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Well, like my wife (age 61) and myself have found out, age does play a part in all of this! When a company ends up finding out the age, "age discrimination" can definitely happen.........and don't even think of telling wife and I that it don't, please!!
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Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy
Stop using the age excuse because some guy at my job who just started is defintely in his 60's.
Well, then, TV, maybe you should be telling that to the career outplacement centers, because that's what mine told a webinar full of people across the United States to do. I've Linkedin, and so what?
I agree, what good does it really do? None of the people I know are in companies that are hiring. Some of them don't even work at a company; they have their own businesses or in the case of two people, defunct businesses that aren't accomplishing anything.
Well you have to think network first when you sign up with Linkedin. Whatever industry you are in you have to search for old coworkers and just build up your network.
Thanks for your encouragement, but, at age 60 I've got a year and half until eligible for that! Wow, amazement..........a few people who actually understand what I'm going thru.......thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by columbus_123
To OP
Don't worry about networking. I have real network (not virtual) of several hundred people and at this economy nothing works.
Retirement is solution for your situation.
Well, then, TV, maybe you should be telling that to the career outplacement centers, because that's what mine told a webinar full of people across the United States to do. I've Linkedin, and so what?
I agree, what good does it really do? None of the people I know are in companies that are hiring. Some of them don't even work at a company; they have their own businesses or in the case of two people, defunct businesses that aren't accomplishing anything.
When you join LinkedIn you can see not only your network, but the second and third tier networks of the people you are connected to. A friend of mine found a job through LinkedIn because she saw that one of her connections had a secondary connection that worked for that company. Through a series of connections, she was able to get her resume to the right person.
Again, it's NOT a passive way of getting a job.
Let's say that you hear about a job. You know that your friend Sue knows people in that industry. So you approach Sue and ask who she knows and if she might pass your resume to them. Well Sue tells you that she knows someone in that industry, but not in that company, but then adds that she'll call her friends in that industry and see if they know someone working for that company--and wala--it turns out that her friend Maggie's friend Jane works in the same department as the hiring manager. So the resume gets handed on to Jane who tells Harry the hiring manager that the resume looks good and the person is a friend of a friend, would he mind taking a look at it. Even though it's not directly Jane's friend, Harry thinks that Jane is a great employee, and knows that birds of a feather thing, so he looks at it and decides that you are exactly what he's looking for and gives you a call.
Now for all of you who think that strangers won't help people out, you're wrong. When I got laid-off, my friends were keeping an ear for me. Many of them reached out to their friends at other compnies to inquire about positions. As a result, my friend L's friend sent her a job posting that hadn't gone public yet to forward to me. I looked at it and it wasn't a good fit for me, but I knew my friend J's wife was looking for a job, and this seemed like a good fit for her. So J sent me his wifes resume, which I sent to L, who sent it to her friend who sent it directly to the hiring manager in that company, bypassing HR. She got the job--it never did get published externally. This is a perfect example of networking, and how creating an extended network will help you find work.
Wow, amazement..........a few people who actually understand what I'm going thru.......thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
It seems to me you're more interested in having people feel sorry for you than you are in finding work??? A number of people have posted excellent advice on how to improve your job search techniques and you would be wise to listen to what they are saying. Quite frankly, your lack of education is going to be difficult to overcome with so many educated and more qualified candidates seeking the type of work you do.
Ok, lets try this again.........I have the skills/experience in what I have done. No, I've never been a full-fledged Buyer, never done negotiations, no International or retain purchasing. But, have been a Purchasing Assistant and Materials Coordinator. Heck, I was even a Storekeeper in the military and worked with/for a Procurement Officer, but that was years ago! I applied for that retail purchasing job because my wife said I should!
Frustration will sometimes bring out a problem with communication.
Here we go again LoveBoating. You go on the same predictable pattern...so, exactly what did you do as a Purchasing Assistant and Materials coordinator? Describe your responsibilities in terms of skills (you've been called out on this). Exactly what did you do and how did that benefit the company/ies you worked for?
And please, spare us the "I don't have a degree, I'm 60 and have had rotator cuff surgery and being discriminated against, the internet is not working as a networking tool, my wife loves me and supports me regardless and my wife has an awesome accounting degree and is super marketable and I am better off retiring" line. IT IS REALLY OLD BY NOW.
This 'respect your elders' line may work in church but it doesn't work in the workplace. In the workplace you earn respect, and you do that by bringing something to the table and pulling your weight.
You do nothing but ***** and moan about your age and how that is what is keeping you from getting a job. More likely it is the fact that you do nothing but ***** and moan that is keeping you from getting a job. That and probably a lack of relevant skills.
The best way to overcome age prejudice--whether old or young--is to act the opposite of what is presumed of you. If you are young, dress and conduct yourself older than you are. If you are old, act and dress younger than you are.
If you act like an old curmudgeon about ready to keel over, you just reinforce the presumptions that you aren't up to the job.
I have been accepted into three Purchasing/Inventory Management Groups. I am currently employed, but it is my own in-home small business that is making no money right now. But, I list it as my current employment because I have a credit card, business cards and am on a national website. Part of what I do for my business is purchasing office/photography supplies.
That's not purchasing, and by your own admission you've got no work with this company, so just how much did you buy this year? The last thing I'd put on my resume is a small business that's not turning a profit. If you can't make money in your own business, how on earth do you expect a potential employer to look at you as someone that can make them money?
You just can't seem to get it through your head what you need to do to get a job. You'd rather moan and whine about everything that in your mind is holding you back. In all honesty, the only thing holding you back is YOU!
By the way, anyone can get business cards printed and get listed on a web site, it's not anything to brag about. Are you a member of Nikon Pro or CPS? That's pretty much what seperates the pros from the amatuers when it comes to photographers.
In this economy, having someone on the "inside" is probably the best thing a person looking for work can have going for them. With so many talented people out of work, a recommendation from a friend, former colleague, etc. definitely gives them a leg up on the competition.
And there we are. Thank you for pointing out the "inside" connections. I have been saying for months that this is the only way to get a foot in the door. What the millions that don't have these connections are supposed to do is beyond me. At this point in the recession I so wish the attacks on the unemployed would stop. It is going to take a long time to get everyone back to work. At dinner last night I said that I had never seen such nastiness and ill will toward people in any previous recession. I read such remarks on this forum and experience them everyday in my own life. Here are the two highlights from my week."Someone else needs to work worse than you because you don't have children." "You don't have to work. You're just stubborn and won't sell one of those houses at a loss." (I have two other properties). Darn right I won't! Obviously I have some brains and financial savvy or I wouldn't be in a position to do so at 53. How I wish the Depression Era survivors I know were computer savvy. They could all teach a lot of people some things -- manners, if nothing else.
And there we are. Thank you for pointing out the "inside" connections. I have been saying for months that this is the only way to get a foot in the door. What the millions that don't have these connections are supposed to do is beyond me.
You need to to cultivate those connections. It's really not that difficult.
BTW--I got my job by answering a job posted only in a print edition of a local newspaper, so there are other ways to get jobs, but generally speaking having an "in" will streamline the process.
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