Not if you are in your late fifties. I've been searching even before the coronavirus hit and I've had zero luck. No amount of skill or experience will trump the fact that you are considered too old for any job in our field. Please tell me I'm wrong and there are employers who want skilled employees no matter their age? I'm personally yet to find them.
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OP - I feel your pain.
After 31 years of DEDICATED service with HON (started with ILiedSignal in PHX first job out of college) my position was eliminated last year. The severance would get me past 55, and I had to choose between getting whatever position I could internally within 30 days, or leaving. I left.
I focused my job search on 3 top company targets whose headquarters are in the location I targeted (lesson learned to not work at a satellite location if at all possible). I networked heavily - especially with people who work at the targeted companies. I got referrals at all 3 targets. I got interviewed and hired at my top choice targeted employer. Given holiday break, security clearance processing, and then COVID-19 start date delays, it took a total of 6 months and 3 weeks from when I left HON to start working at RTX.
Use LinkedIn and see how many people you know work at your top targeted companies. I was amazed to see how many people from HON work at RTX. The referral will land you an interview, and then you earn your way in from there. RTX only wants top talent and they have high expectations of their employees. The difference is that RTX actually cares about their employees - as demonstrated by their actions not hollow words.
Every person's situation is different, however if relocation is an option, and you are willing to work hard for an employer who cares about you, I would recommend RTX as a good option. If you are west of the Mississippi that means Tucson, AZ or McKinney, Texas. East of the Mississippi that means Tewksbury, Massachusetts, or Dulles, Virginia. Get in the defense side of RTX (not commercial right now - at least for now, may be able to switch after this COVID crisis).
RTX is still hiring right now. 10 hiring events every year. Use referral link and networking to prevent having resume "screened out" - after a phone interview you should get invited to hiring event. Make the most of the networking session at that event to line up multiple interviews for the next day (you are guaranteed 1 interview and can set up several more if your resume matches hiring managers needs at the networking event). Then prep well and nail your interview(s) the next morning.
RTX needs good people across the age spectrum - new grads and experienced people needed.
I consider myself lucky, I have great friends in the wonderful people (my ex coworkers are super) at HON, and I am making new contacts at RTX. So far I have been busy as all get out learning the new products and systems, but the product I work on is really cool and the team I lead is a diverse group or really smart and dedicated people.
I LOVE the people I worked with at HON. It pains me deeply to see how they are being treated.
OP I hope I have conveyed some optimism that no matter your age there are still companies out there that value your experience. I understand relocation may be a barrier to getting connected with those companies. I wish you and all the HON people the best outcome possible given the devastating current crisis. I mean that sincerely.
- S. - On a lighter note, I want to share a link below before it gets deleted.
The subject matter of this post is NO laughing matter. Thinking of what HON employees have to endure is crushingly painful.
That being said, when I read the last line of the memo I erupted in laughter, I could not stop, I wish that last line was in the actual memo...
Hang in there everyone and stay safe and healthy!
The last line is this memo is fake but classic: https://www.thelayoff.com/t/162Si4cD
I have to say that I hit 60 last year at the same time our building was shut down but I was very fortunate enough to find another place in town looking for the same specialized skill set that I had. The one thing that age provides his experience and that is something that you can’t go to school for her by you require overtime. Sell yourself.
In a lot of the software-only operations of today, those over 30 need not apply.
HW zapped me in 2009. After 4 years of unemployment sold the house and moved only to move back for another job in a different field. This time as an apartment dweller. Several years after that a Google recruiter called (via Linkedin). From "unemployable" to being recruited by Google - not bad for a 58 year old. The job in a different field was via a connection from a fellow HW coworker. The economy is not broken but rather turned off right now. Nobody can get a job and as an older worker it will be harder. Smaller companies love to have older workers that they don't have to train and also do not go around with the cell phone attached to their hand.
I beg to differ. I left honeyhell at the age of 56 because I saw no hope for management to break from the HOS Cote cult that they had committed to. I found another employer that has very much appreciated my experience and knowledge and I now actually enjoy my work environment. I was looking forward to retiring age at 60 because I used to hate working when I was a part of Honeyhell, but HEY I might work until 65 because my outlook has become much brighter.
The key words in the message of the OP are "in our field". If you're painting yourself into a corner, especially in this market, then yeah, you're pretty much screwed - not because of the market, but because you are placing your own restrictions on your employability. I'm in my late 50's and I have over 22 years as an aviation professional. When all this started with the announcement of the furloughs back in March, I updated my resume. I started looking in April - but not for aviation jobs. My thinking was that if this pandemic causes thousands of layoffs in aviation, I will be competing with multiple people for a handful of opportunities. And employers will have a huge talent pool from which to choose, and they will likely hire talent for half of what they are worth. So i was fortunate enough to get a good job offer the same week I was laid off in May because I had already interviewed with them. I'm making about 10% less but that's not bad for crossing over into a new field, iny opinion. So my advice is evaluate what other skills you have acquired over the years and see where else you can apply them. There are employers that are hiring for good jobs in spite of the market. Be smart and reinvent yourself. Winners find a way to win. Be a winner!
It's hard in your 40s even if you are willing to take a demotion. More options open if you are willing to move. Espically to a lower cost of living place as you can demand a lower salary.
But think out of the box. If you survived in aerosoace this long, you can do lots of things. Trains, power generation, building ECS systems. Turbo powered engines in heavy machinery. Missiles and rockets are HUGE right now.
@sxh+1656vfb2 - I was affected by the RIF in late June. I have not heard from the career placement team regarding help with my resume. Or am I suppose to reach out to them. I don't recall seeing any info on this
Not old just “we are looking for an entry level...” or in short “cheap”
Definitely do not list more than 10years of experience on your resume-that tends to date you if you go back too far. You can always tell them prior to x date, I worked for so and so.
2ndly, let the career plaement team redo/advise you about your resume or find someone that will help you. jobscan is a website that will tell you how much your resume will match the job based on the companies ATS system
3rdly, Im in my mid 40s and I found something within 2 weeks-it's consulting-but it's a check and could turn into perm or I just look for another consulting gig. SO be open to that as well but you can def find something in your 50-60s..
I am sorry for your experience. Sometimes life s—s, and this is one of those times. If you want to find a job in this market, you will have to be willing to sacrifice. That means being willing to take less pay, being willing to sell your house and move somewhere else in the country, being willing to take a different title, etc. It s—s. It is what it is.
Depends on location
Im in my mid 30s. Jobs are hard to get right now. In the Phoenix area I am competing with hundreds of x-HONers in the same local market. Age doesn’t help, but times are tougher than the media and stock market would make you believe.
Sad but true. If you have good records of your HON experience, start here: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/
It’s much harder to find a job when you’re in your mid 50s.
I had an HR person coach me on how to hide my age and I’m in my 40s.
I think this is the world we live in now. Part of a career path will need to include having a backup plan for the possibility of getting RIFd at that age.
Some companies do still care about being successful and profitable. In order to do that you need skilled workers