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Anyone who was serious about getting a job would deal with their grey hair before going on an interview. Its simple and common sense to make yourself look younger in any way you can.
Most people over 60 (especially those over 65) are not going to pass for under-50. Unless perhaps they have the money to invest in botox and/or facelifts as well as the Miss Clairol or Grecian Formula. Employers are not quite that stupid, lol.
I agree wholeheartedly with those who say that if you are over 60, your chances of finding a job are essentially zero unless you (a) have at least a 4-year college degree, preferably something relevant and/or (b) have not been unemployed for longer than 6 mos to 1 year. And often not even then.
I've been told by a number of employment counselers that I am essentially unemployable: mid-60s, only a 2-year college degree in liberal arts, and have been out of work for about 4 years. Two of those years were taken up fighting cancer, which left me with side effects that prevent me from doing any of the type of work that I have experience in. Can't sit in a chair for extended periods, can't be on my feet for extended periods either. The best I can ever hope for (ha) would be a part-time job a couple of days a week that is neither all-standing (such as retail) or all-sitting (such as at a desk) at minimum wage which in NY is $7.25/hr. Good luck finding anything like that, lol. And with gasoline currently at $4+/gallon, such a job would likely only pay for my cost to drive there and back!
I can't do any job that requires normal hearing (such as driving a school bus) because I'm 80% deaf in one ear (which a hearing aid would not help) and have tinnitus in both ears which prevents the use of a headset or earpiece.
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If an employer doesn't hire me because I have gray hair (and I personally experienced this recently when I applied for a p/t job with one of the largest charities in the US), then I don't want to be in that environment. I find it sad that people in our society feel they have to go through the time (and expense) of coloring their hair, wearing a toupe, having botox injections, etc. to feel accepted.
Completely agree! Even when I could afford it (and I certainly can't now) I never had any desire to masquerade as being younger than I am. WYSIWYG! :-D
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I retired at 60 and thought i'd get a job once retired not for the money but more to give me something to do, I put in job applications in all the local golf courses,big box stores,pharmacies,grocery stores, local municipalities,various janitor firms,renta car companies,security companies etc, to date not a single call back so i've given up on efforts to find employment and come to the conclusion companies really dont want to hire 60+ year olds no matter how menial the job.
Same experience here, even before the cancer/aftermath wiped out my ability to do "normal" work. I once went on an interview for a job at a local florist for a part-time front-desk job. Despite my having decades of horticultural experience, both as a gardener, writer and editor, you know who they ended up hiring? Some empty-headed twentysomething who wouldn't know a protea from a petunia, but she had long eyelashes and a short skirt, lol
I have applied to many low pay part time jobs over the past couple of years. I send in my application and as soon as a write down my date of HS graduation I know they have my approximate age. I never get a response.
Too bad for them. They missed out an opportunity to hire a responsible worker who knows the importance of being on time every day, being well groomed and dressed.
I know Home Depot loves to hire retired people but no HD in my area.
Oh well there is always bike riding, target shooting, driving a bucket of balls or just plain relaxing.
I'd be very interested as well. I'm especially curious of the subject matter of the "interactive seminars" that were offered. The whole post sounds more like fictitious journalism than something that really happened.
Upgrade to the appropriate license if you don't already have it. Get a copy of your insurance/driving record and a tb test. I can think right off of several places in my small town that I would apply to in person with those documents in hand: hospital, dialysis clinic, local (14 county) government agency that serves the elderly/indigent. Churches and senior citizen centers employ van drivers. I don't have any experience with agencies.
A group of my husband's retired friends made trips delivering cars for dealerships. I think this has been discussed here before. I don't know anything about the pay, but he would have really enjoyed doing that.
Just got a new car and the dealership used retirees as drivers
I'd be very interested as well. I'm especially curious of the subject matter of the "interactive seminars" that were offered. The whole post sounds more like fictitious journalism than something that really happened.
The OP is know for that... making things up to stir the pot.
He succeeded yet again!
Some of the responders in this thread strike me as quite complacent, with easy, pat answers, though they have no skin in the game themselves. For those that seriously want to find work, this is not a frivolous discussion!
I speak from some experience in that I moved to a city where I knew no one and had no connections at all. I'm 63 and fortunate enough to have a pension. I looked for a part-time job in order to meet people and earn spending money. Believe me, ageism is real, and finding a job, in general, is no picnic. Most jobs (at least where you have zero connections) are found through the Internet. In approximately 18 months I applied for about 300 jobs. In the huge majority of cases, I received absolutely no feedback at all. In jobs that I was quite interested in, I wrote very carefully tailored cover letters, in the hope of an interview. My 300 applications yielded between five and ten interviews.
I landed a total of three jobs in those 18 months, and one was, in fact, as a medical transport driver. I enjoyed that job greatly; I met interesting people and, as well, got to learn the highways of my new adopted city.
I won't go on to describe my other two jobs. As it is, my wife and I are in the process of joining the Peace Corps--that other popular activity of the newly retired. My point, however, is that getting a job in your senior years is not a simple proposition. I hate to read posts where people are snide or cavalier about it.
One of the better statements I've read on City-Data recently..
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,722 posts, read 58,054,000 times
Reputation: 46190
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Originally Posted by I'm Retired Now
The best most honest reply so far!
From a sympathizer...
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Originally Posted by MassVt
One of the better statements I've read on City-Data recently..
I agree with the medical (and legal) courier as a suitable job. One of my fellow 'Grease-burners' who is a retiree, uses his VW diesel burning waste cooking oil for a 600 mile daily medical courier route and MAKES A KILLING on his fuel subsidy alone!!!
Peace Corp is pretty challenging to comply with their petty rules (as a mature adult). Consider www.vsocanada.org. Or many other PC alternatives. PC would have not been happy with me riding my scooter today in a foreign country under military coup. I would have been TERMINATED (yet again,,, darn)
REAL jobs for age 60+ that pay decent... Costco, Home Depot, Airport shuttle, Taxi, Bus Drivers, IRS temp job, tutor, teacher (adjunct faculty), Financial Adviser, transition specialist... or... a consulting gig in your areas of expertise.
If you are just looking for a job for extra spending money and to meet people and don't demand a higher salary, I'd try signing up at a temp agency. You'll be able to work a variety of short term jobs and once an employer realizes that you are a good worker, they may have you work temp permanently for them or even hire you. Health benefits may be iffy but if you are retired and just looking for something to do, you probably already have health benefits with former employer. My niece worked a horrible retail job for a year but once she signed up for a temp agency, she got a permanent office job fast (with health benefits in her case).
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