Looking for a job can be tough work

Oak Lawn (IL) Reporter ^ | 9/5/2002 | Michael M. Bates

[mikeb704]

When I turned 50 five years ago, I took a buyout from my employer. It didn’t seem too bad a deal: $25,000 (minus taxes, of course) and a slightly reduced pension effective immediately. After decades of driving to the Loop each workday, I was ready for a break.

So I took a three-year hiatus. Caught up on a great deal of reading. Spent lots of time cruising down the information highway. Hung out with other guys who’d taken a powder from the rat race. Watched lots of cable news shows. This was about the time Billy Liar, who’d turned the White House into a veritable cesspool, was cranking out more Whoppers a week than Burger King.

Then something remarkable happened. Doing nothing became – dare I say it? - boring. This realization came one day when, after waking up at about 11:00 AM, I become conscious of the fact that whether or not I got dressed didn’t really make too much of a difference. Trust me, walking around in one’s underwear all day isn’t that good a look. For some of us, anyway.

So I went and got a part-time job at a small, family-owned company. It didn’t pay much, but that was OK. I had learned to live in genteel poverty with my pension and, aside from needing a new computer every month or two and an apple pie or chocolate cake every day or two, lived a minimalist existence.

The job’s hours were short and flexible. Going to work was a 10-minute drive. The boss tolerated my, ah, er, idiosyncrasies. I had found a reason to get dressed, at least some days.

In July I was terminated. The word "nepotism" derives from a Latin word meaning nephew. In my case, a family nephew actually was hired to do some of the things I’d been doing. I understand this and hold no ill feelings. As the late Richard Daley said, "How are you supposed to be able to do favors for other people’s kids if you can’t do any for your own?"

Looking for a new job has been an education. Everyone knows that there’s not an abundance of employment opportunities right now. For many of the ones that are available, learning to ask, "Would you like to super size that for 59 cents?" is an essential component of the training program. I’m not too nimble on greasy floors, so I’ve tried to avoid those.

The jobs I’ve managed to be interviewed for, though, are beginning to make the Golden Arches look better all the time. Please don’t pass any more laws on my account, but it does seem to me age discrimination is a genuine possibility. When interviews end with the 35-year old saying, "Sir, thank you for coming in. Sir." you have to wonder if age isn’t something of a factor.

One interviewer noted my alleged "wealth of experience." The first time she said that, I didn’t think much about it. Four times in 15 minutes later, that wealth of experience comment suspiciously began sounding like code words for, "Man, you are such a geezer."

At one company I interviewed with five, count ‘em, five, different people. One person asked what the three biggest accomplishments I’d had in a position I left 26 years ago. I thought I was doing well by remembering I’d had the darn job at all.

Another asked what "cultural qualities" I could offer an employer. I was going to give the old trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent routine, but instead mumbled something about being dependable. It didn’t matter as she wasn’t listening anyway, but focusing on the next question on her script.

At one place, the interviewer asked where I wanted to be in my career in 15 years. Heck, I’ll be happy to be just breathing in 15 years. I wanted to scream at him that I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A CAREER. Already had one of those. Just looking for a job. Instead I mumbled something about being dependable. It didn’t matter as he wasn’t listening anyway, but focusing on the next question on his script.

Several interviewers asked touchy-feely questions like do you have an undiluted commitment to customer satisfaction and what truly motivates most people. I kept waiting for someone to ask if I were a tree, what kind would I be.

Many of us unemployed use the Internet for job searches. A definite advantage is most listings there have nothing to do with fast-food joints. No siree Bob. The Internet offers real job opportunities. You know, stuff like how you can make $4,000 a day stuffing envelopes at home. I just sent in my $25 to get info on how to do that, and can hardly wait to start.

In the meantime, I’ll keep on looking. If you see any ads for an employer who needs an indolent old guy with a bad attitude, please let me know.

[mikeb704]

Happy Labor Day!

[Southack]

The wife of one of my client's programmers stopped working her job to pursue eBay. Now she makes $60,000 per year by going to flea markets and yard sales, buying up trinkets and crafts, and auctioning them off on eBay.

She gets to do what she loves (shop) and she only works her own hours. That's decent money for working part-time in low-cost Alabama.

Another acqaintence of mine offers photographic touch-up services. He's got a web page and occassionaly takes out an ad in a Green Sheet or small local paper when he wants extra business, and mostly he gets people with faded old photographs or pictures of babies with "red eyes" that he scans in to PhotoShop and digitally touches up. He makes decent money, works from home, and didn't have to interview with anyone younger than himself.

What you are witnessing in your job search is that it is becoming increasingly harder to get a steady paycheck from an employer (especially when said employer would have to put up with your admitted idiosyncracies, per above).

But why do you want a paycheck? Wouldn't checks for your goods via eBay/Paypal suffice? Wouldn't checks for your photographic touch-up services be good enough? Wouldn't you rather work at home, anyway?

You already said that you like to surf the Net and keep your own hours, so go forth and do what you enjoy.

[Husker24]

I thought about trying the ebay thing myself, but as soon as i found something to sell, I found it cheaper than i could buy it for already on ebay.

[FITZ]

I actually know people who want to quit their current stressful jobs to become Walmart greeters where you only have to smile and try not to push the cart into people. You get benefits if you only work 28 hours.

[Husker24]

Yes Walmart is the perfect job if you have a good side income and dont want to pay for your own insurance.

[NEPA]

I've had some job interviews lately also. I hate them. The questions are very similar and annoying. Almost no focus on specific skills just a lot of BS questions. All employers must subscribe to the same Human Resources newsletter or something.

I hate job hunting but my employer has me down to 20 hours every other week and I'm getting desperate though I'm not quite ready for "Do you want fries with that?"

[SamAdams76]

I am a manager of a service department in my company. I am charge of hiring technicians for my department that must interface with our customers on a daily basis and support our products and services. As a hiring manager in my company, I must admit that I practice age discrimination.

That is, I tend to favor older applicants over younger applicants. Over the years, the "older" employees have consistently worked out better. They are more dependable, more hard working, easier to get along with, and tend to be "low-maintenance" employees that can be depended upon to do their jobs well. As well, they usually have excellent customer relations.

Younger applicants, especially those new to the workforce, are oftentimes "high-maintenance" employees. They tend to complain, complain, complain. They must constantly be supervised. They tend to call in sick or arrive late much more frequently then their older counterparts. They often have an "attitude" and generate the most customer complains for rudeness. They are rarely happy employees and often they seed discontent with the other workers.

Generally speaking of course. There are exceptions to the rule. I have developed some excellent young employees over the years and as well, I have hired in some older people who just didn't work out.

But if I have two applicants and one is older (40ish) and the other is younger (20ish), I will tend to go with the older one most of the time.

Anyway, please forgive me for practicing age discrimination. And please don't report me to the authorities. Happy Labor Day!

[another cricket]

In the meantime, I’ll keep on looking. If you see any ads for an employer who needs an indolent old guy with a bad attitude, please let me know.

Job-hunting is the worst. Right now it isn’t even easy for us young ones with collage degrees in business and excellent references. It took me three months to find a job at both a lower position and lower wage then the job I was downsized from. Of course I was looking for a career not just a job ;^)

If you just want a job you should try a Temporary Agency. You get to meet new and interesting people who’s lungs you would like to rip out for wages that McDonald's would scorn to offer but it is not boring.

In fact the constant change can be kind of fun. And there is always the chance that you will find someplace that likes you enough to offer a permanent job and you will like them enough to accept.

a.cricket

[cebadams]

Bump for getting that resume done!!

[FITZ]

But if I have two applicants and one is older (40ish) and the other is younger (20ish), I will tend to go with the older one most of the time.

Maybe it depends on the job but I think age discrimination tends to be in that direction in many cases. Older can be better because for one you can check more references and the job history is better.

[Sci Fi Guy]

I can relate a lot to his job hunt struggle. I've had a similar experience when I got laid off last year (and I'm under forty.)

I think that a lot of businesses have checklists that they use for hiring new employees. Your qualifications and interview are secondary considerations.

[A CA Guy]

I do some work at a famous school in LA whose mascot sounds like a condom.
Three years ago the businesses were calling professors and begging them to tell them who were the best. Starting monies were very high and there were start-up bonuses.

As the stock market tumbled, the opening pay dropped and many kids who had contracts to work after graduation found companies wanted to renegotiate or give them money to go away.
I think the beginning wage out of college is half of what it was 3 years ago.

Why the reduction? Because everybody thought the Internet was going to be the next great marketplace of the world and wasn't.
All the start-up Internet companies were going bust and all the extra money to grow businesses were wiped away by all the fact that people stopped buying stuff in general.
The medical field was already going south quickly and now Anderson put the accounting field in turmoil.

That leaves us with many all wanting to become lawyers! YUCK!

[sangoo]

I can relate to the age discrimination thing. You would think that not wearing a nose ring would count for something too. From what I have experienced, the government sector, to my surprise, is the worst with the age discrimination thing.

[ErnBatavia]

This is a very interesting - and timely - thread for me.

I quit my "career" on June 1, after 35 years of fighting the Los Angeles freeways (etc., etc., etc.) and moved wifey and self to what had been our weekend home out here in the south eastern Kalifornia desert. We did fine on the sale of the L.A. area home, so there is no immediate pressure.

All this said, I've begun dipping my foot into the job search waters, and have my first real "interview" tomorrow. I'm 55; will report back here if I pick up any "code" for 'age discrimination'!

[A CA Guy]

I think part of age discrimination might be an issue where businesses carry health insurance.
$75 a month to carry junior and up to ?????? to carry a grandpa!

[Steely Tom]

FWIW,

I got my current job by doing a brute-force, white-pages telephone search. In other words, I went through the white pages (that way I knew I'd hit every possible number because small companies don't have to pay to be listed there) and called every company that looked like it might have anything to do with technology.

I made 165 calls before I got hired; that was 13 years ago.

And I own the company now.

(steely)

[patton]

When my Grandad retired, he went out and started selling real estate. Worked his own hours, made decent mony, and once accidentally sold a hotel. I laughed my self silly when he delayed the closing, so as not to loose any retirement benefits.

[bimbo]

Anyway, please forgive me for practicing age discrimination. And please don't report me to the authorities.

The Authorities shouldn't be a problem ... but if you work for a large corporation, you might want to be aware of the corporation's preferences - usually the younger, the better. Youngsters might be "high maintenance" but that would be someone else's problem - they work cheap, and they lower the "average employee age" which is important to the health insurance carriers.

But I certainly applaud your efforts, Sam.

[sangoo]

I am sure that is a big part of it, in fact I have thought that could be the MAJOR part of it. I didn't think that government types would really care about spending more money on something like that......them being so compassionate and all.

[Husker24]

How did he accidentaly sell a hotel?