<p>I just turned 50 and I’ve run my own company for about 20 years. There a couple jobs that just came up at a major employer that I’m very qualified for. I just applied thinking that since the kids are almost gone it would be a really great change of pace.</p>
<p>However, I’m wondering if I will be discriminated against because of my age and because I’ve been self-employed for so long. Maybe they would think that I wouldn’t fit into a structured team environment but I’m actually a very flexible person. Part of my business involves a great deal of team work and creativity.</p>
<p>My 54 year old wife is going job hunting. She is a very capable person. Her first job interview went well. She did not get the job. There were hundreds of applicants. </p>
<p>I think it is weird to be interviewed by somebody 20 years younger than you…
I am the oldest person at my firm…it is weird.</p>
<p>We hired most of a division of a company a few years ago (they were closing down the business and it would be cheaper just interviewing the employees than doing a buyout). The people were in their 30s to 60s so we got a lot of experienced people. There are times when companies want experience and stability and other times when they want younger folks with tons of energy. The younger employees will generally have lower healthcare costs but that won’t matter so much if you are in a high-margin business.</p>
<p>Most people have traits that favors the familiar, so if the company you’re interviewing at has 40 something managers and 20-30 something foot soldiers for the most part, you will be an outlier and could very well experience a bias. </p>
<p>Look at it this way, if you or other similar 50 something self employeds were presented with a 75 and 30-year-old applying for an opening you had, how easy will it be for you all to look at them without factoring in age assuming it’s quite easy to find people to fill this opening? </p>
<p>And I believe the same thing applies to other characteristics too, except some are societally more acceptable than others.</p>
<p>Is it going to be harder to get hired because you’re older? Sure. Is there anything you can do to reduce your age? Probably not. That said, a “defeated” attitude won’t bring you closer to employment. So get out there and present yourself well. Good luck!</p>
<p>PS, It might be worth having someone check out your wardrobe and such.</p>
<p>I am at the other end of my 50s and was (am) in a job search and also did one 5 years ago. There are many companies who will immediately rule out someone in their 50s. Some will not. My last employer was very open to older employees, which was great. I also have been told by headhunters that some companies tell them “Don’t even send me anyone over 50.” I just got hired in a contract position by a major corporation even though it was clear that the job is way below my level. I am grateful to have something. I think you have to take a shot and see what happens. It helps to appear healthy and energetic, I think. A lot of employers aren’t interested in bringing on a health problem with high medical costs, either.</p>
<p>My experience year before last was I always got an interview but it wasn’t until I got some contract work doing cutting edge ‘stuff’ they gave the job every time to a 30-40 year old and when I asked after the rejection, which I did often the “reason” was a “newer” skill set…as soon as I had a period of time at the contract work which added to my resume I got offers. Contract work is an excellent “way” for older folks to stay employed while looking and add cool new stuff to the resume. So I do believe there is discrimination against older workers, but if you’ve got everything a thirty year old has and more you get the offer. Your pitch has to be perfect. You have to be familiar with what’s new in your industry or whatever industry you are approaching and I have to agree with BCEagle about the weight thing and the clothes thing as sad as it is. You might be able to get away with slumpy black clothes and 15 extra pounds when you are employed but being over 50, wearing slumpy black clothes and carrying extra weight could be the kiss of death. I sure didn’t relish spending money on my wardrobe when I was unemployed, but I have to admit it needed refreshing. So yeah…in general…it’s crap (insert your choice of word) to be old and looking for a job.</p>
<p>I started work getting rid of the extra weight when I turned 50. Employability was one of the reasons though it wasn’t on the top of the list. It’s 70 pounds later and I’m in better shape than all of my local group’s new hires.</p>
<p>Nah, it’s just that some industries are changing rapidly because of rapidly changing technology and you really can’t afford to be “old school.” Even if you “know” it you have to “show it”…I had spent almost ten years with a company that was very slow to embrace change and it was hurting my resume even though I had kept up intellectually I had nothing to “show” for it other than my mouth.</p>
<p>In my field part of the problem is that there is an assumption that I’m (a) too expensive and/or (b) won’t be happy with a lesser position. I had to fight to get this one I now have. Am I thrilled with the step backwards I took? No. Am i thrilled to have a job in this economy at my age? Yes.</p>
<p>But But But----
A 50 or 55 or 59 year old has MANY MANY more years ahead to live, to support him/herself, and often still has dependent children!
WHAT are we going to do about this?</p>
<p>My H is about to be edged out from his job due to age. He grew up in a lower middle class home, and due to his academic and athletic successes, he went to a top college, and then made good in the work-force in the relatively good economy for about 25 years. In his most recent company, he is the oldest and most experienced and was the head honcho in his division for about 10 years. After a merger, he is one of the very few to survive from his side(for which we are very very grateful), but he has been making a quarter or less of what he used to, is no longer in management, and is somehow expected to drum up new accounts to justify his existence, when all the territories and industries are already assigned. Every time he brings in a piece of biz, the (younger, newer) person on the territory claims compensation! It is a strange strange existence, and cannot last much longer.
He has no idea what he is going to do next.
He is extremely healthy, very fit, exercises daily, does 5 miles runs in the hills every week, is quite thin and a bit weathered in the face- I told him he needs a face lift or botox or a laser peel or something for his next step!
We are finding that we are having to spend our savings to put the girls through college, and do not know if there will be enough to take us through our old age.
This situation is FAR from miserable, but we are responsible, generous with time and money to our relatives and to the needy around us, hard-working, productive members of society.
We never expected our ability to find work to end so soon.
We are far from alone, either.
I find the whole thing rather frightening. </p>
<p>If the economy ever does pick up, even if there is more hiring, how do we oldsters bring ourselves up to date if we are out of the workforce? It is a question of relationships as well as techniques and technology.</p>