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I have been looking for work for a year plus after getting laid off from my previous job. I have put in applications EVERYWHERE, and have gotten as far as an interview several times, but I always end up getting turned away. Often I'll find out later that the job went to a younger person less qualified than I am. I am in my early 60's and I still need to work because I won't be eligible for social security for years and when I do get it, the amount will be so little that I'll have to look under a microscope to count it. I am in excellent health and already have health insurance, so an employer doesn't have to worry that hiring me will cause his insurance rates to go up. The only difference that I can see between myself and a younger candidate for a job is that I will probably miss less days of work since I don't have children to take of, I don't party all night, etc. Right now my town has an unemployment rate of 7.1% (Recovery? What recovery?), so employers can be incredibly picky about whom they hire.
I am not looking for a high powered job, BTW. I'd be happy to get something at minimum wage doing gardening or working as a motel desk clerk, for example. What can I do to break through the age barrier? I'm getting pretty desperate.
Sorry you're going through this. Hopefully you don't have any information on your resume that will identify your age, such as dates you attended, or graduated from, school. Have your resume looked at by a professional so that doesn't age you. They are no longer task-oriented, but achievement-oriented, so yours may have to be revamped. And I hate to say it, but I see you're female and it seems to matter more for women - if you have hair that is graying, I would consider dying it.
Get on LinkedIn if you're not already a member, and search for groups in your area. Post that you're looking for a job and wonder if anyone knows of anything. If you belong to a church, contact their office and ask if they are aware of anyone in the parish who may be hiring. I would also look for support groups for the unemployed. They can help you with your resume, interviewing skills, and sometimes provide leads to jobs that aren't right for them, but may work well for you.
I'm sure others will have good suggestions, so keep checking back, as it's the weekend, when people tend to post less.
Hang in there - you'll land that job, you just need to cast a wider net.
i suggest going out and talking with people and network as opposed to just putting in applications. it doesn't have to be at big event. it can be a gardening club where you meet in person. in addition, you have to be more proactive by being more outgoing then you are now and start looking beyond your comfort zone on locations on where to work. don't rely solely on the internet and filling out applications. good luck!
Luckily, your state has a legal cannabis industry that has opened up plenty of new jobs like bud trimmer, assistant horticulturist, security, and everything else a brand new industry needs .
Look up the websites 420jobs.com, weedjobs, or google search .
A lot of these new jobs require a Colorado residency and or a MMJ cert.
You don't have to be young, you don't have to use cannabis , in fact, these employers want people that can drug test negative for non- use !
They will probably pay you in cash because of the fed banking laws .
I would take a minimum wage job at Mickey D's or something untill SS kicks in. At this stage, unless your skills are excruciatingly in demand and they can't find anyone younger you won't be hired.
What job skills do you have and what type of positions are you applying for? If you're applying for low level service type jobs then your age will be a significant disadvantage; if you're applying for high level professional positions, then your age will be less of a disadvantage.
At your age, networking will work better for finding jobs.
I have been looking for work for a year plus after getting laid off from my previous job. I have put in applications EVERYWHERE, and have gotten as far as an interview several times, but I always end up getting turned away. Often I'll find out later that the job went to a younger person less qualified than I am. I am in my early 60's and I still need to work because I won't be eligible for social security for years and when I do get it, the amount will be so little that I'll have to look under a microscope to count it. I am in excellent health and already have health insurance, so an employer doesn't have to worry that hiring me will cause his insurance rates to go up. The only difference that I can see between myself and a younger candidate for a job is that I will probably miss less days of work since I don't have children to take of, I don't party all night, etc. Right now my town has an unemployment rate of 7.1% (Recovery? What recovery?), so employers can be incredibly picky about whom they hire.
I am not looking for a high powered job, BTW. I'd be happy to get something at minimum wage doing gardening or working as a motel desk clerk, for example. What can I do to break through the age barrier? I'm getting pretty desperate.
Try this site below which is geared toward seniors and has a listing for the Colorado area.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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It would be easier to help if we knew what skills and experience you have. It sounds like the biggest problem is looking in your town. Here for example, the unemployment rate is 4.4%, Denver is 4.6%. Small towns are going to take a lot longer to recover, and some may not at all, without major employers. When I think about the places that seem to have a lot of older workers, mostly semi-retired it's Home Depot, Lowe's, and other home centers, where knowledgeable people with construction backgrounds are hired. I also notice that many of the 7-Eleven and similar convenience stores, including those at gas stations have mostly 60+ employees. Look for places with other older folks working and apply there, but you may have to commute to a bigger city.
Where I wok we have many people your age and older (I'm 62 and started at 57) but we require a lot of experience for the specialized skills in many positions. Have you tried public agencies? They are actually serious about
avoiding age discrimination, and may even file reports showing that they have hired some over 55 workers to help their statistics.
When I started identifying myself as ''semi-retired'' or ''retired from doing such n such'' the barriers fell. I also showed up at a few places and asked for the hiring manager and made a personal connection. Now I work for a business owner who is my age and with co-workers my age and older! I am 60.
Managers our age want us over the youngsters because we show up and have a work ethic. Don't sell yourself short!
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