55 year old - been searching for job for almost 2 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Husband is the breadwinner and out of work. I gave up my career to raise kids and would be hard to get back in after 7 years out of the professional workplace.

HR is going to be a tough field to find his equivalent as when times are tough HR first place orgs cut. Also job market in general very tight right now.

What was your field? If you can’t transition back what about new options. 7 yrs not that long in the scheme of things. I’ve seen women go through divorce or deaths of spouse…they become teachers, nurses, lab techs, start consulting gigs, start as admins and work up.

You need to also start looking. We are going to be in this economy a long time I fear and so we all need to contribute to our financial well- being as a family unit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started college and starts his first job on Friday.
Where is all the money your partner made?
Your investments should have grown 50% in the last two years.
I made $13k today in the market. I never earned more than $40k a year, but I build up investments just in case I'm let go. I also have three employers waiting for me to come back to work.
What about the experience and connections your partner should have?
Why are you not working?
Why are the kids not working?
You got to be able to pivot fast.

NP.
Agree, they need to pivot fast. But I don’t think PP understands this industry.

Btw, no VP in tech in corporate America was making $1M. My partner was an SVP and not making close to that. The posters above are clueless.

Op, there are no jobs in tech right now. My dh was laid off 2 years ago and nothing.

Your dh needs to pivot and so do you. Look for a job. My family is living on my salary now.

Plenty of VPs make that much, including myself. I'm lucky, but not unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids are in college, the husband is unemployed, and the wife won't also look for any kind of job herself?

Wow.

She will only make some sub $100k salary, while he usually brings in $1M or so, so yeah it seems pointless for her to look.

If he was pulling in "$1M or so" for a decent amount of time he wouldn't have to, as OP said, "work for another 5 to 10 years."

He works in tech, a VP in tech should be raking in the dough.

[Anonymous]

My dad started his consulting business at 50 after a career in public policy. It's still going today 30 years later. Can your husband start consulting in HR for other companies? I own a business and often need HR advice but don't want to go to our attorney. Surely there are lots of things he can do, he may need to pivot.

[Anonymous]

I'm somewhat surprised because my clients are ALWAYS looking for good high level HR people (like Director level). It's really hard to find people like that, since no one wants to do HR and most people don't have the skill set. Where is he looking? Admittedly, my clients aren't paying what the tech firms were probably paying, but probably in the $100-200K range. Is he working with a head hunter?
I also agree with possibly consulting -- there are HR consulting companies out there and in my experience most of the people working there are not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started college and starts his first job on Friday.
Where is all the money your partner made?
Your investments should have grown 50% in the last two years.
I made $13k today in the market. I never earned more than $40k a year, but I build up investments just in case I'm let go. I also have three employers waiting for me to come back to work.
What about the experience and connections your partner should have?
Why are you not working?
Why are the kids not working?
You got to be able to pivot fast.

This person pops up on every thread gloating and their stories get more nonsensical each time.

Lol. “Oh, you’re out of work, lemme tell you how much money I have and how desirable I am!!!”

From what I remember, they worked in restaurants. Not sure "three employers" wanting you to work for them is as impressive if one of them is the Cheesecake Factory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm somewhat surprised because my clients are ALWAYS looking for good high level HR people (like Director level). It's really hard to find people like that, since no one wants to do HR and most people don't have the skill set. Where is he looking? Admittedly, my clients aren't paying what the tech firms were probably paying, but probably in the $100-200K range. Is he working with a head hunter?
I also agree with possibly consulting -- there are HR consulting companies out there and in my experience most of the people working there are not great.

$200k won’t even get OP to roll out of bed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Husband is the breadwinner and out of work. I gave up my career to raise kids and would be hard to get back in after 7 years out of the professional workplace.

get yo a** back in the game lady! He's been out of work for 2 years!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Husband is the breadwinner and out of work. I gave up my career to raise kids and would be hard to get back in after 7 years out of the professional workplace.

Have you tried?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Husband is the breadwinner and out of work. I gave up my career to raise kids and would be hard to get back in after 7 years out of the professional workplace.

This mentality makes sense for the first few months but after a year passed it’s pretty crazy to think this way. you need all hands on deck! he was providing for you for almost a decade now it’s time for you to step up that’s what marriage is about- getting each other through tough times. Don’t just be the weight he’s bearing right now.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely absurd that somehow you don't see YOUR responsibility to get a job and bring in some income, OP. If I were your husband, I'd honestly be pretty disgusted by you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I would look into being a teaching assistant. The pay isn't great, but the benefits are, and steady little pay is way better than no pay. You do not bring work home at night, and have weekends and holidays off. Who knows...you might even like it.

+1 to all this. Go get a TB test and start the application process. The need in public school systems is massive. Pay is very low, but you can access health insurance and retirement benefits.

You will also be well-positioned to move into other positions within the school district of you decide it’s not a long-term option for you.

Agreed. Lots of time off and you walk out the door at the end of the day with none of the stress that a teacher carries. The pay isn't great, but you'll be able to sign up for health insurance to cover your whole family, which results in better coverage and big savings.

And if you do want to teach, it can be a way in. I took a TA job many years ago when we first moved to the DC area and planned for it to be a filler. I ended up being granted a Virginia provisional license, getting a master's at GMU, and teaching for a decade until we moved out of the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely absurd that somehow you don't see YOUR responsibility to get a job and bring in some income, OP. If I were your husband, I'd honestly be pretty disgusted by you.

All of you are so out of touch. Her income will be less than the variability in their retirement account. They need someone making Big Tech money, not little chalkboard money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely absurd that somehow you don't see YOUR responsibility to get a job and bring in some income, OP. If I were your husband, I'd honestly be pretty disgusted by you.

All of you are so out of touch. Her income will be less than the variability in their retirement account. They need someone making Big Tech money, not little chalkboard money.

Then they need to wildly change their lifestyle until “little chalkboard money” is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely absurd that somehow you don't see YOUR responsibility to get a job and bring in some income, OP. If I were your husband, I'd honestly be pretty disgusted by you.

All of you are so out of touch. Her income will be less than the variability in their retirement account. They need someone making Big Tech money, not little chalkboard money.

Right now no one is making money. Also base comp in big tech is low, you make money with stock that vests so it will be years even if he gets a job in big tech again for him to get back to previous comp. Op needs to get a job