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Salamander
Fire Walking

Fumarole
Tue Apr 05 2011

This past Sunday I was able to watch most of CBS's "Sunday Morning" show. One of the stories they ran was on America's New Unemployables. I can't say that it helped my morale any. [insert wry grin here]

Apparently there's a perfectly good chance that I may never get full-time employment again because I'm over fifty years of age. Even though employers aren't allowed to ask for your age, they have no problem extrapolating it from your date of high school graduation, and they are 40% less likely to even contact you after receiving your resume if you are in the 50+ age group. My chances of finding a new job the first year after being laid off were 24%; guess I was in the 76% bracket. [insert another wry grin]

It's so frustrating to know that I'm pushing myself through this class (and excelling so far) only to end up having such lowered odds of getting employment.

OK, pity party over. I've got to get back to work. Big test on Thursday.

4 Comments
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Apr 05 2011
    That just backed up what Ray's been saying for the last two years about why he couldn't land a job (he's 51). It's depressing out there *sigh*. We've been puttering along OK but I won't say I'm not highly relieved that he's finally going to be drawing a steady paycheck.

    P.S. The culture was positive.
  • From:
    Yetzirah (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Apr 05 2011
    Eh, those programs say all kinds of things.

    They aren't in charge of the universe you know.

    You are DOING something positive.

    That's what counts.

    My 2 cents.

    ;-)
  • From:
    SitsWithAnAddingMachine (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Apr 05 2011
    I saw that show. It is depressing. You, however, are most impressive. I do not think that that will be your fate.
  • From:
    404Error (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Apr 06 2011
    I tend to agree with Yetzirah and SWAM, you, my dear friend, are NOT the norm.

    That being said, I also believe that the corporations of this country are doing everything they can to make sure there are NO full time employees that aren't in management. They do this so they don't have to pay benefits and the profit margin increases. This, in turn, attracts more investors because quarterly profit reports drive stock sales. This is why there are so many contract workers these days. Yes, they still work 40 to 60 hours per week, sometimes more, but they don't get benefits or overtime.