For Those Who Think That Jobs Are Being Handed Out Door To Door

[Mrs. Claw]

Anecdotally, of course but my mother-in-law, who has a decent resume but is in her early sixties, applied as part of Gov. Ducey's job search requirement to over 30 companies on Indeed.

1 callback from a guy that wanted her to do some online tests before he would interview her.

That is it.

So no, jobs are not just floating around like apples on a tree.

Just wanted to say that.

-Mrs. Claw

[lark]

1. Good jobs - hell no there aren't a lot of them available.

Restaurant jobs abound but pay next to nothing here.

[Diamond_Dog]

2. Same as it ever was....

If you’re over 50, no one wants to hire you.

And if you just lost your job due to Covid, are over 50 and you were making a decent salary, you can forget finding anything comparable.

[modrepub]

3. Living Wage/Benefits Jobs

Are hard to come by unless you've got a wanted skill set. It's kind of always been like that.

Companies also have a skewed vision of the job market. They often complain about not being able to find good workers but never admit they're often searching for a unicorn. Funny how their version always seems to be what the press writes about.

I think it would be interesting if those tracking job posting were to categorize the available jobs into "low wage/no benefit" and "all other" categories to see how skewed the totals would be.

[paleotn]

4. In my mind, most of the economy....

is still recovering from 2020 and worried about possible Covid resurgence among the unvaccinated in 2021 / 22. As the old saying goes, when in doubt, the best course is to do nothing and see how things play out, thus less systemic job growth particularly in good paying jobs than we'd like. Most of what we are seeing is the service sector reopening, giving us the illusion of a robust recovery. In reality, we're just clawing our way back to 2019.

Tough situation. I've been there too back in the day, so good thoughts and hopes for your mom in law.

[former9thward]

5. It all depends on what type of job she is looking for.

An employer may not want to hire someone in their early 60s because they figure they could retire at any time. Thus all the time doing training for the job is wasted. On the other hand if you are looking for an entry level job they are all over the place. They might be part time to start but can work into full time.

[LizBeth]

6. I am right there with your mother in law at 59. Just a simple clerical/reception job.

Then they have me for ten years. Tracking the medical clerical there are 100-250 apps going for these jobs. Whereas I am watching hotel front desk pay go up. The last week only a couple was saying 15 an hour and now, almost every hotel hitting that number. But I do not want to do that. The customers are mean.

[RainCaster]

7. At 63, I've had one interview this summer

For a position that pays one third and requires me to move across the country. On my own dime.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. In reality, there are lots of jobs out there, and plenty of companies are happy to hire

someone over the age of 60. I know. I got several different jobs after 60.

It's just that those jobs may not be good career/professional jobs, which I know is a shame, but working at something is probably better than not working or taking Social Security at the earliest age possible. Especially since Medicare doesn't kick in for another three years.

Heck, when I was just turned 66 I applied for a job advertised as part time for a local company that sells water and water-dispensing things to individuals and businesses in our area. I'd have been hired on the spot, except their definition of part time was 30 hours a week, and mine was 20. However, I was asked if I'd be willing to do occasional temp work for them. I said yes, and twice they called me in to work for a week or so. Excellent experience all around.

Yeah, I realize that if you've been building a career for decades and are suddenly let go it can be incredibly difficult to get an equivalent position. It's possible that with all the changes Covid has wrought, that will start changing.

[LittleGirl]

9. Same age. Haven't worked in 15 years

Nobody would even ask for a phone interview in the past decade.
I gave up. Seriously, nobody will hire anybody over 50.

My brother’s position went away after 35 years of service. He was 56. He lost his lifetime healthcare promise and got his affairs in order.
He was dead in 6 months.

[h2ebits]

10. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps"

"There are lots of jobs, if you want to work."
"People don't want to work."
"Sorry, I can't get enough help to stay open." P.S. "I don't pay a living wage."
"Stop the government handouts."
"People are making more on unemployment than if they had a job. Stop the unemployment checks and they'll find a job quickly."
"Get the homeless off the streets. Throw them all in jail."

On and on it goes. We are a sick nation that has turned its back on humanity. It is certainly not everybody but enough to make life miserable for all of us.

Our job is to ensure that we elect people into office who want to see a better life for all of us.

[Politicub]

11. This is the truth. Age discrimination has not changed.

There are lots of grocery store and retail jobs, where people must stand on their feet all day, that will hire people who are older or who may have a gap in employment.

But it's nearly impossible to get a corporate job or any job with benefits when you are an older job seeker. It's beyond frustrating, and I'm in that boat now. I have a gap in my resume for a health reason (and stopped trying to find employment during Covid), and I'm having a hard time getting interest from anyone.

I had a successful career, but am now perceived as old and out of touch. I'm not able to stand on my feet all day. And if I did have a job like that, I would have to pay for my own health insurance. The subsidy I receive from the healthcare.gov marketplace (I regard the ACA as one of the most consequential, positive legislative victories in my lifetime), will be quickly phased out if our household income increases by just a bit, and deductibles will go up by thousands if I bring in just a couple more thousand dollars per year.

A lot of people who have sat at a desk for most of the their careers have back problems. I do. I would need surgery in order to attempt standing for eight hours. My legs start to go numb after about 30 minutes or less of standing. I don't know what to do, but will have to figure something out as I don't have a lot of runway left.

[rownesheck]

12. I have no skills

other than in retail, which means I have no skills. My current job is ridiculously difficult physically and mentally. I've tried finding other jobs, but it ain't happening. I'm quite sure I'll be fired within a few months and will just end up homeless on the streets until the clock runs out.

This is America.

[MichMan]

13. Depends on your location and skills

Last edited Sat Jul 24, 2021, 12:03 AM - Edit history (1)

I worked nearly my entire career in a manufacturing plant in a support position

I am over 60 and recently retired, yet have recruiters calling me a couple times a week even though I haven't posted a resume for 10 years. My previous employer I retired from can't hardly find anyone to be my replacement. The one person they eventually hired (also close to 60) quit after 1 month.

[Ms. Toad]

14. I had more difficulty finding a job in my 40s

With a resume that included #1 in my law school class, and #1 in the state on the bar exam.

Thirteen years later, at age 57 I applied for exactly one job (and was given the job), and at age 60 I was given a promotion that required me to compete with outside applicants in a national job search.

It is harder after age 40 (that's why age discrimination starts at that age), and my spouse has not been gainfully employed since she was in her 50s. But - age is not always the deciding factor (or even a factor).