Hey I was laid off at Wells Fargo in early December. I have not found anything. I also am 55. Do you have any recommendations? Sounds like networking is what worked for you.
Yes, I tried to do retail store design consulting (contract version of what I did for 5 years) and that did not work out.
During this time my Grandmother, who was 96, had a heart attack. The doctors told her she could no longer stay alone at night anymore. My wife and I stayed with her (did not move in) for a little over a year. We cooked her meals and did everything except what she liked to do, work in her flower beds. When you wonder why God deals you a bad hand often if you look back you can see the reason. We think we plan our future, be really are not in control.
And then I finally talked to the Operations Manager of the company I worked for from 1972-1988 (I had known him since 1972) Prior to leaving the company, I was one of several VP’s.
I worked remotely part-time for him for about 6-month writing catalog descriptions, then he called me to interview with the IT manager for a opening. Did not get that, he wanted a young kid. The kid was fired 4 months after they hired him, not the kid’s fault.
About 1 month later the Operations Manager called me and said the catalog manager was being moved to a buyer’s slot, and that his position was open if I wanted it. I took it and lived 225 miles away from my family for most of the next 4 years. Until recently, when I got things in shape where I could work from home. Use a VPN connection daily, to connect, and can do anything I did in the office from my home. That has worked out fine.
Living there allowed me to take care of my in-laws for most of that 4 years. They are in a retirement community, but unable to live alone without some assistance. I ran them to the doctors & doctors appointments, and I cooked dinner for them every night for last 2 years. We now have 3 home health care workers doing what I did. They are with them about 11 hours per day.