Posted on 06/30/2010 2:00:10 PM PDT by JoeProBono
ST. PAUL, Minn., June 30 (UPI) -- A Minnesota man who lost his six-figure middle management job in December is now touring St. Paul locations daily with a placard reading, "I need a job."
Jeff Blydenburgh, 59, who lost his vice president position at an auto parts company in December, said he took to carrying the placard around town while wearing his business suits after more than 300 resumes and applications for $10 an hour jobs failed to yield him more than a single interview, the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reported Wednesday.
"Maybe if you're standing right out there, you can basically sell them on yourself as far as your background," he said.
"When you haven't been unemployed since 1969, it's culture shock," Blydenburgh said. "I never sat back and said I have to make $125,000 a year. I just need a job."
Even in this economy I find it hard to believe.
Fly down to Dallas. If you are an educated man (or woman) who can speak Da Inglis well enough and are well groomed, I can get you into any retail store (like Barnes and Noble, Home Depot, any Mall store etc) for $10 an hour or more
Just come across as humble in the interview and dont keep saying “I am only going to stay in this job till I find a better one”
Cartoon kinda reminds me of the Bugs Bunny w/ Humphrey Bogart.
That’s probably part of his problem. Even if he is sincere his resume is going to cause most to assume he is only staying as long as he has to if he applies for a $10/hr job.
Unfortunately at age 59 that might be a long time anyway.
Run for president, no prior business or leadership experience required.
Seek a Supreme Court nomination, no prior judicial experience necessary.
Seek an executive position at a bank, Jamie Gorelick went into finance from security.
Heck, even Monica Lewinsky was able to get a 6-figure paying job without experience during the Clinton trial.
Don’t bring him down here if he’s a liberal...
If executives outsource enough, eventually they aren’t needed either. I feel for him though, no way would someone hire a former VP for an entry level job.
Unfortunately for this guy, the odds are greatly against him getting a job at 59. He needs to figure out a way to become a contractor or self-employed freelancer.
With the coming health care debacle, that's where most opportunity will be anyway.
>>>Heck, even Monica Lewinsky was able to get a 6-figure paying job without experience during the Clinton trial.
But look at what (who) she did to get it.
I wish him luck. The problem with being very well qualified (overqualified) is that people will not hire you because either they think there was some sort of serious problem that cost you your last job, that you are after their job no matter what you say, or that you will be gone after a brief stint doing more menial work as soon as something opens up.
I’m surprised he couldn’t find a management trainee job at some fast food place. I can see where his age and experience would work agains him but if things are that bad he might want to consider moving.
Geez, I wouldn’t hire a guy too dumb to call a recruiter. I can call my recruiter and get another job in pretty much any city in the country I want within 2 weeks. If I wanted to. But I don’t.
To all appearances, the office of POTUS appears to be vacant...
A better course is to go into business. Somewhere in his experience are skills that can be sold.
He must cut the ties with the past and start over.
Everyone should have their own corporation
0bama won’t stop until all business executives are sitting on street corners with a tin cup.
I work, I have experience in both healthcare and in transportation. I'm currently learning Spanish through an on-line course. I have previous experience in retail, customer service, general factory work, bar and restaurant. Think I'm going to be feeling sorry for myself or rely on the government if I ever get canned?
Good for you. But not everybody has your particular skill set or history. Frankly, when one is in one's late fifties, the chances of getting hired, even at $10 an hour, are pretty remote.
I know several men who have the most amazing resumes. They have held very important, very responsible positions and have proved their ability to work fiendishly hard and bring energy, inspiration, and cost-cutting, problem-solving ideas to a variety of positions and industries. Employers take a look at their resumes and start jumping up and down with excitement--until they realize that both men are in their mid-fifties. Then the enthusiasm promptly goes away and the interviews are cut short.
For myself, I live in one of the cities that is least affected by the recession(s). I'm smart. I'm attractive. I'm youthful, appearing far younger than my real age, and I speak well. I'm very competent in some fields that are supposed to be in demand. I've had several versions of my resume professionally prepared and have taken courses on interviewing skills. Have been looking for a job for about a year, ten months of that as someone who was employed. Got ONE phone interview.
It's tougher out there than you might think when you're in your fifties and up. It's not just a matter of simple age discrimination either; younger people do not want to manage an employee who is older and more knowledgeable and may be more used to taking orders than giving them.I do not think this guy is going to get a job. I'm beginning to suspect I might not, either. The solution is probably to start a business or consultancy, but sometimes starting a firm of one's own requires money and/or credit, which the unemployed don't have.
Good for you. But not everybody has your particular skill set or history. Frankly, when one is in one's late fifties, the chances of getting hired, even at $10 an hour, are pretty remote.
I know several men who have the most amazing resumes. They have held very important, very responsible positions and have proved their ability to work fiendishly hard and bring energy, inspiration, and cost-cutting, problem-solving ideas to a variety of positions and industries. Employers take a look at their resumes and start jumping up and down with excitement--until they realize that both men are in their mid-fifties. Then the enthusiasm promptly goes away and the interviews are cut short.
For myself, I live in one of the cities that is least affected by the recession(s). I'm smart. I'm attractive. I'm youthful, appearing far younger than my real age, and I speak well. I'm very competent in some fields that are supposed to be in demand. I've had several versions of my resume professionally prepared and have taken courses on interviewing skills. Have been looking for a job for about a year, ten months of that as someone who was employed. Got ONE phone interview.
It's tougher out there than you might think when you're in your fifties and up. It's not just a matter of simple age discrimination either; younger people do not want to manage an employee who is older and more knowledgeable and may be more used to taking orders than giving them.
I do not think this guy is going to get a job. I'm beginning to suspect I might not, either. The solution is probably to start a business or consultancy, but sometimes starting a firm of one's own requires money and/or credit, which the unemployed don't have.
Assuming he’s telling the truth, and I believe he is, what do those of you who say stop the unemployement benefits say to a guy like this? A 59 year old man is not going to get hired. Do you think they’ll hire an old man when they can hire a young guy who more than likely has no health problems? And they know you’re old by your work history on the resume. That’s why he got only one interview.
If any on here doesn’t think jobs are hard to find why don’t you send out some resumes and see what kind of response you get. And don’t embellish them either.
by choice i changed careers at fifty, it can be done. but it's prolly harder at 59...
I wouldn't hire him either.
Me too
When a friend of mine lost his job as an illustrator he reinvented himself as a model. Pays good in some venues.
I have a hard time just trying to recruit any male or female and I offer pay that is at least in line or a little better than a lot of people do in my area. I offer things like my OMP page as a source of references and encourage prospects to contact others who have dealt with me. Craigslist tends to attract nuts, inked out freaks, and losers. A couple though did pan out. Glad to hear your friend made a move and hope he does well.
looks like you are enjoying it tooo... 8^)
that’s the plan here. One more month!
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