I want to give an update here and the other place since I last posted this 3 months ago.
I am still looking after fifteen months.
I haven’t found anything IT after fifteen months and starting to get depressed.. I hear the average time for finding a new job after layoff is 6 months but I am doubtful.
Me: 52 y/o male, 27 yrs in tech mostly on the software side with about 2 y sys admin back in the day when that was a title.
Don't get too discouraged, it's always darkest before the dawn. If you haven't been finding something where you are looking - maybe it's the universes' way of telling you that you're ready for a different direction.
Maybe expand your ideas of what a good job could be? Contracting, finding a job in another arena, or taking your skills and using them for something other than tech - you might be surprised by what you're capable of doing!
And if you've been able to manage a year and a half without work, good for you! You saved well and took some time to do other things. You can find something that works for you. Perhaps look inside and see where life is trying to take you.
Best wishes
Software is outsourced and augmented by AI. You are over 50, strike one. You are male, strike two. If you are white, strike three, you're out. If you live in the Bay Area - move to a lower cost area. Position your skills & experience to find a job other than tech. Interview for jobs that are not tech.
I work in engineering doing DevTest. We have been told that our work is going away in the next 3 years. Automation via AI is the way forward and maybe 2 out of 10 folks will be kept.
Right, retire at 50 if you are an H1B that has su-ked the life out of the US system and moved back to africastandia. Mental note for those going into software - AI. It's what ends the needs for the bulk of software people. It's also what college interns and those right out of college can take on with some guidance. A choice between a $140k software person or a $65k software person gets easier to make. Keep your best resource that CAN train and mentor. Most can't do that successfully. Not saying there aren't some age biases but you must interview terribly for 15 months to go by.
Go to Thailand or Bali and live cheap while interviewing:) love the idea, however, that is you are healthy and can sustain 3rd world chaos.. like clean water? trash nearby? doubtful doctor? being robbed? cheated for anything? not sure if the other people are lying or not? got targeted due to look foreign?
I suggest move to different city but close to the beach, there are cheap beach places in other states and got a supermarket cashier job 1st and get things going just for benefits work about 20+ hours a week.. while live on savings. and etc.. if you have any..
learn to be slean.
I know tons of "senior" employees whose knowledge isn't better than a fresh graduate. If that's your case, you're hosed.
“ if you are working in tech and saving properly you shouldnt have to work after 50 ”
No offense intended, but this sounds like a young person’s take on life after listening to Dave Ramsey podcasts.
Divorce, sickness, accidents, bad luck, unemployment and family issues can all contribute to a situation where someone cannot save enough for retirement even with good paying jobs.
I completely left tech, on my own accord, after 35+ years, just a few months ago. Retired at 57, but still working part time just to keep busy. It is indeed possible, it you save during your career. Towards the end, it was no longer enjoyable whatsoever; especially weekend work.
Honestly could not be happier. Something I should have done about three years ago, purely for the mental health aspect.
The problem now with tech; there are somehow more and more "senior" people that really don't seem to know what they are doing. They are good at managing up, but lousy at running projects with timelines and deliverables. Done with it all, and could not be happier.
Good luck and try to stay sane.
Ideally..if you are working in tech and saving properly you shouldnt have to work after 50 or can take a pay cut for something more chill / doing it for benefits and to keep the lights on
I think IT industry su-ks and
I’ll be glad to be out of it when I retire in a few years, ideally with a LR payoff but if not I’ll quit anyway. It is stressful and mental health affecting trying to do so much with so little and the pace of change is too fast and I can’t cope with it anymore.
I wish all young folk all the very best.
If you are applying for a senior role with lot of experience, it is better to keep 20+ years of experience.
Engineer jobs, keep it to minimum of 10-15 years on both LinkedIn and resume.
Also try to look young, exercise and color your hair before the interview. It works !!
There are not many consulting jobs. Most laid off corporate types with valuable experience rely on the hope of consulting as a backup.
I've seen more people have heart attacks & strokes from attempting to land consulting gigs in their 50s than actually obtain a steady paycheck from consulting**
**after the age of 50
I'm sure you would prefer a permanent job, but perhaps try consulting in another industry? (Gartner, McKinsey, IBM, Boston, Booz Allen, etc.) All Fortune 500/100 companies have tech organizations within and consulting offers a paycheck while providing the ability to explore new avenues.
Ageism is real, so be mindful of not including any information that may date you. (i.e., 10-15 years of past experience is sufficient, and best to keep your resume to no more than two pages, one is better) Your role is out there...good luck!
@hgu+1stvrJUw thats why it is so important to invest the money wisely during your corporate time. I did this since I joined Cisco in my early 20‘. And I will continue to do that at my new employment. I want to be able to live from my invests as lf ny 50‘.
This happens to many people. Corporate America is designed to push people out in their 50s.
Many corporate people in their 50s will continue to fight & claw for mere interviews. The ones that looked into government jobs with stability or obtained a teaching certificate found happiness.
I was LR in February and got some Interviews (Sales). A lot of declines but now as of June I got an offer for a chinese vendor (not Huawei). They pay more at Cisco however still chinese and I dont trust chinese companies (maybe ai am wrong and I will love it).. but I think I will accept to search in the meanwhile without financial issues.
Go to Thailand or Bali and live cheap while interviewing.
It is a hard time to find new software jobs. 15 months seems okay, please keep working on it. Improving your skill there is nothing to lose ! Few of my peers spending between 1-2 years to land another job.