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Is anyone out there feeling my pain?!
Posted Thu, 05/05/2011 - 16:48 by Jobless
My position was eliminated 18 months ago. I've gone on a dozen interviews over the course of 18 months and I never hear a thing after the interview. I've read all the tips on how to interview, researched the perspective employer, dressed appropriately, expressed sincere interest...yada yada. In summary, I'm an attractive 52 year old with many years of experience. Is it my age? I often wonder if I come across as desperate, do I talk too much, not enough. I interviewed yesterday - I was out of the interview in less than 30 minutes...never a good sign.My self esteem is in the tank. My employed friends don't understand. My unemployment benefits are about to run out. What's a girl to do!?
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Comments
Yes, millions of people
Millions of people are feeling your pain. You're actually doing well to get as many interviews as you do. You must have a solid resume.
Desperation will definitely kill you in an interview. You need to fool yourself. Go in there completely convinced that they need you far more than you need them. Don't over-prepare. Go in and be yourself.
If you don't get a job before your benefits run out, what are you going to do? What do you do? Do you need an employer to do that?
When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.
Over 50
Hi!
I am soon to be 53 and would like to suggest you approach ONLY employers who are going to apprecaite you age and experience.
Right now with the recession still with us, the younger generation do have an edge on us as they are cheaper labor.
Have you thought about going into business for yourself?
There are a lot of FREE grants out there to do this.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us :)
My Website: A Job For You
Yeah, about 13 million...
I heard a recent figure of about thirteen million unemployed, so there are a lot of us out there. I agree with Chuck, you must be doing something right to have gone on so many interviews.
Best of luck on nailing it on the next interview.
One final thought--for those of us over fifty (I'm well past fifty, myself) and unemployed, this may be the new normal. I'm working at temporary jobs I never would have considered two years ago, but the meager salary is enough to stay afloat. Surprisingly, I often feel happier in the work. Increasingly, I remember younger days in which I struggled to get by and managed to get through some pretty tough times.
Best wishes...
I Feel Your Pain
I will see your 52 and raise you 2 more years. I feel your pain and then some. I have bad news and good news. First let me start off by saying age discrimination is alive and well in the U.S. commonplace, and very difficult to prove legally. I have been laid off now for a little over 8 months now and I have experienced this discrimination wholesale, in particular recently. The bad news not only do we both have to deal with age discrimination but unemployment discrimination as well! Yes there are employers out there that discriminate against the unemployed I have experienced this recently. I have heard that some blatantly state that applications from those unemployed will not be accepted! The good news that you have a lot of experience, which is very valuable, they can get someone else cheaper but they get what they pay for. Use this to your advantage in your job search and interviews, I do and I think it paid of in an interview I had yesterday. I have 30 years experience and it seemed to be just what they were looking for. Always be cool in the interview, even if you are desperate (I am) don’t let them know it. You experience is extremely valuable, the kind of employer you will want to work for will see that and offer you a job. As far as unemployed discrimination goes I am going to start to combat that by volunteering (as not to screw up my unemployment) my services to review churches facilities to make recommendations to increase their efficiency/reduce their utility costs (this is part of what I do). This way when I am asked the preverbal question, “so what have you been doing”? I can say I have been working at churches doing volunteer work. I am not sure if this something you can do with your skill sets or not. Please understand that God has a job for you!! He has it all planed it out since time began, do not get discouraged or down on your self. If you go on a job interview and do not get the job, this means that God did not want you to have this job in the first place – and He was the One who closed the door on you getting that job so as to make sure that you did not go down a wrong path. So when you keep getting rejected after several interviews, do not look at these rejections like you are a failure. Look at it that these were jobs that God did not want you to have in the first place, and that He was the One who was running interference so as to make sure that you did not end up taking those wrong jobs. Pray often and ask others to pray for you, I will pray for you. God is always on time, but never early.
12 Interviews and Counting
Kudos to you for having made 12 interviews happen!! Celebrate all wins. The fact that you've gotten these interviews is fantastic. Some might think if you didn't get the job that this is wearing rose-colored glasses celebrating this fact. That's not true. Don't underplay your accomplishments. So many other people aren't even getting interviews so you're half-way there.
Why haven't you been hired yet? You may not have been a match. It's extremely competitive right now. Question: Have you done any mock interviews or reviewed the questions you've been asked to see if your answers are hurting more them helping you? Are you walking the people through your resume vs instead.. explaining how your career matches their job description and needs? I know you've read interview books but have you attended free webinars with job-searching advice. Is there anything in your resume that could bring up questions that could hurt you.
I think it's terrible that you haven't been hired yet but on the flip side am most impressed. You certainly don't want to quit now, you're only getting better. Where do you live? If you live in Vegas or Detroit then you could expect to have 30 interviews before landing a job. Your employed friends only don't understand because they've never lived your experience. Those of us living this experience and who will come through it will always be there for you. Your hidden friends in the wings sending you our positive energy.
I feel your pain
It's probably not your age so much as the fact the currently-fashionable recruitment technique (S.T.A.R interviews etc) is intrinsically immoral and destructive - because it is specifically designed to screen out people who aren't pretentious unscrupulous egomaniacs.
I Feel Your Pain
Anonymous is right but it is a good thing. Because who wants to work for a bunch a skells like that anyway!?
It's hard...
It's extremely hard not to take it personally, especially when you have gone on literally dozens of interviews and many people can't even be courteous enough to give you a call back and say "thank you but no thank you," but you have to try your hardest to remember it's NOT YOU.
I agree with other posters - their hiring tactics are ridiculous (how many times do I have to fill out a personality test for a job? Do I answer how I really feel or do I answer how they want me to?)
I've applied to jobs I've been overqualified for and been denied. I've also applied to jobs I'm underqualified for and been accepted. I've also heard horror stories of employers who look for that "one thing" on a resume (for example, a 4 year degree) and even if you have the work experience to compensate for not having a degree, they just immediately throw it in the garbage.
The problem is the cards are in their hands and they know it.
laid off and loving it
The moment I was laid off I knew from that point I would never work for another again. I prepared for the layoff two years ago so when it happened I was ready for it, unlike others workers some passed out other cried and some just starting cussing. Me, I packed my ish, *left the desk a mess because my mind was on my plans* called my husband and made plans to move to our house 8hr away. Even if the agency calls back *and they will with a paid cut* I am unavailable. At 51 years old I see things in a different sunlight. I am skillful and all that I know can be put to use for the benefit of ME. Job hunting is not for me.. Don’t get it twisted, I will email my resume to satisfy UIB but if they think I’m returning calls to check up on my status they must be insane. If I am called in, it’s about me, not them. My 25 years of IT experience will be put in full effect. I do have a few government tests I took before moving here so I’m on the list awaiting call. That’s just for back up and health insurance.
I was watching Oprah the other day and she mention something about intention.. It made sense to be me because everything I did was done with intention. Oprah said, once you have intention you can never go wrong.
And from my personal experience when something ain’t working, change the track, if you don’t you will end up running into a brick wall.
Best wishes to all of u and I hope you find what you're looking for.