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Old 02-23-2014, 05:14 PM
 
25 posts, read 21,259 times
Reputation: 11

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I was laid off last February and have been looking for the past year with no luck. I have been on a number of interviews, but no offers. I am in my mid 50's and I believe that this is the reason. I know my resume is fine based on the number of interviews I have been on, but am very frustrated. My unemployment has just ended and now I have no money coming in.

I would appreciate any advice. I am looking at customer service and inside sales.

Thank you.
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Old 02-23-2014, 05:28 PM
 
Location: NC
6,032 posts, read 9,190,677 times
Reputation: 6378
Customer service and entry level sales in your 50ies? Why weren't you at the management/supervisor level?

One thing to consider is to get your insurance license and start selling some life and health etc...
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Old 02-23-2014, 06:09 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX, USA
5,142 posts, read 13,095,522 times
Reputation: 2515
Based on a few articles I have read on job searching at this age range are:
- Resume to include only the last 10 years of work history and remove any outdated software or computer skills. Have recently hired friend or colleague look over your resume.
- Update wardrobe, hair cut. Look at what other interviewees wear within reason, of course. Can't go wrong with flat front khaki or other dress slacks, shiny clean dress shoes, dress belt and tailored shirt. Along the lines of what is sold at JC Penney to give you an idea.
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Old 02-23-2014, 06:37 PM
 
Location: Arizona
3,148 posts, read 2,718,699 times
Reputation: 6061
Quote:
Originally Posted by marckres View Post
I was laid off last February and have been looking for the past year with no luck. I have been on a number of interviews, but no offers. I am in my mid 50's and I believe that this is the reason. I know my resume is fine based on the number of interviews I have been on, but am very frustrated. My unemployment has just ended and now I have no money coming in.

I would appreciate any advice. I am looking at customer service and inside sales.

Thank you.
Here is what I did the last time I was in a bind.

I bought some lumber at home depot and built a bunch of workbenches. They cost $50 each to build, and I sold them on craigslist for $100, and delivered them in my fullsize pickup truck for $1 a mile.

It's not much, but it beats watching the phone all day. You get a kind of satisfaction out of fending for yourself through this. It'll keep your spirits up.

You do need some basic tools and ability, it's not for everyone I suppose.


I still occasionally do this for extra money. I build a batch of 5 at a time, and am usually sold out within a few weeks.
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Old 02-23-2014, 11:19 PM
 
1,844 posts, read 2,419,645 times
Reputation: 4501
Quote:
Originally Posted by marckres View Post
I was laid off last February and have been looking for the past year with no luck. I have been on a number of interviews, but no offers. I am in my mid 50's and I believe that this is the reason. I know my resume is fine based on the number of interviews I have been on, but am very frustrated. My unemployment has just ended and now I have no money coming in.

I would appreciate any advice. I am looking at customer service and inside sales.

Thank you.
Mark,

You are in good company. We're in a structural dislocation - for the next generation, there will be more people than jobs available. Sometimes, the remedy is to get out of Dodge and move barefoot to where there are more jobs than people. Sometimes, it's to make your own job for cash. There are a few oases with well paying jobs. North Dakota and Midland, Tx - the oil bidness. Washington, DC in IT (mainly).

Call centers are everywhere - and there are quite a few posts on the W&E board about call centers. I'm thinking there's got to be a way to identify call centers with good working environments - this is the board to ask.

A senior poster recently started up a dog walking business. If you have been in inside sales all these years, you're got great patience and customer service skills and can present well over the phone. Lots of people can't say that. Play your strengths in a new arena. You likely know how to approach people in such a way that they will talk to you. That's the way to build a business of your own for the time being.

Chin up and take stock, nutty times call for nutty strategies.

How is your head? By that I mean, do you have the energy to do an all-out assault on employment prospects, or are you in shell shock? I ask only because it took you this long to ask for help here.

Where are you located, specifically? Town and state, please. What are the demographics? E.g., what is the pattern of unemployment? Is it only you? Is it all middle aged people? Are the recent grads also having a tough time finding work? If the answers are no, yes and yes - you may want to consider leaving if the idea of doing a dog walking biz or a chef for hire or whatever doesn't ring a bell.

Are you married, with a working spouse? Do you have an underwater house weighing you down like the proverbial concrete shoes? If no and yes, don't clean out your savings by paying the mortgage (I'm repeating what other C-D posters have advised in the same situation). And, don't leave until "they" kick you out. (ditto)

Have you read through the history of threads here, from other people in your situation? They will give you some ideas, and a feeling of solidarity. Free therapy. Mostly, they indicate that there is an end to this somewhere. It might not be the kind of employment you were doing before, and you might need to start surfing Craig's list - but nobody on here been lost to despair.

With additional detail, we can all do more to help you. Look forward to hearing back from you!

Best wishes to you, if the history of all these posters on here is any indication, things will turn around.
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Old 02-25-2014, 09:00 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,346 posts, read 80,679,251 times
Reputation: 57356
After 17 years in a career, another 16 as a business owner, I was able to get a great job at age 57 that combines the experience and skills of the first two. Since then I was promoted to manager and have hired people ages 48 and 54, in both cases their experience was very important to the jobs. These are jobs paying in the $30/hour range. For older people looking for lower pay jobs it's harder because the employers tend to think it's an interim, desperation job, and that they will leave when they get something better. It's up to you to convince them in the interview that you really want to be there and that your experience will be beneficial to the other employees.
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Old 02-26-2014, 09:59 AM
 
4,899 posts, read 6,204,771 times
Reputation: 7472
^^^^^are there any new openings available?
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Old 02-26-2014, 10:02 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
13,520 posts, read 22,067,272 times
Reputation: 20234
Two words: hair coloring.
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Old 02-26-2014, 10:26 AM
 
Location: Wartrace,TN
7,998 posts, read 12,695,543 times
Reputation: 16314
You might have better luck with the age issue if you look at smaller companies (i.e. non-corporate type business). I found myself out of work at 47 and retrained. I had no luck even getting interviews with large corporations but the smaller companies seemed willing to let me interview. I finally found a job with one in the field I retrained in.
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Old 03-01-2014, 02:45 PM
 
52 posts, read 132,847 times
Reputation: 56
I am also in my 50s, so I understand the frustration. The best advice is to be willing to accept any job in order to get something recent on your resume. I was laid off from my job of 19 years last August. I accepted a seasonal job at a department store in November. I finally found a decent job (working for the state) last month.
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