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The Golden Girls didn’t teach me anything about job hunting

I remember watching those old broads having the time of their life. It was the 80’s and I was in my 30’s laughing my ass off at them and having the time of my life. Somehow though, I don’t recall an episode about having to find a job in your Golden Years. Golden years my ass! If they had done that episode they most likely would have picked up a paper, circled some jobs, and made some calls and landed an interview. Today there are no job listings in the newspapers, where you call set up an interview, you go in and they like you or not, hire you or not. Now we go to the Internet (imagine the fun Blanche and the gang would have had with that!). Don’t get me wrong, I love the Internet but the problem with finding a job today using the internet, is frustrating with a lot of bogus sites and no human contact. You sign up and apply on sites and then instead of getting calls for interviews you get calls to “further your education”. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to go back to school, been there, done that. Losing your job today can be devastating at any age but at 60, you’re less likely to be hired than if you we’re 30ish, harsh but true.

Only a few years ago, life was going along nicely. I had a nice house, great view of Lake Michigan, nice job, having fun with friends and planned to work 5 more years and retire and become like a Golden Girl – then BAM! Lost my job, had to sell the house and find a new job.

At first I felt depressed and distraught, and to top it off now I had to apply online for work along with hundreds of others applying for the same job. That put me over the edge and now I’m just pissed. After a few weeks of wanting to open a vein, sitting on a computer for hours on end for days at a time, I decided to say screw it and took a few days in went to Wisconsin with my girlfriends for a bit of laughter. I was then able to come back home with a clear head.

I’m not going to sugar coat it. You are more likely to find a job if you know someone who knows someone and that is how I finally landed a job, after hundreds of online applications. Not to mention hearing back from only a few saying “we feel you are over qualified” or “we have decided to go with someone more suitable to the position”. WHAT THE HELL does that even mean? I don’t know because I had all the qualifications they were looking for. Oh wait, it must have meant Golden Girls need not apply.

If you find yourself job hunting in your golden years, know this – you are not alone. Sadly there are more of us out there than people will admit. It’s hard work, a full time job in and of itself. It is frustrating with no human contact, often not even an HR contact email. Just hit “submit” and send your hard work off into cyberspace and I don’t mean Rose Nyland’s head, although I now have a new visual of “cyberspace” might look like.

It is a new age and those who are fortunate enough to be stable and comfortable at this time in their lives might say a prayer and do some reflecting, or….FIND ME A JOB!!!

Stay tuned shortly as I blog on ways to catch an Employers attention!

4 Comments

  • Debbie, I feel for you girl. I experience the same feeling with my job @ school. making $20 +, but it’s only 3 hrs. a school day. I stay, because I too, have found nothing out there that will pay me that. It really sucks!

  • Left the restaurant’s in my mid 40’s and started my cleaning biz. Going on 15 years of physical labor.
    My bad knees caught up with me, and made my last 3 years of work nearly impossible.
    I got knee replacement last Jan., and got my life back. To do what? Clean more?!! My knees don’t hurt so much, but my hands,back,and shoulders still do.
    Where can I work 4 to 5 hours a day, making $30 an hour? No where. So I keep cleaning.
    If I looked for work, what would it be? Care provider, school bus driver, crossing guard, retail, pizza delivery?!! Who would hire me? It’s a scary thought to be 60 looking for a job.
    I should not complain. I’ve been lucky enough to have my business with great caring clients who over the years have been very generous.
    Thing is, I don’t want to clean anymore. I aged out of the restaurant biz in my mid 40’s. Definitely feel I’ve aged out of the cleaning biz also.
    FIND ME A JOB TOO!

    • On a more serious note Debbie, i so feel for you as I have knee problems as well and I feel the pain. But girl, your not going to make that kind of money now doing any of the above you quoted, unless you start a maid service and charge more money with other people, YOUNGER people, working for you and you taking less money! A commission of sorts. Not going to happen right?

      Thanks for chiming in with your story Deb !

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