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I was wondering how hard is it to find full time job after the age of 50 for an Electrical engineer. I went to good schools and have had stable employment for many years. I am currently in my late 30's so not really 50 yet.
The reason I am asking is i am considering switching jobs at the moment, and not sure how things will be in my new job. If it is not great, then may have to switch again, then again and i am looking at 50.
Today its REALLY easy. 1972 or 1991 it was REALLY hard. Engineers were selling Amway and drive taxis back then.
So, it depends. Also depends on your willingness to move. If you own a home and have three kids and you are 50 (a very realistic scenario) you're limited to an hour drive of home for jobs UNLESS you want to contract in other locations. Some places like Huntsville, AL and Los Angeles ALWAYS have jobs for engineers. But somewhere like Grand Rapids (Smiths) or Cedar Rapids (Collins) might be tough if those companies have a downturn.
One thing I would advise regardless, if you get a security clearance, keep it. You can't be replaced by an H-1B.
Ageism WILL impact your hire ability.
you can have as many degrees behind your name..
The dynamics in hiring are the same: how long will they last, and what's the least we can pay them. ?
Experience and knowledge are less of assets. Business wants the person to be cheap labor and pliable to bend to the structure. Usually by 50..a person is neither of those.
Ageism WILL impact your hire ability.
you can have as many degrees behind your name..
The dynamics in hiring are the same: how long will they last, and what's the least we can pay them. ?
Experience and knowledge are less of assets. Business wants the person to be cheap labor and pliable to bend to the structure. Usually by 50..a person is neither of those.
Are those practices necessarily ageism OR are they simply cost/benefit decisions?
The best long term plan for a post-50 engineer is to lay the groundwork for/be prepared to start your own business after age 50 because ageism is real. I'm not prone to the victim narrative but I found that no matter what you do, how you behave, or what your accomplishments are the post-50 engineer stereotype is like hitting a brick wall.
I'm getting my revenge now though. I'm picking off niche U.S. products that are ripe for low cost manufacturing/improved design as I've got my feet firmly planted in both the U.S. and Asia.
I was wondering how hard is it to find full time job after the age of 50 for an Electrical engineer. I went to good schools and have had stable employment for many years. I am currently in my late 30's so not really 50 yet.
The reason I am asking is i am considering switching jobs at the moment, and not sure how things will be in my new job. If it is not great, then may have to switch again, then again and i am looking at 50.
I started an engineering services company in my late 30's after first government, then lots of big companies work, and then coming into small companies that couldn't hire but needed services. I did that for 20 years, now retired. I would advise that you start in 30's or where you are now. I think the market for engineers as a whole have become more and more on paper before sending idea overseas, so until that turns around perhaps look at or consider other fields that can't be exported out of USA for your later career. EE mostly got moved out of US as a whole, few jobs left that aren't the best, and of course DoD companies are left if that is something of interest. Companies like SpaceX set the tone for the few jobs left in EE's and other engineers, basically don't bother applying beyond a certain age. That is where it is at.
I agree, but most HR folks are so closed minded and uninformed of the job's real requirements that older candidate's resumes are filtered out even before consideration.
I was a hiring manager for 15 years, and constantly fought human resources over the quality of resumes they would send me and their entrenched opinions and bias they held.
Most of the software programs today can be set to flag resumes based on dates provided in it, etc, and can kick them out of the system before any human ever sees it.
First the background: I am a degreed engineer and although Ihave had many jobs in varied industries I have never been unemployed a day inmy life. I have held every position from design engineer to department managerto chief engineer, in the past 40 years.
Up until my 50’s, I never had a problem finding a job. If I becamebored or pissed off at work or tired of living in a certain location, I couldalways pick where I wanted to move or an industry I wanted to try and withinweeks I would have a couple offers. In fact, I always knew that if I went to anonsite interview an offer was soon to follow.
Once I turned 50 I noticed it would take months just to getan interview. I just thought it was because I made too much salary and wasoverqualified. I also noticed an onsite interview was no longer a guarantee thatan offer would follow. This change continued to get worse and worse with eachpassing year.
Once I turned 60, I decided that I wanted to find my “last job”and move to an area that I would retire to, so I stared a targeted search. After months of no success, I widened mysearch areas and job positions. Still no success. Then I started getting countlessemails and calls from head hunters and placement agencies, with the most absurdpositions in crazy areas. But again, I thought, that was just the hungry headhunters. But then actual employers and HR reps started calling with entry leveljobs, with exceptionally low salaries in prohibitive cost of living areas! Ialso started to notice that jobs I did get interviews for but no offer, would remainposted forever. Some being reposted every few months.
So, I figured it is not my age. They do want my experience, butat entry level compensation. What are employers looking for? It seems the adage,“you get what you paid for”, no longer is true. And if a 40-year engineering veteranmust work for $40000, then how are young engineers ever employed?
You say that it is not your age but the reality is that it IS your age since as you say, your experience demands greater compensation. I am also an engineer and have observed exactly the same thing.
This is why as you get older, your Network is the most important asset you can cultivate. Older experienced workers generally find the next well paying position through their network, not through Internet job ads.
Look at it from the employer's point of view. Unless they have someone who knows you and can vouch for you, why would they risk taking on a 60 year old employee? Most engineering positions require a lot of training even though you might have some of the requisite skill sets; every company and industry is unique. At 60, how many years in your "last job" will they get from you after investing in your training and getting you up the curve? This is the harsh reality.
Look at it from the employer's point of view. Unless they have someone who knows you and can vouch for you, why would they risk taking on a 60 year old employee? Most engineering positions require a lot of training even though you might have some of the requisite skill sets; every company and industry is unique. At 60, how many years in your "last job" will they get from you after investing in your training and getting you up the curve? This is the harsh reality.
By your logic, why would anyone hire someone in their 20s or even 30s?
It's a fact that young employees lack experience, maturity and the knowledge only gained through years of OJT.
It's also a fact that most 20-sometings will miss more work due immature actions, like drinking and playing hookie.
It's also a fact that younger employees will be distracted by workplace romancing, dating, getting married, having babies, etc.
It's also a fact that most millennials work ethic is not that of baby boomers.
Finally, its a fact that most young employees will stay at their first job only long enough to build their resume and acquire some training.
I would argue young candidates are no better risk than older candidates.
This ageism is a symptom of incompetent human resources - their lack of the jobs real requirements and their insistence in treating all candidates as net loss resources.
One odd aspect I encountered while futilely applying for jobs post-50 was being asked if I'd be willing to spend a day or two teaching young engineers about one of the areas of expertise on my resume. Apparently it was to be gratis because no mention was ever made of compensation.
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