Posted on 04/23/2006 7:49:45 AM PDT by SmithL
One of my readers is an underemployed 59-year-old man from among us here in the South Suburbs. Call him Harry. He works in information technology. Slowly and wearily, he says: "Once you get past 50, I swear, it gets tough, it gets really tough."
For instance, Harry applied for a job with a city of Chicago department that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He got an offer for some contract work. There were no benefits, but it was a paying job.
A woman from the city called him one Monday morning and wanted to know if he could start at midnight. Harry said he'd like to give his current employer a week's notice. That wasn't good enough. The job was gone. The caller told him: "This is a brave new world. Learn to live with it."
(Excerpt) Read more at starnewspapers.com ...
Anyway, good for you that you're OK now.
Some good ideas. That's the way it is here. My check is for savings and other stuff. We live off my husbands. We have had lot's of bumps and a few free falls but if neither of us could work we would do ok. We would have to go on a strict spending diet but I just don't worry that much. The getting old is a bummer but I look at retirement as finishing school. "Free at last!" :')
Thanks for the reference to the parable of the Talents, although I don't believe financial stability or productivity was the intent of the parable. Matt 25:15 is an interesting study though.
On the bright side, at least he'll finally be able to retrieve some of that unemplyment insurance he's paid into for so long.
I hope you meant to include an apostrophe... but it also presents an interesting perspective on our social commentary that probably hasn't been experienced in large numbers until coming generations.
Nothing like being your own boss.
Even more blessed is the man who recognizes God looks out for him in all things. Ask any pastor or Christian who tithes regularly or over many years which is more important, to tithe or to set aside a nestegg. Almost every pastor I have ever known has a unique and robust experience of situations where all savings had been removed and His grace overcame all adversity, with Providence more rich and bountiful than their hopes had ever aspired.
The grace provided wasn't always worldly, but their discernment of a far more powerful advocate than they ever imagined seems to be a consistent theme, regardless denomination.
Seriously, it's very easy to get into the trap of improving your lifestyle as you make more and hard to get out of. When I had to work to help make ends meet, it was depressing. You work all week, the house stays a mess and maybe you have a few bucks left over. I don't put every dollar in savings though. I want to enjoy life, getting to retirement. In a responsible way of course. Who benefits if you work two or three jobs and never have time to spend with your wife kids because you were busy with growing old vs just growing?
That hasn't been my experience at all.
First, any reputable employer falls all over themselves to hire veterans. Veterans are mature, show up for work on time, are motivated, adaptable and flexible.
Secondly, determining technical acumen is what tech screens and interviews are for. Lack of an up-to-date skillset is a problem that has no age restriction, and I've interviewed a lot of candidates.
OK, ok. I know. There should be an "and" between wife and kids:')
On second thought, make it wife's kids, if you are never around.
That's all? The jobs that my company is posting for get hundreds to 1000+ resumes submitted. So much so that we decided to use a headhunter to vet the submissions.
The *problem* is the internet. I looked at a handful (50 or so) of the resumes submitted, and I only wanted to talk to one of the people. When I was job hunting out of college, I needed to submit a specifically directed resume, and well-written cover letter for each job. Therefore, I didn't apply to very many. Now, you can spam yourself out to the entire world with a few mouse clicks. Not *really* qualified? Who cares, the work falls to the employer.
We're on the East Coast, and have college kids on the West Coast spamming us with resumes for entry level Help Desk positions, and wondering why we won't pay to move them here for a low paying job that can be filled easily with local help. If they needed to actually put some work/thought into the application (or bothered to read the job description or the help wanted advertisement), they wouldn't be wasting everyone's time.
IMHO, if you're in IT right now, and unemployed, it's for one of two reasons. Either you're unwilling/unable to relocate or travel (bunch of the jobs that I've seen of late just require a laptop and accessibility to an airport) -or- you're unemployable. Of course, these conditions are subject to change. Maybe as soon as this afternoon. :-)
Still, there is nothing wrong with advice. Even old dogs can learn new tricks. I have benefited from advice at an early age and not all of that advice was nicey-nicey. Sometimes I got a slap upside the head. I do not believe in sugar-coating the problem and I'm not particularly concerned with somebody else's "self-esteem." If somebody has a problem, you are not going to help them with sympathy. You might make them feel better for a little while but it's not going to help them.
It's easy to say do this...do that. However, everyone's circumstances are different. I have a friend whose kids' college fund was wiped out by emergency, and unanticipated, medical bills. I know some people who've had to pay for care for aging parents. I've known people whose businesses have gone belly up and have had to declare bankruptcy
gee, I was just thinking that the kid whose going to school could get a job or two. Lots of people do that. You're right about unexpected stuff happening, but then if they're wiped out by medical bills and bankruptcy wouldn't they qualify on financial hardship? .... I'm not sitting on any high horse and judging, just stating the case that parents aren't obliged to pay for college. It's a gift, a sacrifice and optional.... the "child" that's 18,19,20,21 is going to have to deal with "life's not fair".... it isn't, but nobody said it was.
the more I think about it, the more I wish I hadn't had to have 3 jobs in the summer so I could drink beer and tan myself with my buddies.
Yep, I've made up my mind... if you're 59 and need a job, life is definitely not fair.
"Poorly "planned lives" are the rule, not the exception. I'm just waiting for the big government rescue team to come knocking at my door, taking away what I've saved to give it to the high rollers."
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I am sure that all are delighted for you, 69. All are happy that your savings have not been interrupted by unexpected illness or tragedy.
You know, before 1977 everybody thought that IBM could only get bigger.
If you had suggested that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs could become billionaires in a decade they would have locked you up.
So I guess you are saying that invention is now officially dead. Nobody can get ahead.
You would have been saying this for the last millenium.
Precisely. The potential advantage older people have is that their energy, if they apply it, tends to be far more focused and therefore effective -- working smart instead of hard. As I said, we've hired grandmothers already at their retirement age at high-tech startups, and I know of several others who are still in the game too. They aren't bouncing off the walls like a 20-something, but they are still very much in the game and far more effective than some of the young people that get brought in. Most of "acting old" is about coasting and doing the minimum to get through the day.
Heh, very true. I've been unemployed many times, and occasionally at length, but have never collected unemployment in my life. For better or worse, I probably will never have the chance again either.
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