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“I have been told in interviews that they want somebody younger,” said Karen Lamkin, a lawyer with 25 years of experience who lives outside Boston and has been out of work for three years. “It does not matter that I would be satisfied with the salary for a junior position.”
There is nothing new about this. Back in 2004 I was out of work and ran into the same thing. I was in my mid fifties. I had a BA and a paralegal degree with years of experience in every aspect of office work including top computer skills in which I did training to entry level employees. I had one employment agency literally laugh in my face as they bent over backward to place the much less experienced twenty year olds.
It took me three years to land a good full time job. It finally came about when a friend of mine was able to get me an interview with a supervisor at her company in which the HR department had rejected me twice. The supervisor hired me and I worked there for years after.
Older workers, both men and women, have always had this problem.
There is nothing new about this. Back in 2004 I was out of work and ran into the same thing. I was in my mid fifties. I had a BA and a paralegal degree with years of experience in every aspect of office work including top computer skills in which I did training to entry level employees. I had one employment agency literally laugh in my face as they bent over backward to place the much less experienced twenty year olds.
It took me three years to land a good full time job. It finally came about when a friend of mine was able to get me an interview with a supervisor at her company in which the HR department had rejected me twice. The supervisor hired me and I worked there for years after.
Older workers, both men and women, have always had this problem.
Try teaching. It's the reverse. They prefer the older and more experienced teachers usually, because the ones fresh out of college need extensive training to be effective in the classroom. I had to sub for three years making a little above minimum wage before I was able to land my first teaching position. Many of my coworkers are in their 50s and older. Some are already retired.
Try teaching. It's the reverse. They prefer the older and more experienced teachers usually, because the ones fresh out of college need extensive training to be effective in the classroom. I had to sub for three years making a little above minimum wage before I was able to land my first teaching position. Many of my coworkers are in their 50s and older. Some are already retired.
Really....? Not everyone can teach, wants to teach or likes children, or teens. Teaching is a calling not just a skill. Some people just don't like children. Teachers are also not payed very well especially in the public schools in inner cities, particularly in New York City. Private school is probably a little bit better. I love it how people advise older folk to go for jobs like teaching, working with the elderly, social work, working with the disabled, etc. Many of these jobs don't pay well and they're stereotypical roles for "older" people. If someone doesn't mind the lower salary or actually wants to do those jobs, fine.
Now what about those of us who have no calling...no skills...and absolutely no desire for those jobs? What, we should all just migrate and monopolize those jobs because they're "age friendly"? So we should just abandon our lifelong goals, years of experience, education for fear of dealing and overcoming ageism? That's giving up. That's quitting.
Really....? Not everyone can teach, wants to teach or likes children, or teens. Teaching is a calling not just a skill. Some people just don't like children. Teachers are also not payed very well especially in the public schools in inner cities, particularly in New York City. Private school is probably a little bit better. I love it how people advise older folk to go for jobs like teaching, working with the elderly, social work, working with the disabled, etc. Many of these jobs don't pay well and they're stereotypical roles for "older" people. If someone doesn't mind the lower salary or actually wants to do those jobs, fine.
Now what about those of us who have no calling...no skills...and absolutely no desire for those jobs? What, we should all just migrate and monopolize those jobs because they're "age friendly"? So we should just abandon our lifelong goals, years of experience, education for fear of dealing and overcoming ageism? That's giving up. That's quitting.
I am going to be 70 next month. I would still be working at the last job but I had to retire due to health reasons so I am not looking for work.
I completely agree with you about the subject of going into teaching as a last ditch effort for a job. I did have people suggest I go into teaching when I was looking for work and to me that would be a cop-out. I am not that fond of children and I was not interested in a teaching career. Those who teach should be dedicated to education and not take a teaching job just because it's the only thing they can get. That attitude just encourages lackadaisical teachers getting into the system. If I had kids in school, I certainly wouldn't want people like that teaching them.
I think this only happens when you apply from the outside. When you are referred to a place by a state agency, temp agency, friend, or coworker you will not be told you are too old.
I think this only happens when you apply from the outside. When you are referred to a place by a state agency, temp agency, friend, or coworker you will not be told you are too old.
Nonsense through and through. Staffing agencies are notorious for ageism. Read some other threads on here. It's nice to have friends who refer you but not everyone does. State agencies? You already have to work for one to get some kind of referral for anything. If you mean social service agencies like unemployment they're useless - they practice just as much ageism when they tell you to apply at home depot and target. Those are low wage part time jobs. Now that's great if if you have a second income in the home or are ok with low wage. But many of us are not and we find that advice offensive. Again, really??
There is just soooo much useless and just stupid advice on forum boards and career services alike. The media in general has useless advice for older folk when it comes to job searching. Losing weight, coloring your gray and being a tech wiz on the computer will only get you so far. When they see your college graduation year on the paperwork, or better yet, your id with your dob on it, then you just can't hide the age.
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So we should just abandon our lifelong goals, years of experience, education for fear of dealing and overcoming ageism? That's giving up. That's quitting.
