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There are a lot of electrical and mechanical devices still in use which are not studied in college any more. As well as obsolete computer systems, both hardware and software. Only us old timers even know what they are, let alone how to trouble shoot them for repair/maintenance.
Ha ha ha , in one of the classes I give I showed a bunch of new engineers an old reversing drum switch , no one knew what it was
The situation is strongly contingent on whether the candidate is applying for jobs directly seguing from his/her prior career, or entering something new. An example of the former would be an engineer retired from the defense industry, who wants to teach at the local university as an adjunct. An example of the latter would be the same engineer, who now wants to use his/her CAD skills to do architectural drafting.
If totally changing fields, and going into the new field as an entry-level employee, there is tremendous disinclination to hire a 50-year-old (let alone a 65-year-old) for a role normally filled by 25-year-olds.
In the above example, the engineer might have a PhD and an extensive publication record, but his/her CAD skills date from the 1980s. Knowledge about the design-process, client-relations, program management and workflow, and so forth, is handy for being an architectural draftsman, but maybe employers just want a CAD-monkey. The ex-engineer is woefully overqualified, besides being “old”.
But if changing jobs within the same field, the stigma is much less. Again, in the above example, the engineer might be older than most of the full-professors in the university engineering department, but he/she has the research-chops that are second to none, and probably has experience giving presentations at technical conferences. That experience conveys to lecturing in the classroom.
Hardest of all, is stepping down from an executive-level position to something vastly more junior. Not only is age an obstacle, but so too, the perception that the candidate would be insulted by the junior job, and would immediately clamor for a position of higher authority and compensation, as soon as he/she is hired… or, would resign as soon as something better appeared. Thus, there’s strong disinclination to hire such a candidate.
I have a double problem: age, and being handicapped.
No one wants to hire the disabled guy who uses a cane to get around.
I am not highly skilled so jobs for me are usually relegated to minimum part time jobs. That is not my problem, getting past the fact that im 55, gray beard and graying hair, and come toting a cane is the problem. I could shave or dye the beard, but it still remains I use a cane.
I was working part time and did find a full 8 hour shift standing does wear on me, but not so much that I cant.
I'm looking more for 4-5 hours 3 or 4 days a week. That would suit me just fine.
But, I'm not " highly prized employee material due to handicapped status.
I can, for example stand 4-5 hours and play cashier, but no one will give me a chance anymore.
I'd like to boost my SSDI by working part time (allowed), so that when I AM 67 i will have more to live on.
But I plod along going to the requested interviews and get turned down
I've been trying to fibd a sit down job such as medical office secretary ( I WAS an Administrative Assistant for 10 years), but they are sooo hard to get, yet they seem to ALWAYS be looking to fill such positions.
Apparently, I'm not "worthy"....even with 10 years Administrative Assistant experience. Especially since I use a cane.
They supposedly cannot refuse to hire me due to handicapped status, BUT they seem to find any number of excuses why " I wont fit in".
And, unlike others here, I'm Willing to work any day any time.
Ugh.
Dont remind me.
Have you considered applying for a government (local, county, state) job? We hired a nurse who used a walker to get around and another nurse manager who was in her 60s when she started...
I am "employable" but retired a few years back. After a year or so, I made some inquiries, but couldn't find anything remotely close to my previous level of pay and responsibility. Not having been employed for more than three years now and over sixty, my career options are limited to jobs that include the phrase "Hi, welcome to Walmart," and that does not interest me.
I am "employable" but retired a few years back. After a year or so, I made some inquiries, but couldn't find anything remotely close to my previous level of pay and responsibility. Not having been employed for more than three years now and over sixty, my career options are limited to jobs that include the phrase "Hi, welcome to Walmart," and that does not interest me.
That and I'm seeing a disproportionate number of seniors working the "Do you want to Supersize that?" counter instead of teenagers.
It ended 2012. Thats now 7 years past, but i couldnt find such a position 3 years ago when i started looking.
So, yes my experience is a little "old", but so am I, lol.
Its not like it was in the 80s, lol.
Yes i am familiar with Microsoft suites, computers, phone , email, snail mail, including bulk mailing, accounts receivable and payable, billing, payments, etc.
Even publishing, editing and book binding.
Unfortunately, your skills are aged and considered basic. You were out of the market for 4 years when you started looking and there is a lot of competition for these lower level jobs. I doubt your cane is the biggest issue holding you back.
Unfortunately, your skills are aged and considered basic. You were out of the market for 4 years when you started looking and there is a lot of competition for these lower level jobs. I doubt your cane is the biggest issue holding you back.
I couldnt find any such job 7 years ago while i was "current ".
Of course 7 years ago there was a different market.
The company i worked for closed down, or I'd still be there. The book publishing business isnt what it used to be, of course.
That shouldnt render me irrelevant, however
Even "basic jobs" I'm declined for. As i said i CAN play cashier part time....for as long as cashiers are still around.
Heck, I'm not a weakling, I could even stock shelves.
Probably better able than an 80 year old cashier or stocker.
I HAVE been told " you'd be perfect for X job, but we arent hiring for X job at this time". So i try for that kind of job, but " we aren't hiring for that".
The situation is strongly contingent on whether the candidate is applying for jobs directly seguing from his/her prior career, or entering something new. An example of the former would be an engineer retired from the defense industry, who wants to teach at the local university as an adjunct. An example of the latter would be the same engineer, who now wants to use his/her CAD skills to do architectural drafting.
If totally changing fields, and going into the new field as an entry-level employee, there is tremendous disinclination to hire a 50-year-old (let alone a 65-year-old) for a role normally filled by 25-year-olds.
In the above example, the engineer might have a PhD and an extensive publication record, but his/her CAD skills date from the 1980s. Knowledge about the design-process, client-relations, program management and workflow, and so forth, is handy for being an architectural draftsman, but maybe employers just want a CAD-monkey. The ex-engineer is woefully overqualified, besides being “old”.
But if changing jobs within the same field, the stigma is much less. Again, in the above example, the engineer might be older than most of the full-professors in the university engineering department, but he/she has the research-chops that are second to none, and probably has experience giving presentations at technical conferences. That experience conveys to lecturing in the classroom.
Hardest of all, is stepping down from an executive-level position to something vastly more junior. Not only is age an obstacle, but so too, the perception that the candidate would be insulted by the junior job, and would immediately clamor for a position of higher authority and compensation, as soon as he/she is hired… or, would resign as soon as something better appeared. Thus, there’s strong disinclination to hire such a candidate.
Your post resonated with me. The bulk of your response was a surprise stigma when I landed my last job. At the time of my RIF, I had 4 decades of general circuit design and high frequency (RF) layout experience in CAD systems, with a specialty in CPLDs/FPGAs and CCD/CMOS camera design. For electronic design, I had decades of experience in Cadence Allegro, PADs, Orcad, Eagle, Protel, and Altium Designer. These are all high-end CAD packages. For mechanical design, I used AutoCAD and Inventor Fusion. As an adjunct to these, I have experience in Visual C++/Linux for writing both applications, testbeds, and device drivers for designs I developed. It turns out, didn't matter; I was 60.
When I interviewed at what was going to be my last job, the interviewer asked if I had electrical design experience in Mentor Graphics CAD, which was the only major CAD package I didn't use. Since I said 'no', I was not considered for their electrical design department.
Since I was an electronic engineer, and not a software engineer, I wasn't considered for their software design department.
Because of my background, they wanted to hire me anyway, and since I had used lenses in former designs, they wanted me in a new department...lens and optical design...which I had no experience with. It paid very well, and nobody wanted the pain of learning optics, so I accepted the challenge, and learned everything I possibly could about designing lenses. My takeaway from all of that was that extensive experience even in specialized fields does not always constitute a 'golden ticket' to employment. Because of that, I have no desire to re-live that experience again, and am happy to let my skill-set go, just to be able to not have to justify myself to bosses 30 years my junior that have no concept of the skills needed for the job they're tasked with filling. While I was there, I quietly watched a number of expensive electronic mistakes being made, but soon realized nobody wanted electrical input from a 'lens guy', so I paid my dues and left when I was able.
Life is now good.
Last edited by MichiganGreg; 01-18-2019 at 05:47 AM..
Reason: spelling
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