Wellness

[jeanlake]

Keeping your family in my good thoughts. Please report back to us. Be encouraged.

[haddon9]

First I am so sorry to hear of your DH losing his job! My husband was also laid off in January at the age of 61. He's an engineer in research and development. He did get a good severance package and unemployment but that has now ended.

When DH first got laid off he was diligently looking for work. His employer provided a job agency services for technical professionals. However DH also has a rare autoimmune illness that was very severe in 2012 and he had to take a year off of work due to his disability. He got better & returned to work but his company had been bought out by another larger company and you know how that goes sometimes....he was laid off and I can't help from feeling that it perhaps it was his age, health problems or both. Who knows?

So after looking for two months he started to physically go downhill again and turned his focus on his health. He also applied for SSD and was approved the first time around which we are very grateful for. In a perfect world he would have remained healthy at his good paying job until 66 then went into consulting work. However now it looks like he's really retired. I'm so glad we saved for retirement but one always wonders if it is really enough!

However if his condition had not gotten worse he decided that he was going to try to do consulting work. He had his business name picked out, a logo & business cards made, got in touch with contacts etc. I think it would be a good idea for your husband to look into this as others have mentioned!

If he decides to try consulting he should tweak his LinkedIn page and get as many contacts as possible...you never know where contacts could lead you! I wish him the best of luck!

[terrier3]

On 8/18/2014 ManolosandChoos said:

Make sure his resume is updated, in the new formatting. I was surprised after being self-employed for 20 years how resumes have changed. He needs to do a skill focused rather than employer focused resume. He needs to dress the part and attend job fairs and open interviews...employers will guess at his age and being over 50 it's difficult to get interviews from resume alone. And most of all, tell him to persevere and keep his spirits up...it's not easy nor is it impossible. Good luck.

I also suggest he get business cards - "Mr. Smith's IT Consulting" - or whatever DBA he chooses - and then call every company he can think of and say he is a consultant, NOT interested in permanent work, but looking for a temporary assignment where his 40 years of experience will benefit the company.

He may not feel very confident, but going in that way will make him much more employable. He won't be competing the new college grads (looking for a permanent job & benefits) - or the 40 -somethings either. He will appear to be HIS OWN MAN, not a desperate 60 year old, looking for a 6 year gig until he retires.

I myself quit on my own - but I agree it's tough to get that CONFIDENT attitude. He doesn't want to be one of those people at the job fair cattle calls - he needs to make the employer think they were LUCKY that HE DECIDED to work for THEM!!!!

[lovesrecess]

On 8/18/2014 viva923 said:

My DD is close to jobless tonight. She has been with her company 16 yrs and today it was awful . 2 upper supervisors, pretty much told her today, :her time was short. She knew something was up because last week, (the store manager/ district manager) they told her she had to work on her vacation next week, when she said she had thing planned, they made life miserable all week for her. she is part of the old team. A new larger store bought out the small mom/pop store DD was working at. she is one of the last of the employees that was left from the merger 10 years ago. She knows they have been gunning for her because her pay is quite good, they want to get rid of her to hire a flunky who will earn less money.

Each day she goes into work very depressed not knowing if she will have a job by the end of the day.

I hope your daughter is sending out resumes and applying for other jobs as fast as she can; it would be great if she had another job waiting for her ehen they cut her loose. I hope she gets a decent severance pkg so I wouldn't quit!

[terrier3]

On 8/18/2014 viva923 said:

My DD is close to jobless tonight. She has been with her company 16 yrs and today it was awful . 2 upper supervisors, pretty much told her today, :her time was short. She knew something was up because last week, (the store manager/ district manager) they told her she had to work on her vacation next week, when she said she had thing planned, they made life miserable all week for her. she is part of the old team. A new larger store bought out the small mom/pop store DD was working at. she is one of the last of the employees that was left from the merger 10 years ago. She knows they have been gunning for her because her pay is quite good, they want to get rid of her to hire a flunky who will earn less money.

Each day she goes into work very depressed not knowing if she will have a job by the end of the day.

My last job was miserable. We didn't know they were selling the company and wanted to get rid of everyone who had been there for 5 years...the new company didn't want a lot of vested employees.

After I quit in November - 9 of the remaining people left. Only 2 are left - and they are looking for other work!

Just encourage your daughter to not define herself by her job and by the way she is being treated...it's standard operating procedure now to treat employees like dirt! I stopped feeling depressed when I put myself in my new boss's shoes - he was hired to make everyone so miserable that they would quit - what a horrible job...your DD is actually better to be in her position - who would want to be a miserable hatchet man????

Just make sure she gets her resumes out ASAP...and takes all the time she has coming. If she is laid off, she will get unemployment - it's not the stigma it once was...everyone understands now.

[MiraclesHappen]

Does he have any certifications? Very important these days. Any experience in information security? If so, he should study and take the CISSP exam. Very much in demand.

[Sooner]

My heart goes out to anyone miserable at work or laid off. It is a terrible thing to go through. Hugs and prayers to anyone and family in this situation.

[Kachina624]

Have you investigated possibilities in the Permian Basin? Midland now has the lowest unemployment rate in the US, less than 3%. Odessa's is also very low. You should be able to access jobs there through the nation-wide job bank. They are desperate for workers. My ex admin. asst. got a job and she's pushing 70. I lived in Midland for 7 years and really enjoyed it.

[Tadaki]

The good news is that he was recently employed, even though it was temporary. The employment outlook is supposed to be better, but for those who have been unemployed for a long time, it is probably a tougher road.

We all have something lacking and always focus on that--too young, too old, no experience, too much experience. Imagine how hard it must be for someone who can't get that entry level job so they can get experience at all. When you consider that, I think it makes your husband's situation seem much more solvable. He just needs to find that employer who doesn't care about his age.

He could check out some small businesses to see if they might want web services--assuming he does that type of work. Needs to find a place where he is an asset. Larger companies with well advertised postings are going to get tons of resumes. Libraries are sometimes looking for someone to teach patrons computer skills. The pay is probably terrible, but it could lead to something else. Private schools might be an option.

And he needs to be somewhat of an actor; that is, he has to come across as confident. Not arrogant, but confident.

All the best to your husband.

[Kachina624]

Don't waste people's' time and money by telling them to send out resumes. That's how people got jobs 40 years ago. Now those resumes go straight to the trash and the more informed and aggressive job hunter gets the interviews. All the state employment services hold classes in how to look for work, interview and find hidden jobs. Do job seekers a favor and help by suggesting they call there.