Everyone I know is laid off by age 55

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it is worth I got hired for high tech job at 58. My smart thing I did was transition to federal area 2 years prior. I was once virtually laid off before that so I knew I needed to find a new area to focus. Federal is much less age conscious. DH got laid off, got a 9 month contract and then they offered him a full time job. Another Avenue. He is 61.

Tough to get clearance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

That's disgusting. Now 48 is too old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

What professions/industries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see Biden's policy of Medicare at age 60 enacted.

Well, guess you should have thought have that 30 years ago. I’m OK as long as we pay for it by means testing social security - Boomers helping boomers (my parents will survive on their six figure pensions I’m sure).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just interviewed a 50ish woman for a position that currently is filled by people in their 20’s. She was stressing out big time about how to use the computer software, her current job isn’t teaching her etc. This is why we are reluctant to hire older employees. She could be good at her healthcare job but can’t handle the basic computer skills.

This is very true. I have a direct report in her 60s, and anytime an email is sent out about a new website or Teams group that our leadership wants us to join, my direct report expects me to setup time and walk her through it step by steps, even though detailed sign up instructions are included in the email, and she could easily read and follow them by herself. It is a big waste of my time.

She also calls me for anything even remotely different than her typical processes, and rants as if it’s the end of the world, when it’s no big deal. And she goes on in circles for 30 minutes. Experiences like this are what make hiring managers reluctant to hire older workers. We don’t have the time to babysit and hand hold people for routine mundane tasks.

Older workers definitely bring value, but if the costs of time and effort outweigh the value, then leaders look to younger talent that doesn’t require as much handholding. Older workers in the workforce are still competing against younger talent with fresher skillsets, so the onus is on them to stay on top of their game if they want to be seriously considered in hiring decisions.

There are plenty of spoiled, narcissistic whiners among the “younger talent.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's weird is the 50s is when women are done raising children or have children in the upper grades of high school. They have fewer distractions, they don't need to leave early to take care of children, they can fully focus on the work. Sure, they don't look 30, but they don't have that baggage, either.

I did the best work of my career in early 50s. I left for a health care company after that and my collogues were wondering why I did not coast on my reputation. Corporation did not care then, certainly would not care now. I am glad I left when I did. Most of my ole collogues were pushed out when the company was bought.

[Anonymous]

As someone in my 30s, my takeaway is to keep saving as if I'm going to retire at 50. This is sad news. I always thought I'd transition into teaching as my second career., just to keep my mind occupied and spend time with kids. Is that an option for other folks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am interviewing now. And I can tell you it is real. I have an amazing resume. However, I made it appear I graduated college in 1989. It is actually 1984.

I interview with folks 20 years younger who often have no clue what I do and companies are using HR tools to have them key in if you are hitting their weird behavioral and culture fit type responses.

I am not geared for these type of resumes.

Then I get these where do you see yourself in five years questions. First I am 59. Dont ask that, second I am applying for head of an area, so I really cant get promoted if I got the job.

Bascially they want the knowledge of a 59 year old in the body of a good looking 29 year old Hispanic femaille who passes for white. .

You lied on your resume?

NP. You don't need to lie. Just don't put graduation dates after your degree. Also don't put anything that is older than 10 years on your resume unless you are interviewing for a niche or executive job. Nobody gives a shit about what you are good at 10 years ago anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone here who had to retire early and fund their own healthcare? What does it cost per year? This is the part of getting pushed out early the scares me.

2,605/month with one dependent

This is a lot of money if it was not budgeted long ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

That's disgusting. Now 48 is too old?

But it’s not disgusting when 58 or 60 is too old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just interviewed a 50ish woman for a position that currently is filled by people in their 20’s. She was stressing out big time about how to use the computer software, her current job isn’t teaching her etc. This is why we are reluctant to hire older employees. She could be good at her healthcare job but can’t handle the basic computer skills.

This is very true. I have a direct report in her 60s, and anytime an email is sent out about a new website or Teams group that our leadership wants us to join, my direct report expects me to setup time and walk her through it step by steps, even though detailed sign up instructions are included in the email, and she could easily read and follow them by herself. It is a big waste of my time.

She also calls me for anything even remotely different than her typical processes, and rants as if it’s the end of the world, when it’s no big deal. And she goes on in circles for 30 minutes. Experiences like this are what make hiring managers reluctant to hire older workers. We don’t have the time to babysit and hand hold people for routine mundane tasks.

Older workers definitely bring value, but if the costs of time and effort outweigh the value, then leaders look to younger talent that doesn’t require as much handholding. Older workers in the workforce are still competing against younger talent with fresher skillsets, so the onus is on them to stay on top of their game if they want to be seriously considered in hiring decisions.

I've never met an incompetent tech worker like the one you two mentioned, no matter the age. What kind of cushy industries are you two working in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

That's disgusting. Now 48 is too old?

By 35 you start being a bit long in the tooth in tech unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone in my 30s, my takeaway is to keep saving as if I'm going to retire at 50. This is sad news. I always thought I'd transition into teaching as my second career., just to keep my mind occupied and spend time with kids. Is that an option for other folks?

My son's high school teacher used to be a lawyer, now she teaches a foreign language in a private school in DC. So it is possible, but takes some planning. My son actually wants to make enough money in tech, then retire in his 30s and being a private school teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

That's disgusting. Now 48 is too old?

By 35 you start being a bit long in the tooth in tech unfortunately.

Wow! So is that not a good field to get into? Or can you use the skills elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of us were pushed out, 51 and 54. Techies. Had a 10 and 12 year old. Outsourced to India in one case and new younger hire in another. Took DH a year to find something at 30% lower salary and I haven’t found anything yet.

Our story almost exactly. His is 45% less salary. I am jobless. 50, 48.

That's disgusting. Now 48 is too old?

By 35 you start being a bit long in the tooth in tech unfortunately.

Wow! So is that not a good field to get into? Or can you use the skills elsewhere?

So should my DS who is majoring in Comp Sci at UMD look into another field?