge is not constantly changing, where experience is an asset and not a liability. Find that career and you can work for a long time and not worry about being replaced by an H1B or college student. Not IT, but biology or chemistry or tax law.

Also include accounting in that list. Which is why I took the CPA exam in my late 40s-career insurance. No job is safe, EVER. On DCUM people introduce themselves as Ivy League graduates. Great, glad you could get in but when a company is cutting costs, that means nothing. It's all about marketable skills.