“The chances of my landing a new full time job are slim. Meanwhile, I have a wife and two teenage boys. At 57 few “entry level” positions are in my reach. It’s humbling. Never thought I’d be in this position. But, a lot of us “boomers” find ourselves here.”
Good Lord, you sound like me. Got laid off in May along with a bunch of other “old folks” and haven’t been able to get a decent job since. I’m 57 and am working part-time for a contractor in the place where I used to be in charge. I’m working with another guy who’s in the same predicament. It sure puts you through some mental changes doesn’t it?
Were I you, I’d avoid the OTR jobs like the plague: you won’t make good money for several years and you won’t ever see your family.
If you’d really like to get into trucking, see if you can’t get your CDL through your local community college and try to get on with a local freight hauler. Those jobs usually pay by the hour and you’re home every night.
Other options would include some tanker work. Companies like Air Products (hauling nitrogen and the like) typically don’t have over night runs.
It's, "welcome to the middle class."
It sure puts you through some mental changes doesn’t it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Don’t it? I went from running my own business where I was the man and very well respected to looking for a job when technology changes killed the business. Nobody cared what I could do and they still don’t, I finally took a warehouse job and because I worked so hard I wound up with plenty of responsibility and the same pay as the slackers. I filed for Social Securit as soon as I turned 62 and quit. I am now back working part time in the same warehouse but it is totally different, I get to do the easy part of the job and let the full-timers have all the headaches and I earn more per hour than I did when I was full-time. I don’t have to work any more but it is nice to have a little pocket money. It is disgraceful though to see how much ability is wasted because nobody wants to hire people over 45.