Everyone I know is laid off by age 55

[Anonymous]

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.

We had to go private pay. PPO is $1700/month with 6K deductible for two adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t new. It’s why the adea was enacted. My father was a professional with over 30 years at a company in the late 80s—they pushed out all the people over 55 at the site in my hometown by telling them they had to take a RIf package or they would be moved to an incredibly remote location. I knew so many people with fathers laid off or who had to relocate. They replaced my father with a guy in his 20s who did not know how to do the work at all.
Incidentally, that company then started to spiral downwards and is a shadow of its former self.

Let me guess - GE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not in the federal government, there are full time employees in their 80's. And people in their 60's are routinely hired.

+1, I have not seen age discrimination at my agency.

Yep, this does not happen in government.

Agreed.

I've seen it at my agency. Got new leadership in. They've been hiring young outsiders to be supervisors of experienced mid-level folk in their 50s who aren't able to move up, or more senior staff in their 60s find themselves suddenly under another, new layer of supervision by younger recruits. It's clearly designed to make people want to leave.

But it's true that it's hard to lay off staff, so if you don't mind what is essentially a demotion or a stunted career you can stay on.

[Anonymous]

My goal is to be done by 55 and after that just be running up the score or saving for grandkids college or a boat or something. I think that’s the approach all professionals should try to take if they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t new. It’s why the adea was enacted. My father was a professional with over 30 years at a company in the late 80s—they pushed out all the people over 55 at the site in my hometown by telling them they had to take a RIf package or they would be moved to an incredibly remote location. I knew so many people with fathers laid off or who had to relocate. They replaced my father with a guy in his 20s who did not know how to do the work at all.
Incidentally, that company then started to spiral downwards and is a shadow of its former self.

Let me guess - GE.

Actually no, but I think it was sort of the story of the 80s/early 90s—all those great post-war companies got sold a bill of goods by consultants/MBAs telling them they needed to cut back and outsource. By the time they looked up, they realized they’d stripped the company down to nothing and had lost what made them great. My dad’s company used to make just about everything America needed to enter the modern world, and now I think they make nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t new. It’s why the adea was enacted. My father was a professional with over 30 years at a company in the late 80s—they pushed out all the people over 55 at the site in my hometown by telling them they had to take a RIf package or they would be moved to an incredibly remote location. I knew so many people with fathers laid off or who had to relocate. They replaced my father with a guy in his 20s who did not know how to do the work at all.
Incidentally, that company then started to spiral downwards and is a shadow of its former self.

Let me guess - GE.

Actually no, but I think it was sort of the story of the 80s/early 90s—all those great post-war companies got sold a bill of goods by consultants/MBAs telling them they needed to cut back and outsource. By the time they looked up, they realized they’d stripped the company down to nothing and had lost what made them great. My dad’s company used to make just about everything America needed to enter the modern world, and now I think they make nothing.

My guess is Sears.

[Anonymous]

I got laid off from a long term job at 54 then again at 57. From my older friends as you age your shelf life shortens.

My current job no way I last more than two years.

I may sound crazy I think I have one more big job in me. I would love a really big job in my 60s and go out in top as beats driving a school bus for health insurance pre Medicare

[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.

Believe me y'all it's getting younger.

- Tech HR for a small to medium sized consulting company (80-100). We have SO many people from India (not the best communication skills and I know they have lied a lot in their resume) but the price is right for the clients.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

FFS. No. Most of these people don't know what they're talking about.

If you let yourself stagnate in tech, your market value will diminish over time. It's a dynamic field and you need to stay on top of things and/or move into management. But, no, do not encourage your son to leave one of the most lucrative fields because of a bunch of anonymous online posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

FFS. No. Most of these people don't know what they're talking about.

If you let yourself stagnate in tech, your market value will diminish over time. It's a dynamic field and you need to stay on top of things and/or move into management. But, no, do not encourage your son to leave one of the most lucrative fields because of a bunch of anonymous online posts.

YMMV. I’m the one who posted about 35yo. Yes, you need to do things to stay sharp, but it doesn’t always help. Not everyone is able to keep their handin the game. Many will get moved to management or business development. Very few continue to program and be very hands on with the tech where you’re really keeping your skills sharp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:45 yr old checking in. This thread has scared the crap out of me. Thanks guys!

Me too and I’m only 37. I have alot to think about.

[Anonymous]

I did my MBA just to avoid this situation as a techie. Got booted at 54. Been a year. Didn’t find anything even close. I think it will early retirement for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

FFS. No. Most of these people don't know what they're talking about.

If you let yourself stagnate in tech, your market value will diminish over time. It's a dynamic field and you need to stay on top of things and/or move into management. But, no, do not encourage your son to leave one of the most lucrative fields because of a bunch of anonymous online posts.

YMMV. I’m the one who posted about 35yo. Yes, you need to do things to stay sharp, but it doesn’t always help. Not everyone is able to keep their handin the game. Many will get moved to management or business development. Very few continue to program and be very hands on with the tech where you’re really keeping your skills sharp.

I agree. You need to study to stay sharp. It usually means using your own personal time to keep your skills current, because you may not get the opportunity to learn new stuff at your job. That is the catch-22. You can become great at what you do for your company but that may mean that you do not learn anything else. If you are not self-studying at home and investing time and money, you will be a one-trick pony who will become obsolete soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did my MBA just to avoid this situation as a techie. Got booted at 54. Been a year. Didn’t find anything even close. I think it will early retirement for me.

DH did his MBA as a techie too. He was already in project management at that time but wanted to cement his position. He is employed as a manager, and he keeps up with his tech skills by self studying at home and doing a lot of projects. He has not let his tech skills rust. While at work he is not writing a single line of code, he is actually very well versed in a lot of new tech because he is spending his time studying and getting certifications etc.

Here is the kicker. Right now, there is a massive shortage of skilled programmers and people who understand business development and project management etc. Anyone whose tech skills are strong are being poached by other companies at double or triple their current salaries. This is true worldwide. So, this is a lucrative field but you cannot let your guard down. You got to keep learning and keep current.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did my MBA just to avoid this situation as a techie. Got booted at 54. Been a year. Didn’t find anything even close. I think it will early retirement for me.

DH did his MBA as a techie too. He was already in project management at that time but wanted to cement his position. He is employed as a manager, and he keeps up with his tech skills by self studying at home and doing a lot of projects. He has not let his tech skills rust. While at work he is not writing a single line of code, he is actually very well versed in a lot of new tech because he is spending his time studying and getting certifications etc.

Here is the kicker. Right now, there is a massive shortage of skilled programmers and people who understand business development and project management etc. Anyone whose tech skills are strong are being poached by other companies at double or triple their current salaries. This is true worldwide. So, this is a lucrative field but you cannot let your guard down. You got to keep learning and keep current.

So he essentially has a 60 hr week job. Do you work? I assume he makes $300k or more right?