Job hunting proves tougher for older workers

You are so right about your comments. I am experiencing once again the frustration of being out of work through no fault of my own, I might add, and being told I am over qualified for the position or any position within the company. What this says to me is a fear that my skills, or education or experience is too much of a threat to someone.

I have repeatedly watered down my resume until I may appear on paper, at least, to be a dolt or fresh out of school candidate with little to offer but a piece of paper showing I have a basic education. When I do obtain an interview I can see the reaction when they see my grey hair. The opportunity disappears right then and there. It is so sad but true. Employers are missing the gift of having a staffer come on board with oodles and oodles of experience and in doing so get a leg-up on the competition. That reeks of incompetence.

The Peter Principle is alive and well. No wonder companies are having difficulties staying profitable these days.

I have read many articles about older workers re-entering the workforce, and older workers are being sought after by employers, and older workers have a Great Deal of Experience to offer employers, Older Workers are a Real Asset to Companies small and large etc., etc., etc.,
Bottom Line is that at 57 years old I have found all the above to be a crock of **##****!

I wanted (and still do) to re-enter the work-force as I wanted to keep busy and I have a multitude of skills and education to offer an employer. I can run heavy equipment, weld, use a carpenter's shop, or give a lecture on corporate finance and utilize Microsoft Office in doing so !.

I get up early in the morning, have a coffee, read the paper, shave and shower. Does anyone want me - "NO", I have been told flat out that I am too old ! Employers want young meat that they perceive is cheap meat. No matter that the young person trashes the equipment, doesn't wear the safety glasses, needs smoke breaks etc., (I don't smoke)

I don't need to be the boss ! I have been the boss ! I have been there and done that ! I just wanted to "keep busy" and offer an employer a "healthy," educated, safe, loyal employee (yes I show up for work) as I enjoy work. I like getting up and going to work and contributing to assisting an employer in growing his/her business. I am alive !

To date though, this positive work attitude and work ethic along with my toolbox full of skills has been rejected. Potential employers may talk the talk about wanting to embrace older workers into their workforce, but my experience has just been the opposite as they don't walk the walk !

Employers wanting older workers is a "crock!"

I should add to my earlier remarks about age discrimination I am experiencing. It is a little sad for me that I can obtain employment driving a dump truck and make more income over an eight month period than I could make working full time for an employer as an electrical designer with three bachelors and almost 35 years of related experience. I feel as if my + 12 years of post secondary school have been wasted.

I wonder if the yanks south of the border would be interested in giving me a chance. There are no longer any physical borders to work any more as IT and e-mail makes it possible to work from anyplace. I believe I will do just that and endeavour to call in some contacts I have and see what is available.

Frustrating is an understatement, when you combine age with the bilingual Quebec requirement an older English speaking person is doomed. The few low paying jobs I have been lucky enough to acquire in the past few years have had me working nights, away from the public with ex military bosses who haven’t figured out that military management does not apply in an non-crises working environment.

I have learned by returning to the labour workforce that the disconnect between upper and lower management is even larger than imagined. Further, your past experiences are not appreciated and quickly you learn that you are treated as some form of lower class and to keep your moth shut and do just what you have to.

Very disappointing as your at a stage in your life when you no longer need to climb the corporate ladder but still wish to contribute to the well being of the company. I truly have come to believe that corporations are merely using the recent economic situation to clean house, remove the higher salaried personnel and replace them with part-time, non benefit earning individuals, usually from a placement company so they can further cut costs by reducing HR staff, to allow the big dog to make bonus.

I have to agree with all the comments above. The people who come out with the statements that industry is 'looking' to hire the older worker for their experience, work ethic, dependability etc are people who will neveer have to look for a job at 60+. They are self employed or academics who don't operate in the same world as the rest of us. I was laid off for the first time in my life in 1996 when I was 48, and it was tough then to get work. I was lucky and got hired by an IT startup that went to become a mega corporation. I had 12 good years but got laid off last November. I did some looking around and got the 'too old' response, so I have decided that working for minimum wage would porbably cost me money to work so I am now working on early retirement.

I agree with Richards comments totally. Being 47, over 30 yrs of experience in manufacturing, both commodities and automotive, tradesman and management, employers at the interview stage are predjudice. When an individual such as myself, with numerous industrial accreditations arrives at the interview, fear from the interviewer is quite appearent. Fear for there own jobs, or there workmates job. Senior managemnt wants experienced people...but, the people they have in place, such as HR personnel, don't. Until Senior management adjusts hiring practices, initiated by their own HR departments.. { which in my opinion, are the Gastapo of industy}.this trend will continue. Additonally, if it was my multi million dollar company, I would be laughing at the kids arriving fresh from school with a degree appling to manage my money, since the only possible experience they can offer is that of flipping burgers or painting walls when they were in school, playing with the rubber end of a pencil, where the sun don't shine. WAKE UP EMPLOYERS....its your money these kids will piss away...WHY....education means nothing without direct related experience. What works in theory in a controlled environment will not work on the manufacturing floor. ONLY MATURE EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUALS have this valued gift.

I Just recently applied for a job at the local city hall. I have a DZ truck drivers liecence, an 44 yrs of driving expertizee .For some reson 4 much younger people were hired, an the expeariance was no were near what I have. But I know for a fact after a heated conversation with the CEO , it all had to do with AGE. So what are your suggestion for this?
I have just turned 60 an feel fine,I figure I have a lot of good years left.But I think employers want younger ,not older.

Further to my previous post, I think that an employer misses the value of older workers, in balancing the non-experience of younger workers with that of the mentorship that could/can be offered by an older worker.
I would love to work with younger workers in an industrial setting and teach them how to work safely. A older worker like myself can tell a younger worker "no," you can't do that or you will get hurt or even worse, kill yourself.
Employers to-day don't want to say "no," to younger workers in the workplace for fear of offending them, yet that is what they need, a person such as myself to say "no." That is wrong. The HR departments to-day are all about group hugs and empathy when in fact a kick in the ass might be the order of the day.

One other point - Headhunters are a complete waste of your time !

As a young (under 30) "educated" professioanl running the accounting department for a large real estate development company I find Greg's comments and attitude ridiculous. Here is a man in one setance complaining about age discrimination and then in the next sentence discriminating against the young. In the new working world an education is an important thing as it allows an individual to approach issues with a unique view and can greatly enhance the experience of an individual.

Greg, if you want a job maybe you should knock the chip off your shoulder and learn a little respect as age has much less bearing in the work force these days. I have 5 people directly reporting to me and all are older than I (most are in the mid 40s to early 50s and some have children older than me). Age no longer carries as much weight as talent, ambition and education. With your attitude no wonder HR people fear you. They are looking for team players that can be molded at the employment level you are looking at and with your attitude its obvious you wouldn't fit. Your employers are likely the "young educated person" you seem to despise. Also its Gestapo, not Gastapo (amazing what a little education allows isn't it).

To further my comment previous...examples of this trend to hire younger over older can be found in daily headlines in the news, almost everyday. Look at what initiated the global money crisis we're in now...back in the 90s...a bunch of young MBAs hatched the scheme of bumping peoples credit...above there means,,,why...to further line their own pockets and to satisfy greedy corporte agendas for pure profit...why aren't these people and corporations being held accountable. Look at yesterdays headline with the Maple Leaf Wieners, shipped out before verification of complete testing, how old was the individual who shipped them out and obviously had dick all experience to grasp the fact that if unsure,,,STOP! This maddness will continue...until people stand up and adjust the thinking of corporations through government...but then again...take a look at some of the peach fuzzed faced government employees we have elected and employ. In synopsis, effective leadership can only be achieved through experience,,,and to gain experience, you have to travel around the block a few times.

A shout out to Gordon Powers: I always enjoy reading your thoughtful comments and very helpful financial tips. I have successfully employed a few of your ideas. I hope you read this as I am sure you have many fans besides me.

To older workers who find themself in this postion right now: chin up. I can understand the frustration you must feel. From the point of view of a young-ish worker, it is a vexing time right now to be entering the work force. I am partially convinced at this point in time I may end up the most educated Barista or bartneder on the planet. So be it, I'll try to be the best darned lay person around. Not all young workers have an unearned sense of entitlement and need to hugged just for showing up to work. Hmmm... the problem may be the good young 'uns are stuck in jobs where we are serving the old timers your coffee in the morning (to get you pepped up for work) and serving you alchohol at night (to soothe your nerves for dealing with our sorry @$$es during the work day).

Cheers and thanks for reading.

Jason...adjust the accent angle of your pencil....you've obviously shoved it up to far. Also, remember this, when you were just a dribble down someones leg, myself and others were the backbone of this countries economy. Opportunities given to you were paid in full, by our blood, sweat and tears. Additionally Jason......I've yet to meet, the young educated individual ,whom, equals my education. Obviously...with your comments, you acquired your eduction by sending in the box tops to Fruit Loops. Go and count your beans...BOY!

Let me reiterate Greg because I don't think you get it. People can be talented and ambitious at 25 making them a good potential for a company to hire. You can teach a talented person most jobs and an education helps with this as it shows that the person has the ability to learn and comprehend quickly. What you can't teach a person is ambition, desire, talent or flexibility in learning. I am not saying an older person doesn't have these but I am saying somebody with these is more valuable to a company than a person that lacks them and covers them with "experience" that obviously didn't let them keep their last job.

Gone are the days when experience was the big ticket that means you run the show (thank god the unions are dying). Companies have learned talent and drive are more important and will leapfrog those that have it into the upper echolon as they will outperform those that don't have it. Greg you obviously don't value those skills and consider "experience" to be the only relevent item.

Times have changed Greg, talentless in the box thinking experienced people are now unemployed (you) while talented team players (whatever their age) are running the show. Also don't blame the 90s on me I was only 8 when they started.

Jason remember this,you will go the way of the dinosaur ,when your time comes. who you disrespect on the way up , youll meet at your own waterloo.you will be in the same position as Greg,,maybe even sooner than he was,all things pass, only dif is that greg has seen it happen you cant imagine it to happenning to you,,As far as he goes ,his chip came from frustration some of which, your type caused,As for unions , its a necessary evil, If there werent any , youd be working for minimum wages,thats a fact ,learn from history boy,,Greg needs to tone down as you need to remember he is what you will be if you keep up waht you are thinking now.

AcC I appreciate and respect your comments as they were well said (skipping the "boy" part, come on folks are we in 1950s Mississippi) although I don't agree with all of them. I know and understand that someday the change of pace will put me behind the curve but I will try to keep that from happening by constantly upgrading my skills and staying on the leading edge. As a CA I have a good understanding that the world will change however given my career progression in the next 5-10 years I will likely be running my own company so I need to also work on other skills that will come to the fore in the future.

I can't believe you brought out the old "learn from history" chestnut. Yes I will readily admit that it the 1800s unions were a great tool as was the steam engine. We got rid of the steam engine (it was replaced with the better diesel engine) to bad we didn't do likewise with the unions because they are way past their prime and usefullness. In the modern age a talented person can easily sit and bargain with their employer and be just fine (I have never been in a union and had a 6 figure income last year). A union stifles a company's ability to promote people like myself who are talented as people with "senority" would instead get the position.

Shouldn't you be concerned with your own self worth and skill set if you won't sit down with your boss eye to eye and bargain with them for your job?

Jason, you are a spoiled brat. I hope you get everything coming to you, and more. You are a product of the present educational system; more often than naught you cannot properly construct a sentence, express an opinion correctly and constructively, and you are most likely lacking strong mathematical skills. Fortunately, for you at least, you are surrounded by peers with the same deficiencies as yours and you 'fit in' in your workplace.

Never, ever, make disparaging remarks about the older worker and his/her lack of capability of doing a proper job until you have walked in their shoes or you have met them. That is simply bad manners and does not make good business sense. Regrettably, you and your generation have never experienced humility and shown proper manners. It is time you learned but I know you do not care enough about anyone else but yourself. Perhaps someone will shake you hard enough to have you wake up and look at a perspective, other than your own.

I agree with Ken Campbell, the need for "older workers" is a crock of ?!?_*&" They say there is no age discrimination and that is bull ?*&!?% as well. After of 30 years with a communication company I lost my job to "Corporate Downsizing". I was 50 years old and spent the next 4 years trying to get a full time job. I could get temp. agency work but nothing permanent. As soon as they read your resume with your experience and see how long you have been work, they know how old you are and don't want you. I finally found a permanent job and after 3 years was again "Coporate Downsized". Again spent 3 years before I got a permanent position. I work because I have to not for "spending money". I wish I could afford to stay home but I can't. I can't count the number of times I have seen the look of dismay of a face when they see me in person and see the gray hair.
I am a team player and enjoy working in a group for the good of the company over all. I'm not looking to take over the world, I just want to work and use my experience. I also enjoy learning new things. It challenges the brain and keeps me young at heart. Don't discount us just because we have gray hair and have a lot of work experience. Also, please take into account that after so many years of working, starting the interview process over again is very hard on some of us.

I think that the labour market has always been discriminatory; we just need to be smarter in the ways that we deal with it. At various times and likely still today, groups of people were/are denied employment because of their race, ethnic background, religion, gender, education, experience or age. As older people seeking work we are challenged to present ourselves as honestly and as convincingly as we can to prospective employers in the areas where we genuinely want to work and to ignore all others. At least our prior work experience should have taught us to discern the difference. It's also important that we be kind to ourselves in our searches and not get beat up by the rampant opinions on the subject that are voiced and written in the news and information media. Afterall, who are these spokespeople but merely those working for "the Man" and trying to meet a deadline or to do a job. The fact that they have nothing helpful to say is always a possibility.

Jason, I was where you are not too long ago. There are definitely advantages to youth and a fresh perspective, but there are definite disadvantages too. You are keen, hardworking, confident, assertive, ready to take risks. What you are not is experienced, nuanced, and knowledgable about your industry on a deep working level. The biggest thing you lack is the experience that allows you to walk in someone elses shoes and understand what their experience can contribute. And you don't even know it. These are 'soft skills' that are underrated by newbies in the workforce. You will learn about them, probably the hard way.

There are definitive advantages to a long work history and the experience that brings. The workplace needs both kinds.

I had to look for a new job in Canada last year after 8 years working in the US, and I got the 'too experienced' response from Canadian companies. I ended up working for a US company here in Canada. The 'too experienced' thing is strictly a Canadian phenomenom, at least in my industry, and is one of the many reasons I went to the US, and will return to the US as fast as I can. There are a multitude of reasons Canada has fallen so far behind the US in IT and this is fear of experience workers is one of them.

Hi I am retired and hopeing not to have to go back to work , There is a place for everybody and It is a time when we step a side and let the younger people take over and someone had to do it for you and I think that it is a Company right to look for somebody younger for there younger thinking and ther is probely jobs out there for you but just not the ones you had for years, So give our Companys and young people a break , Don't put so much pressure on your selfs you are getting old take care of your health.