Why are "older workers" being CONSISTENTLY 'shut out'?

[Mind_your_head]

Is it health care? No, you can't even be hired for a p/t, no benefit job.....

We don't all facepalm (I mean, facebook), twitter, we're not all Linkdin (or mebbe, we ARE....but that's STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH to be hired!)

Why can't the "over 50" people find a d*mn job? Any job?

[notadmblnd]

1. I'd like an answer to that too being 50 and unemployed

[Angry Dragon]

7. late fifties and unemployed

I hear Wal-Mart calling........

[CurtEastPoint]

23. 59.5 and unemployed here, also. Can't prove age discrim but I know it's there. n/t

[Warpy]

2. Look at who's doing the interviewing

and realize nobody wants to hire Mom or Dad.

When you're over 55, you're just shit out of luck for everything but the same jobs teenagers usually take. You've actually got a better shot at those than a teenager does, but the pay sucks for everybody regardless of age.

The problem right now is that business is off and no one is hiring. You have to be lucky enough to walk through the door when some pimply kid has just been caught robbing the till and has just been hauled off in cuffs to get considered even for convenience store work.

[arcadian]

27. This is true, check out any fast food joint.

A lot of elderly, a lot teenage high school kids and some immigrants.

[crim son]

3. Maybe because we can't spell?

Sorry, it was impossible not to point it out.

[Mind_your_head]

8. I am a spelling/grammar nazi myself.

It's important.

Thanks for pointing out my mistake and not conforming to today's laziness :thumbsup:

[crim son]

25. And thanks for not getting mad.

I felt guilty about that post later on but it was too late to delete it.

[Another Bill C.]

4. Too true.

I was 50 when my employer went belly-up. I had a pretty good resume but left out the dates of employment. I got a few interviews but no offers. Finally, a well-placed relative fixed me up with a job. One potential employer flat-out told me that if he hired me his health insurance premiums would be too high for him to maintain that benefit.

[Atman]

5. I was hired at 49 -- by a 28 year old.

It's not hopeless. Persevere.

.

[southerncrone]

6. We're no longer "pretty" to look at.

And lots of hiring managers are so young that they think of us as "their parents", instead of coworkers & I suspect they don't think we can relate to the rest of the younger workforce. Just MHO.
No. It is not fair, nor legal....but you gotta prove it.

[wildflowergardener]

9. Reason?

There may be several reasons. I was looking for a job recently, while my years of experience probably helped in some cases, I think it might also hurt to have too much experience (in employer's opinions), - employers may think a person would require a larger salary than a younger person with less experience. I was told at least one place, if we hire anyone it will be an entry level person. Now I don't know that an older person would have more experience, I think that might often be true. Maybe working in one place too long so you only have a specific type of experience that might not apply to another place would be a reason - I know I worried that my 13 years at one job might hurt me there. I am only 38, so I'm not that old, but I can see where if some of those things were problems for me, it could be even more of a problem for someone who is older. I just know that I really worried when applying for jobs that maybe I was "overqualified" for that people wouldn't even consider me because of that.

[Lisa0825]

10. I guess the companies I have worked for have been aberrations.

The employer from which I was laid-off was a major teaching hospital. I was a recruiter, and often facilitated hires for older workers. In fact, valuable experience was strongly sought after. If you had experience with IRBs and grants or clinical trials, age was not a factor.

Then I was laid off and found a position at an industrial automation company. The majority of hires I processed there were for people who were 50-plus. Engineers with 20+ years experience, major account sales managers, field service techs, etc.

I am currently in a contract position with a contractor for my old company, and one of the team was hired when she was in her late 50s and has been working for the company for about 3 years.

I am not trying to minimize your experience. I know my mom faced that when she was in her 50s. I don't know if it has changed that much, or if I just really have had the coincidence of working consecutively for companies at which that doesn't seem to be an issue.

I actually think workplaces won't have much choice in the future... with the Baby Boomer generation aging, the younger workforce is of a smaller population size. Companies will most likely HAVE to open up to older workers if they have not already. I even had to attend a seminar regarding to appealing across a three-generation applicant pool. The consensus was that returning retirees were better workers than new grads.

I hope that the sheer power of numbers will have a positive influence on employers hiring older workers. But then, maybe I am just naive or optimistic.

[madrchsod]

11. we cost to much....

plus we are`t as easy to mold like the younger workers....

[femrap]

12. Because the odds are that we will

need some sort of health care. Another reason is: no longer cute. Another reason is: not in touch w/ 'today's culture.' Another reason is: The boss is much younger and they don't want to deal with the age issue. Another reason is: Boomer resentment. Another reason is: Revenge.

[blues90]

13. Because employers have a pile of people much younger

who they prefer and will work for less. You work you entire life and find you are obsolete like I did. I beat myself to death to find a job and at the time I was 54 and never got hired. There is no way to hide your age in this new world order they know right away.

You can't even prove age discrimination. Now I'm less than a week away from 61.

I have seen and read about 10,000 people appling for 50 jobs.

[scentopine]

14. China and India, - no benefits, no legal protections, no problems

Over fifty?

You are probably more experienced and wiser than your boss, you've seen the mistakes your management is about to make and will be compelled to give advice, so you are a threat.

You are at risk for an medical emergency and driving premiums up.

You are going to demand more salary than an unskilled working in India or elsewhere in Asia. In fact, it is cheaper for corporations to train an uneducated workforce in Asia than to higher a well educated worker in the US. If the worker in India gets sick, no problem. Fire him and hire the next guy standing in line. I mean what are they going to do - file a lawsuit in some dumpy Chinese factory? Hhahahahahah. Oh man that would be funny.

The truth is you are more skilled, productive and far more dependable than a 26 yr old in Bangalore. But an MBA only smells easy money and on paper that 26 yr old in Bangalore looks like free money.

Its the free market and if you are 50+ - you are worthless on the market so you lose. Its the "beauty" and purity of the never failing free market.

We need unions now more than ever. We need to shut down this offshore bullshit now more than ever.

With the continuing rightward lurching of the democratic party things are going to get much much worse for the 50 yr old unemployed worker.

We've learned we can't trust democratic leadership who along with their republican bedfellows like to kick us in the balls with anti-worker, pro-corporate offshore legislation. Just because they can.

[Bitwit1234]

15. It used to be

employers wanted older people. They were more reliable, they didn't miss much time and they were experienced. I guess now they don't mind the turn over. The work force doesn't stay that long and they don't have to pay raises.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. I have been wondering that too...

[FatDave]

17. Shit, I can't find work at 39.

I've given up on one industry and retrained for another, and still having no luck.

[eridani]

18. Ant a lot of DU is perfectly fine with fucking us over in health care too

Maybe we're all just "useless eaters" and should line up for a nice shower.

[Fumesucker]

19. Nah, just put us on the ice floe..

Zyklon B costs money, ya' know..

[eridani]

20. They'd better hurry up then, what with global warming and all n/t

[Fumesucker]

24. Still get ice floes in the winter..

They just melt in the summer..

Just think, the Titanic would have been safe if it had sailed today..

[Captain Hilts]

34. Yes, I'm sick of "just be patient." nt

[RebelOne]

21. Well, I am 70 and working full-time.

And it is not flipping burgers or a minimum wage job. I am fairly well paid with excellent benefits. I could get Medicare, but the health coverage through my employer is much better. That is one of the many reasons I keep working.

[sendero]

22. Perceptions...

... that older workers are not as productive, and expect higher pay.

Add to that insurance costs and company culture and it's a potently bad mix for older workers.

I am lucky, I got my current job 3 years ago and I was already over 50. I've successfully shown these whippersnappers what an old man can do :)

My wife is just under 50 and she's been unemployed for a year. She spent most of that year DOGGEDLY pursuing opportunities but has had only 1 semi-interview. This is in Dallas where things are supposedly not as bad as most of the country. There just aren't many companies hiring, and sadly it's going to be that way for quite a while.

[CTyankee]

26. It's over 40 in CA, so my dtr in North Hollywood tells me. nt

[MindPilot]

28. Yep, I hear that a lot.

Even though over 40 is a protected class in California, how could you ever prove you didn't get that job because of your age?

[Jennicut]

29. Because those of us in our thirities (and twenties) are seen as expendable, not costing as much, and

easy to fit into the mold of what a certain company wants. I am glad my Dad is 62 and working at the local phone company (now AT&T), where he has been for almost 35 years. My Mom owned her own business and made crafts, so it was easier for her as she got older.
I went back to school after having two children and will be looking for a job teaching preschool after I finish my student teaching. Honestly, I think it is bad for everyone now and I guess I am glad I am not looking right now and my husband has a job. But I do see it really tough for older people. My aunt is out of a job now too.

[Stevenmarc]

30. Because employers smell defeat

as illustrated in your post.

[slackmaster]

31. Several reasons

I'm 51 and am quite sure I have experienced age discrimination on the job.

Older workers know when they are being exploited. We are more likely to speak our minds and let our supervisors know how much crap we are willing to take. We are more aware than younger workers just how valuable our services are.

The higher health insurance payouts are probably a factor too.

Employers can be very clever about covering up their discriminatory practices. It's almost an art when practiced by skilled HR people.

Try to maintain a youthful appearance and don't disclose anything that would give away your age. Say you have a college degree, your major and where you got it, but don't mention the year of your graduation.

Don't put anything over 10 years old on your resume if you can avoid it.

Be careful what you say during interviews. If you used to work for a well-known company that went out of business a long time ago, don't mention the name of the company.

[raccoon]

32. K&R nt

[Captain Hilts]

33. Yes. Why pay healthcare for a 50+ when you can get a 35 yr. old?