For long-unemployed, hiring bias rears its head

[Honeycombe8]

10. I think that's true.

Even short term laid off are affected. One co. here told someone not to send them laid off people as applicants. There is a perception that in a layoff, the "problem" people are laid off, and they aren't essential or valued employees.

My co. had a significant layoff two years ago. I would say that it is true that the problem employees were laid off first. That is natural. But our layoff was so large that it cut into some good employees whose jobs were done away with or absorbed by other employees. Still, how is a prospective employer to know the difference?

I say it doesn't matter. Someone who wasn't working out at one company may very well work out for another. And there's nothing like a layoff to get a complacent employee to kick it up a notch. I say that because some of the ones laid off missed a lot of work, didn't work hard, took their jobs for granted (you know the type).

But let's face it: If you're mid-fifties or older and you're laid off, you may very well never get another job in your field. You may have been, in effect, forced to retire a decade early.

I'm in danger of being laid off. I'm 58, but look like I'm in my 40's, I'm told. I'm healthy, high energy, happy disposition, highly skilled, personable. But if I'm laid off, I know that it's likely I won't be hired in for the same job I have now. I'm not laid off but have been to three job interviews. What a difference from decades ago, when I'd show up, answer a few questions, and boom, I was hired. NOW, I'm definitely qualified (not over qualified), they like me, I like them, but they have zeroed in on ONE thing I said as a reason for not hiring me (and hiring someone younger, no doubt). It's obvious. They don't say, "We're worried about your age." They encourage you to interview. They want to show they are equal opportunity. But they just won't hire you..

So I know that if I'm laid off, it would be even worse. With the same result: no job. I will be in effect forced into retirement at 58. I can't retire, of course. So I guess I'm lucky that I live in a large city and have a chance at getting temporary work to pay for my insurance premium.