Laid off and over 50. Ouch. Ageism is tough

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Why not high cost? If you can get the job done right you’ll be in demand and can charge a good price

Maybe they do not want to rip people off on small jobs. I’ve been on the receiving end of absurd estimates for routine stuff and it’s horrible.

One man's rip off is another man's living wage.

As a house owner, we all want some poor guy who loads up his tools in the trailer park and comes over in his 20 year old pickup to do high end work for $20/hr. His wife is a teacher's aid, so he doesn't have to cover health insurance. He's a simple man on partial disability. Had some bad luck. Grateful for the work.

In other words, exploited.

Stop trying to rip off blue collar people. I told the young man remodeling my bathroom that he needed to charge me more, that his estimate was too low, and we did a quick crash course in rule of thumb multipliers in project management. In the end, he charged me more and we were both happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no age discrimination in corporate America.

However it is the Triangle approach to staffing.
Take a small two hundred person company.
One each CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CTO, CAE and CHRO.
Now around 3-5 VPs or SVPs running business,

Maybe 10-20 Managers or VPs directors below that.

Now you are at maybe 40 roles suitable for experience people over 50.

Which means 160 of roles are staff more suitable people less experience or younger. That is 80 percent of company.

Which means if you don’t have skills to do top 20 percent of jobs by 50 you will be in trouble.

This is a good explanation.

Yes, this. If you are at the top of your field in a leadership role, you may be able to find an equivalent position but most people won't be able to. I'm actually ok with this. I'm 56 and I think if I lost my job, I'd happily take a smaller job on my way to my fun retirement part-time gig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no age discrimination in corporate America.

However it is the Triangle approach to staffing.
Take a small two hundred person company.
One each CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CTO, CAE and CHRO.
Now around 3-5 VPs or SVPs running business,

Maybe 10-20 Managers or VPs directors below that.

Now you are at maybe 40 roles suitable for experience people over 50.

Which means 160 of roles are staff more suitable people less experience or younger. That is 80 percent of company.

Which means if you don’t have skills to do top 20 percent of jobs by 50 you will be in trouble.

This is a good explanation.

Yes, this. If you are at the top of your field in a leadership role, you may be able to find an equivalent position but most people won't be able to. I'm actually ok with this. I'm 56 and I think if I lost my job, I'd happily take a smaller job on my way to my fun retirement part-time gig.

If you worked at my company, I'd lay you off now. You are obviously wasting your time trolling at work, making up stories, and have already downshifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every person over 50 who has been laid off or fired at my company (not is not lot number wise, but it has been EVERY person) tries to claim ageism. It's never been ageism. We have documented the reasons, and employ people well into their 70s in some cases.

We've also fired off plenty of young people. We follow the same procedure no matter the age, and comply with all laws.

Unless you literally work in HR, you are full of crap and just being nasty. As someone who actually knows what happens in RIF, I can say that layoffs of older workers are justified because they often garner higher salaries but if you think that is the end of it, you are ignorant. The unemployment stats cited above do not include the many older workers who were not able to find other jobs once laid off and so are ‘retired’ or remain underemployed. Educate yourself. And btw you will be there soon enough.

I’m a hiring mgr, age 60. I don’t like to hire anyone above 48. It’s smart business.

You're not a hiring mgr.

You are 100% incorrect

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no age discrimination in corporate America.

However it is the Triangle approach to staffing.
Take a small two hundred person company.
One each CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CTO, CAE and CHRO.
Now around 3-5 VPs or SVPs running business,

Maybe 10-20 Managers or VPs directors below that.

Now you are at maybe 40 roles suitable for experience people over 50.

Which means 160 of roles are staff more suitable people less experience or younger. That is 80 percent of company.

Which means if you don’t have skills to do top 20 percent of jobs by 50 you will be in trouble.

This is a good explanation.

Yes, this. If you are at the top of your field in a leadership role, you may be able to find an equivalent position but most people won't be able to. I'm actually ok with this. I'm 56 and I think if I lost my job, I'd happily take a smaller job on my way to my fun retirement part-time gig.

If you worked at my company, I'd lay you off now. You are obviously wasting your time trolling at work, making up stories, and have already downshifted.

and what are you doing on DCUM? working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Why not high cost? If you can get the job done right you’ll be in demand and can charge a good price

Maybe they do not want to rip people off on small jobs. I’ve been on the receiving end of absurd estimates for routine stuff and it’s horrible.

One man's rip off is another man's living wage.

As a house owner, we all want some poor guy who loads up his tools in the trailer park and comes over in his 20 year old pickup to do high end work for $20/hr. His wife is a teacher's aid, so he doesn't have to cover health insurance. He's a simple man on partial disability. Had some bad luck. Grateful for the work.

In other words, exploited.

Stop trying to rip off blue collar people. I told the young man remodeling my bathroom that he needed to charge me more, that his estimate was too low, and we did a quick crash course in rule of thumb multipliers in project management. In the end, he charged me more and we were both happy.

In NY I paid around 1/2 for home improvements vs. DMV and no one was being ripped off. Why?

In DC contractors drive $100,000 GMC Yukon Denalis, live in fancy houses, do advertising, have a whole paid support staff and even pay people to go door to door to do estimates and even maintain physical locations. My GC in DMV lives in a million dollar home with a pool and drives a 80K truck, My landscaper here lives in a 2 million home. They have full time employees they pay even if no work so have to mark up charges to cover that and unpaid time doing quotes and getting matrials etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Why not high cost? If you can get the job done right you’ll be in demand and can charge a good price

Maybe they do not want to rip people off on small jobs. I’ve been on the receiving end of absurd estimates for routine stuff and it’s horrible.

One man's rip off is another man's living wage.

As a house owner, we all want some poor guy who loads up his tools in the trailer park and comes over in his 20 year old pickup to do high end work for $20/hr. His wife is a teacher's aid, so he doesn't have to cover health insurance. He's a simple man on partial disability. Had some bad luck. Grateful for the work.

In other words, exploited.

Stop trying to rip off blue collar people. I told the young man remodeling my bathroom that he needed to charge me more, that his estimate was too low, and we did a quick crash course in rule of thumb multipliers in project management. In the end, he charged me more and we were both happy.

In NY I paid around 1/2 for home improvements vs. DMV and no one was being ripped off. Why?

In DC contractors drive $100,000 GMC Yukon Denalis, live in fancy houses, do advertising, have a whole paid support staff and even pay people to go door to door to do estimates and even maintain physical locations. My GC in DMV lives in a million dollar home with a pool and drives a 80K truck, My landscaper here lives in a 2 million home. They have full time employees they pay even if no work so have to mark up charges to cover that and unpaid time doing quotes and getting matrials etc.

The f*kking NERVE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Why not high cost? If you can get the job done right you’ll be in demand and can charge a good price

Maybe they do not want to rip people off on small jobs. I’ve been on the receiving end of absurd estimates for routine stuff and it’s horrible.

One man's rip off is another man's living wage.

As a house owner, we all want some poor guy who loads up his tools in the trailer park and comes over in his 20 year old pickup to do high end work for $20/hr. His wife is a teacher's aid, so he doesn't have to cover health insurance. He's a simple man on partial disability. Had some bad luck. Grateful for the work.

In other words, exploited.

Stop trying to rip off blue collar people. I told the young man remodeling my bathroom that he needed to charge me more, that his estimate was too low, and we did a quick crash course in rule of thumb multipliers in project management. In the end, he charged me more and we were both happy.

In NY I paid around 1/2 for home improvements vs. DMV and no one was being ripped off. Why?

In DC contractors drive $100,000 GMC Yukon Denalis, live in fancy houses, do advertising, have a whole paid support staff and even pay people to go door to door to do estimates and even maintain physical locations. My GC in DMV lives in a million dollar home with a pool and drives a 80K truck, My landscaper here lives in a 2 million home. They have full time employees they pay even if no work so have to mark up charges to cover that and unpaid time doing quotes and getting matrials etc.

Maybe some of those college educated laid off Feds should go into general contracting. Seems like New York has more supply than DC if GCs are more expensive. It’s always funny when people think mechanics, plumbers, general contractors, etc. are ripping them off but they can’t bother to do the work themselves. If there’s no market at their price point, they would need to decrease it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Why not high cost? If you can get the job done right you’ll be in demand and can charge a good price

Maybe they do not want to rip people off on small jobs. I’ve been on the receiving end of absurd estimates for routine stuff and it’s horrible.

One man's rip off is another man's living wage.

As a house owner, we all want some poor guy who loads up his tools in the trailer park and comes over in his 20 year old pickup to do high end work for $20/hr. His wife is a teacher's aid, so he doesn't have to cover health insurance. He's a simple man on partial disability. Had some bad luck. Grateful for the work.

In other words, exploited.

Stop trying to rip off blue collar people. I told the young man remodeling my bathroom that he needed to charge me more, that his estimate was too low, and we did a quick crash course in rule of thumb multipliers in project management. In the end, he charged me more and we were both happy.

In NY I paid around 1/2 for home improvements vs. DMV and no one was being ripped off. Why?

In DC contractors drive $100,000 GMC Yukon Denalis, live in fancy houses, do advertising, have a whole paid support staff and even pay people to go door to door to do estimates and even maintain physical locations. My GC in DMV lives in a million dollar home with a pool and drives a 80K truck, My landscaper here lives in a 2 million home. They have full time employees they pay even if no work so have to mark up charges to cover that and unpaid time doing quotes and getting matrials etc.

Maybe some of those college educated laid off Feds should go into general contracting. Seems like New York has more supply than DC if GCs are more expensive. It’s always funny when people think mechanics, plumbers, general contractors, etc. are ripping them off but they can’t bother to do the work themselves. If there’s no market at their price point, they would need to decrease it.

NY has a bigger cash economy and off the books labor market that does not exist here. Plus people here are stupider and just pay.

[Anonymous]

How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

cause spiritual leaders must be old

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think older workers need to consider moving to easier jobs and lower salaries. It’s not always a continuous upward path of improvement for a worker. Sometimes you’re not as good as you were twenty years ago.

Also your health costs rise sharply as you get older. A lot.

Exactly this, and what I am preparing for. I am 47 and assuming at some point I will have to downshift. Holding on as long as I can, but at least debt free and on track to be mortgage-free (or able to be if I need to) within 5 years. Hopefully can hold out for 6-7 more years to get my kids all the way through college debt-free.
I actually love doing work like building, repairs, and carpentry. Maybe I’ll become a low-cost handyman.

Stop responding to yourself.

LOL

[Anonymous]

Ageism hits both men and women but co tend to be rougher on women who age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Good question. And if it’s solely salary then why don’t we hear more older workers being offered part time work or scaled down salaries?

I’ve worked in corporate America for 20+ years and the few times I’ve heard this happen have been for male employees. And don’t tell me I don’t understand all the issues blah blah. I worked in HR for awhile

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is there so much ageism in corporate America and yet the President will be 80 years old in a few weeks. How is it that someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s is too old for a job but the most important job in the country is done by someone in their 80s?

Again, executives (which is the President by definition) do not suffer nearly as much ageim. So if you are over 50, if you are in executive role you are pretty safe compared to IC/middle manager.