Do you really know many people who are working full time after age 65? (55, pension)

[I'm Retired Now]

I am 62 and was forced to leave my last job and forced to retire before I was ready. Fired and blacklisted. I am taking Social Security now.

I am part of a group of middle aged and older folks who are trying to get back in the world of work. They are helping us with our resume, interviewing skills, and job search plan. It's been an uphill climb. I get a few interviews but once they meet me and see how old I am their face drops and the interview is cut short.

When I tell my younger friends and relatives about the job hunter group and the many older people I know who want to go back to work full time, they look at me like I am crazy. They say where they work there are basically no one over 60 working there. And I have to agree. In my last few office jobs only a handful of hundreds of people were older than 60. When I go out in public and observe the people in retail and service roles I see almost no one who looks to be over 62 (and Social Security Eligible) working full time. We have been pushed aside.

Think of all the people you know who is 62-70. What PERCENT of them are working full time? And the ones who are working were they hired after age 62?

[AZgarden]

I will answer with Zero. And those people do not want to work full time, anywhere, for any amount of money. They want to pursue hobbies, travel, see grandkids, go to museums, take a cruise, join a club, go dancing, see the world cup, read books, volunteer at a favorite place and sleep in every day. They have all had enough of working full time.

[brokensky]

No one I know who is working IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL FIELD after 62 was hired after about 55-57. I do have friends over 55 who lost their jobs due to no fault of their own (downsizing, closings, off-shoring) and were either out of work for 3 or more years and finally took some part time work or a step waaaaay down making only a % of their former salary . . . or who have just given up and once they turned 62, took early SS.

I have other friends and acquaintances who are working part time or have created some job for themselves, or gone into real estate sales -- all over 62, all lost their jobs due to the recession around 2008-2010 -- none could find work in their field. Many came to Charlotte from other locations after being recruited by one of the mega banks in our fair city, and then were laid off.

[Hemlock140]

I'm 62 and got this job at age 57, promoted twice since. Now making more than ever before in my life, with great benefits except for the recent change to a reduced benefit healthcare plan. One person I hired 3 years ago here is 61. A woman where I used to work in CA is in year 56 there at age 84. Friends in the area are still working at 61, 63, and 60. Here in my office there are co-workers ranging from 64 to 69, several of them hired in their 50s.

For me and others that got good jobs later in life, it's an ability to combine the experience and skills acquired in previous careers to fit an opening. For example, I hired a person for a utilities management job that had worked for 2 different utilities as a rate analyst, then as a self-employed consultant doing similar work. With degrees in mathematics and economics (though from the 1980's) it was a great fit.

[Umbria]

Where do I start:

I worked for cooperate America which had gone through many downsizings. I can tell you that productivity had nothing to do with it, much of the time. Many people were so close to the end and then the rug was pulled out.

Some were single parents that didn't have the huge stash to depend on or had other things happen in their lives where they didn't have a lot saved. I'm not speaking of the irresponsible types that we have discussed on various threads.

Over and over I encountered a very cold heartless attitude from those left - when discussing the various fates, the response I would get, over and over, is "That leaves more jobs for our kids." They had absolutely no compassion for these people who had lost that sacred pension that we all sought. I was a Project Manager and many of these people were on my teams and always came through, always met deadlines, always provided good results. Many of the biggest losers stayed on.

So, my point: I believe many hiring managers of a certain age are also thinking that the jobs belong to the younger generation. That we had our chance and now ~~~tough.

[markg91359]

My father worked until age 67. At the time he wanted to retire, but he later regretted he didn't stay a couple of years later. He had a high level position in the government though, so its probably not fair for me to analogize it to most of the people I see here.

[trobesmom]

I know many people working full time after age 62. Several of them here where I work.

[Red On The Noodle]

In the legal profession, there are a lot of people over 60 working. This includes support staff and attorneys.
One firm I worked at, the partners were staying SO long that they changed their Bylaws so partners would have a mandatory retirement age of 75.

[Teddy52]

Originally Posted by Red On The Noodle

In the legal profession, there are a lot of people over 60 working. This includes support staff and attorneys.
One firm I worked at, the partners were staying SO long that they changed their Bylaws so partners would have a mandatory retirement age of 75.

isn't that age discrimination ?

[Doubletrouble]

Many of us self employed people have taken years to build a business. Many of us can work part time and bring in full time money. It's difficult to walk away from a small business that you enjoy.

So I believe corporate people probably get out sooner than many of us self employed independents.