I have alot to offer on the topic. I'm 49 and have been actively looking for work since Dec of 22 so let's see. I think I was almost 47? Lol. Point being it is very very hard out there and I have literally seen it all! When I was laid off on Dec 26,2022 after working there for 7 yrs and the job before it for 18 yrs, I found myself at a huge loss. The only business I ever had worked had died and I had no degree. The business suffered such a huge hit, it still hasn't come back so I started the cycle of having to try to find other opportunities in the dead business. I landed a job in Aug of 2023 and wow! I WAS SO HAPPY! I WAS BACK! I worked for 2 mo and needed 2 unexpected surguries. The employer was intolerant to the idea and when I said I had to go, they terminated me for needing surgury. Okay so there I was again. I left that experience on resume because it was new experienced but truth is that 2 mo long stint was hurting me so I eventually ended up losing it. I had my 2 surguries right away in Oct 23 and Dec 23 and was ready to go again and landed a new role in Feb 2024. I loved it! It was a new exciting business I never knew existed! I was so happy to be there that I showed up 30 min early every day (5:30am) and it was even a 30 min drive! Haha. I loved the team and the company loved their people! It was crazy good. I worked for 10 mo and was let go due to a corporate merger, me and many others. Okay looking again. This isn't going well, God. I can't hear you. Can you speak louder? Lol. Anyway, I have been actively looking again since October and had two interviews. So as an almost 50 yr old, who truly is more interested in becoming a grandma in a couple weeks than anything else right now, it's easy to become very depressed on the topic. I have no problem offering my story though. It's therapeutic! I am a killer asset to teams. I just can't seem to get to the right people. The corporate recruiters these days are in their early 20s. (Sorry Grace) and well, I call them the gate keepers to the jobs. I can go more into this. They are the one that decides if you get an interview and this is just the initial screening. If you don't connect with them, you just don't. Your experience could match perfectly but if they "connect better" with the early 20s candidate, your out! So wait, the early 20s candidate is also very cheap in comparison so maybe that makes me "overqualified". Overqualified is another word for too expensive. Point being, I may never work again but I'm going to be a grama and that is what matters!
Wow, thank you for sharing your story! I am so sorry about all of the layoffs you have been through. Not enough people talk about the mental burden going through these things can cause. It's so hard losing a job you enjoy. I hope you are not getting too discouraged. Luckily, our intrinsic value is not determined by employers, and I know God has good plans for you. All it takes is one good interview to turn things around and find a team that values and appreciates you for what you bring to the table.
I also have had negative experiences with recruiters and don't love how they've changed the industry. The ageism is also sickening, and I've talked to many people in their 40s-60s who've experienced it. It truly breaks my heart. I plan addressing these topics in future posts and sharing tips and resources for how to pivot in your career.
Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter, and I hope my future posts are able to aid you in your job hunting journey. Most importantly, congratulations on your grandchild-to-be!
Congrats on being a first gen college grad, Emily! I agree - we can never have too much education. I am so thankful for my education and the doors it has opened up for me.
I wish it still mattered if we do, not just if we don't. Some employers prefer to see any sort of degree on a resume, even if its not relevant to the position.
I have alot to offer on the topic. I'm 49 and have been actively looking for work since Dec of 22 so let's see. I think I was almost 47? Lol. Point being it is very very hard out there and I have literally seen it all! When I was laid off on Dec 26,2022 after working there for 7 yrs and the job before it for 18 yrs, I found myself at a huge loss. The only business I ever had worked had died and I had no degree. The business suffered such a huge hit, it still hasn't come back so I started the cycle of having to try to find other opportunities in the dead business. I landed a job in Aug of 2023 and wow! I WAS SO HAPPY! I WAS BACK! I worked for 2 mo and needed 2 unexpected surguries. The employer was intolerant to the idea and when I said I had to go, they terminated me for needing surgury. Okay so there I was again. I left that experience on resume because it was new experienced but truth is that 2 mo long stint was hurting me so I eventually ended up losing it. I had my 2 surguries right away in Oct 23 and Dec 23 and was ready to go again and landed a new role in Feb 2024. I loved it! It was a new exciting business I never knew existed! I was so happy to be there that I showed up 30 min early every day (5:30am) and it was even a 30 min drive! Haha. I loved the team and the company loved their people! It was crazy good. I worked for 10 mo and was let go due to a corporate merger, me and many others. Okay looking again. This isn't going well, God. I can't hear you. Can you speak louder? Lol. Anyway, I have been actively looking again since October and had two interviews. So as an almost 50 yr old, who truly is more interested in becoming a grandma in a couple weeks than anything else right now, it's easy to become very depressed on the topic. I have no problem offering my story though. It's therapeutic! I am a killer asset to teams. I just can't seem to get to the right people. The corporate recruiters these days are in their early 20s. (Sorry Grace) and well, I call them the gate keepers to the jobs. I can go more into this. They are the one that decides if you get an interview and this is just the initial screening. If you don't connect with them, you just don't. Your experience could match perfectly but if they "connect better" with the early 20s candidate, your out! So wait, the early 20s candidate is also very cheap in comparison so maybe that makes me "overqualified". Overqualified is another word for too expensive. Point being, I may never work again but I'm going to be a grama and that is what matters!
Hi Clair,
Wow, thank you for sharing your story! I am so sorry about all of the layoffs you have been through. Not enough people talk about the mental burden going through these things can cause. It's so hard losing a job you enjoy. I hope you are not getting too discouraged. Luckily, our intrinsic value is not determined by employers, and I know God has good plans for you. All it takes is one good interview to turn things around and find a team that values and appreciates you for what you bring to the table.
I also have had negative experiences with recruiters and don't love how they've changed the industry. The ageism is also sickening, and I've talked to many people in their 40s-60s who've experienced it. It truly breaks my heart. I plan addressing these topics in future posts and sharing tips and resources for how to pivot in your career.
Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter, and I hope my future posts are able to aid you in your job hunting journey. Most importantly, congratulations on your grandchild-to-be!
Sincerely,
Grace
I learned early on in my career “It doesn’t matter if you do, but it matters if you don’t” ( having a 4 year degree )
Advice given to me by my dad’s hospice case manager, exactly 10 years ago this week : “As a woman, you can never have too much education. “
10 years ago in June, I was a first generation college graduate.
Congrats on being a first gen college grad, Emily! I agree - we can never have too much education. I am so thankful for my education and the doors it has opened up for me.
I wish it still mattered if we do, not just if we don't. Some employers prefer to see any sort of degree on a resume, even if its not relevant to the position.
I hope your degree takes you far!