So many people over 50 are being laid off these days and as I see it, very few companies are willing to hire anybody in that range. I'm wondering what are people doing about finding new jobs, especially with the pandemic-related hiring freezes added into the mix? Is there anything available right now?
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I’ve noticed the quality of qualified younger candidates has gone way down in the last years. Old guys are more than able to hang in this field and I’d argue have a better ability to focus and have a lot of times better soft skills so hang in there.
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I am 57 and was hired by AWS this year.
Any company that's hiring is going to hire you regardless of age. Companies are looking to see if you can get the job done and what value you bring in. You need to convince them that you're there to work, not gossip, not be on social media (unless that's your job), do the work correctly, efficiently and on time/early.
Us 50+ get a bad rap because we want 5 weeks of vacation, we may have to see a doctor more often, we may put in just 40 hours, we may not want to change and adapt. Our job at the interview is to convince them that it's not the case. So when they say at the end of the interview if you have any questions, say the above and show them you're hungry!
Consider some of the boutique partners. I work at one and we hire over-50 ex-Cisco (sales, field engineers) all the time. Age is generally not the issue – it is fit. Cisco folks are used to a much shorter tech/sales cycle than our acre of the partner ecosystem supports. They tend to be shell-shocked when it comes to the scope of what we need them to handle (no huge support teams!) but are well-compensated and, if they are able to transition from a corporate to a more entrepreneurial mindset, are generally satisfied. You will find that many smaller partner HR groups are also staffed with over 50s who don't have training resources and want people who can hit the ground running. Bonus: if you have the ability and willingness to share knowledge and experience without condescension, you will actually find yourself quickly prized.
who is hiring, period?
job market is dead
lot of fake job-postings to collect resumes
not real jobs
will be bad downturn
Today, people think that if you are laid-off, you must be a poor performer because companies would transfer their best (at least, management think so) before a project is cut.
I have a relative worked for a major IT company long ago. That company keeps laying people off. One day, his manager told him that he was "protected" and not worry on layoff. Eventually, my relative left that company for another job (working for a used to be good but keep falling company is pain).
Comment: “Older Pigs at the Trough: give us Younger Pigs a turn at the Trough, it's our Time to Eat.”
Or just earn the feed, and quit squealing about who is at front of the through???
Older Pigs at the Trough: give us Younger Pigs a turn at the Trough, it's our Time to Eat.
I have yet to see someone from any school (yes including MIT, IIT, etc) who can minimally contribute even after a year. Education system is just bad.
I have seen many presentations from MBA types from Stanford, Harvard, MIT, UCLA, and others. The analysts is solid, but they miss reality.
If we started new, without really considering what customers want, and blended latest Silicon Valley hype we would knock it out of the park. Ok, maybe not.
But those annoying customers who won’t spend on our fantastic ideas? Do they not recognize our greatness? Shall we carry our degrees in front of our heads to sho2 them our greatness?
Silicon Valley is rapidly becoming irrelevant.
Yes there is age discrimination; there has been for several decades. But there is fairness in knowledge and skills that transcends age (at times). If you hvae done the same job for N year where N >= 20 then you are going to have issues. If you hzvd worked N years for the same company and expect the same 'engratiated' status at a new company... well hold tight (unless you have expanded your horizons);
Just because someone is X yrs younger than you doesn't mean they are better *or worse' than you.. Their ideas are no more (or less) valid than your own. You need to put your arrogance on a shelf.
There are so many companies out there for you to move amongst. You can succeed at interviewing at Amazon, Google, and Microsoft ..... IF you have maintained your skills and have not atrophied your skill set to something 'ancient' (Yest 20 yrs is ancient).
S— it up, grow a pair and welcome to the rest of your career; ego free and humble... and you will get PAID.
some of the past people went back to some training program at some university, some went and get a masters, not sure if the state pays for that, or the unemployment covers them during the school time, this is what I was told and it appears a easy life for them.
one of them uses his past military benefits, by the time he comes out, he was close to 62.. and then get on social security..
however, chances are slim once you go out there to be hired again at the gig, see few others went to amazon, etc.
road are narrow and people really. don't want you, you can see from their words...
You are absolutely right that over 50 age people have been targeted at Cisco. People in that age need to move to smaller companies who appreciate the results, discipline, and experience of older employees. Cisco is big on "diversity," with one exception, employee age.
What percentage of Ex-Cisco consulting companies are profitable? The people that I've spoked to actually lose money. It's merely a method to avoid telling people you are unemployed.
The answer you don't want to hear is that 95+% of openings will reject you immediately based on AI from your resume. No, they don't ask your age, but that little detail about when you graduated college is the k–ler. Of the ~5% that you get past the AI, 75% of them will reject you on the compensation question compared to other applicants. Now, you made the cut, you are in the 100 possible people for the position until some HR person looks at you resume, makes a conscious understanding of your age, and then puts it aside to look at others. Maybe, just maybe, they put it in the 10 that they want to send for consideration for phone interviews. With any luck, you will make the cut of 7-8. Then, you need to make the cut of 2-3 for in person interviews.
Unfortunately, it is VERY hard in best economy. Now, it is even more difficult. You can now expect to make anywhere from 25-75% of what you were making because the competition is going to get desperate. You may have to swallow some pride for 3-5 years and hope, but that is 3-5 more years on that 50+ side.
Someone mentioned teaching. In a state that allows lateral move of service into teaching and requires 5-7 years to be eligible for pension, take it. Some states are extremely generous for it. My buddy did it in FL. That lateral moved him in, brought him in at 21 years (for salary and pension), and he can retire in 9 years at 70% salary as pension. $65k/yr, ~$50k/yr pension after 9 years, 3 months+ off per year. Not a bad deal at all. If I would have gotten that a year ago, I would have taken it.
Interesting discussion. I am within the ER package and there will be a 99% chance I will accept. A lot of colleagues (outside of CSCO) have contacted me asking if I am interested. A lot of companies will hire anyone for a 3-5 year period. Tell them interviewer that you want to work hard and put away as much $$$ as you can. The employers are well aware that millennials will only last that long anyway.
That said, your network will never be more important to you than now. Referrals and connections are your best avenue to land a new gig.
Which is why it's important to not burn bridges as you leave by saying bad things about your manager or employer.
It's very hard to not say negative things in an interview about the company that just laid you off, but remember that the interviewer is going to be thinking "what will this person say about us when they leave". Plus, no one wants to work with a negative complainer, so keep it positive and talk about the good things Cisco provided you. Hopefully it's experience handling whatever the prospective company finds valuable.
thanks to immigration policies. Corporates are still saying shortage of skilled labor and want to import more from bangalore
Talk The Tal(k) that is...
- Start an LLC
- Do consulting
Have done three job switches since LR three years ago. Life is good.
Make sure you can walk the walk and talk the tald.
Make sure you are squared away and current on the niche you are working.
No shortage of jobs if you know your stuff.
Are people trying to hide their age on their resumes because of this? For example, by not adding college graduation dates or mentioning only 10 years of experience instead of 20+?
It's NOT at all expensive to start consulting on your own. In my state, I think I spent $100 to set-up an LLC (didn't need a lawyer even for that). Plus, there are lots of tax benefits - including being able to fully write-off retiree health costs against any income you earn (along with home office costs, laptop, etc.). There's also something called the "199a deduction" which makes 20% of your consulting income tax free. The challenge is to quickly get your first few gigs, before your job experience starts to age and become less valuable. If you work with Cisco partners, they might be interested - or Cisco customers directly if you've been working with them. Lots of possibilities - stay positive!!!
I found a SaaS technology company that was happy to hire me with my experience at age 60. Be open to new possibilities after Cisco. That said, your network will never be more important to you than now. Referrals and connections are your best avenue to land a new gig.
I've witnessed older employees start their own consulting company and lose money. Also watched a few have heart attacks from the stressful job hunt.
If you get tossed from the corporate world there are two options...
- hospital administration
- teaching
😂 is this a serious question?
ur old and no one wants old +tired +expensive
no one in tech sector
low wage jobs like wallyworld is all that is out there right now. I make excuses just to avoid video interviews. like ‘zoom video isn’t working from my endpoint right now’
once they see me on video, i lose the job opportunity.
state/city and federal governments, insurance companies that still uses IBM mainframe, AS400.. etc..
Actually McD just called and said that they are now looking to rebalance their workforce towards EIC (early In Career), so please, no more resumes from over 17 year olds.
"Who is hiring older employees? "
- Walmart
- Target
- Costco
- UberX
- Lyft
- Instacart
- Amazon fulfillment centers
- UPS
- McD
- etc...
I hope that was helpful.