I had a part time job from 2011 until this Feb. That was the ONLY job offer since being laid off in Mar 2009 from fulltime. 53 YO and have held FT jobs for 30 years. I am not giving up, not stopped looking for work, but full and part time jobs have stopped looking for me. It is degrading and depressing. Please don’t judge me.
I’m right there with you on that. Still looking for permanent work myself. Just had an interview today with a large, international company based in St. Paul, MN. Was advised at the end of the interview that if I am successful in getting hired, I need to be prepared to endure at least 3-4 more interviews over the course of 5-6 more weeks. Talk about stiff competition and a cumbersome hiring process! It’s a frustrating and demoralizing process at times, but this is the world we live in today.
“Please don’t judge me.”
I’m not going to judge you. But at your age, have you considered starting your own business? That’s what I did when I retired from HP after 34 years at 55... It was different, it was fun and I made a lot of money. Did that for 5 years and retired for good.
Younger people are having trouble finding jobs, too. My college-age son has been applying for work at various places every summer since he was 16, and he's never even been granted an interview. He's a top student, but jobs are hard to find nowadays. We know of many other young people having the same trouble.
I'm only a few years younger than you are, and I need to find work now after spending 15 years raising children - out of the workforce. I plan to further my education, but even then, will anyone hire me? It's going to be tough finding work.
I know how you feel. There are days that I just want to give up looking. I have been sending resumes and no calls. I have applied for full and part time since I got laid off almost 3 years. Only a few interviews I have gotten but never panned out. I am still too young to collect Social Security however do not know if this is true, but I was told you still can but it will not be the full amount that is originally due if one waited til retirement age.
However, Captain, I agree, we must never give up. I am 51 and I know it is hard to compete with younger generation that just came out of college. I do have my days where I just say forget it, but a part of me has a desire to continue on and fight back and praying I land a job even a part time.
Yet I fear as long liberals are in control of everything, we are headed downhill. All we can do is prepare and help each other.
I do wish you the very best in your endeavors of job hunting and pray you get the job you want or desire.
I hope things look up; what I would find almost as angering is the complete media blackout on what is happening to our former middle class. These minimum wage increase measures are attempts to deal with the reality that most jobs left in this country will be low-skill, low-wage work; they need a way to take those workers and put them into a class where they can contribute to the tax base (and Social Security). It is a wealth transfer from employer to government coffers, without leaving much in the workers’ pockets.