Modern Job Hunting Tips for the Boomer Generation

[AnnO'Neemus]

I did encounter one that wanted exact dates for all jobs since leaving school (and in my case that was 35 or so years ago at the time) - i don't think i bothered with it...

Yeah, I've encountered that problem a new-ish organisation in my city that I initially thought I'd be interested to work for and there would probably be lots of jobs coming up. Their jobs portal is dreadful and requires applicants to detail all their jobs. I can't even remember the exact year I started and finished worked for some companies, so it's impossible for me to enter start and finish dates. I think it's indirectly ageist, because it means that mostly older people will self-exclude, because most of us won't have kept all those details from the days before LinkedIn profiles and jobs portals. And who hasn't deleted jobs from their CV over the years as non-relevant, and then, as you mention, you forget the exact dates you worked for a company 35 years ago. It's nonsensical. Might be okay for younger folk now who are starting their careers with LinkedIn profiles that can keep an accurate record of all their jobs, but for older generations, it's tough luck!

 

[abe11825]

Ugh... I hate the sites that mangle your information to create a solid profile. You end up having to fix everything because nothing lined up properly in the text boxes. Someone asshole in the IT industry is bankrolling on their shitty line code that creates chaos on the input. Either no one checked that fucker's work, or it's a gimmick to piss off the applicants, job by job.

That's the other thing - not remembering the month and year you started a job. Some programs want the exact month / day / year and I'm like, "fuck me; I started one job at some point in the middle of the month, another job at the beginning of the month and I think another one towards the end of the month. I can't nail down what exact day it was".

It's not like I can say "it was a crisp autumn afternoon when the leaves were just about to fall off the trees. There was a calm in the air that made me think good things are about to happen".

Yea, screw that. I can't even remember what jobs I've applied to, let alone keep dates recorded. I keep seeing a couple similar jobs online and every time I click on them to check them out, I realize I've already looked at that posting once I've gone on the application site (where it goes a couple lines longer in the description or has the building address. I then Google map it to see it's in an area that's only accessible by bus or foot - which would be an extra 30-40 minutes travel time from a train stop. I like to be able to plan my commute to the job if I can). It can definitely be frustrating.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Ugh... I hate the sites that mangle your information to create a solid profile. You end up having to fix everything because nothing lined up properly in the text boxes. Someone asshole in the IT industry is bankrolling on their shitty line code that creates chaos on the input. Either no one checked that fucker's work, or it's a gimmick to piss off the applicants, job by job.

Its not a job site, but there's a people finder (and reputation rating) site that has me merged with someone else. I'm ok with it because they undoubtedly have a better credit and professional rating than I do. You can tell when people have accessed this site because they approach me with that person's profession (nurse) with offers I could never afford myself. LOL.

 

[abe11825]

Its not a job site, but there's a people finder (and reputation rating) site that has me merged with someone else. I'm ok with it because they undoubtedly have a better credit and professional rating than I do. You can tell when people have accessed this site because they approach me with that person's profession (nurse) with offers I could never afford myself. LOL.

I don't know if that's scary or awesome that the site has you merged with someone else. Like, obviously there's no "background" / "fact" checking for the person if people approach you about offers, yet, it's a high compliment that you're getting conversations with people.

 

[ouirdeaux]

When I was unemployed, I saw an advert for the job that I now have, in the public sector. It asked for the dates of every job I had ever had. I thought 'fuck that, I'll never remember the dates from 30 years ago temping for companies that no longer exist, and maybe not even the all the companies', and didn't apply.

I was sent to a job coach. She showed me the same job. I explained my problem, which she pooh-poohed by saying, 'All they care about is the last five years, and that you weren't in prison.'

I don't know if that's true, but I didn't submit anything older than my last three jobs, which covered some 16 years, plus my period of unemployment. I got the job, and was never asked about anything else. Obviously, this may not apply to all positions.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

As of 5 pm yesterday I am no longer economically active; am redundant; out; seeking; retraining; etc, blah. A strange calm has descended.

Do you need anyone to polish these saddles, Yuwipi Woman?

 

[equationgirl]

As of 5 pm yesterday I am no longer economically active; am redundant; out; seeking; retraining; etc, blah. A strange calm has descended.

Do you need anyone to polish these saddles, Yuwipi Woman?

My top tip is take a bit of time to decompress and process your circumstances a little.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

My top tip is take a bit of time to decompress and process your circumstances a little.

Thank you!

 

[equationgirl]

Thank you!

It takes a while to recover your sense of equilibrium, I find, so be kind to yourself until you do.

 

[Mation]

My current job is maintaining a software package used in desktop publishing and doing technical support for it. I have to learn new things on a daily basis to keep up.

I read this as your current job is mansplaining a software package, and thought: skillz!

 

[Mation]

Best of luck finding something new. Hope it's exciting

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I read this as your current job is mansplaining a software package, and thought: skillz!

TBF, I've seen enough of it to replicate if I had to!

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

My boss is letting us request items from the shop we might like to keep. I requested some old leatherbound books from the company's early history. I saved them from the trash and kept them under my desk. Years ago I checked online to see how much these were worth. They were valued then at $5,000 because of their rarity. He said to come and get them. I always said these were my "retirement fund."

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I've been thinking about my side hustle. I found a site that sells reclaimed post-consumer leather. I bought 5 pounds for about $20, and it appears to be useable for making small leather items like card wallets. I estimate that I can make about 30 wallets with those 5 pounds. I think I'll try making some and advertise them as made from reclaimed leather and see if they sell. I like the idea of keeping it out of the waste stream.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

For the moment, I'm still employed. I think my last day is probably going to be Friday. Nearly everyone else was let go and it's just the shut-down crew still working, me included. Incidentally, that's the 35th anniversary of my hire date. (Kinda shows you how the corporate world works, don't you think?) Overall, it's been a good place to work. TBH, I think I'll be sad when it done, but also relieved. I've been working with the team in India that my job is being outsourced to and they seem to have very different approaches to technical support than I do. I've had to go back and help a customer with an issue after they've handled it several times. Most of the things I'm seeing it that they don't understand what works on the printing press. I'm sure it's just an experience thing and they'll develop something that works for them over time. They're smart guys. In the meantime, it's been an exercise in humility and keeping my mouth shut. I keep telling myself "Not my circus. Not my monkeys."

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

As of 5 pm yesterday I am no longer economically active; am redundant; out; seeking; retraining; etc, blah. A strange calm has descended.

Do you need anyone to polish these saddles, Yuwipi Woman?

I'm sorry this happened to you. It seems like everyone's life is in flux at the moment. I hope you find something soon.

(I'll keep you in mind if anything in the saddle polishing business opens up.)

 

[Boudicca]

I've been thinking about my side hustle. I found a site that sells reclaimed post-consumer leather. I bought 5 pounds for about $20, and it appears to be useable for making small leather items like card wallets. I estimate that I can make about 30 wallets with those 5 pounds. I think I'll try making some and advertise them as made from reclaimed leather and see if they sell. I like the idea of keeping it out of the waste stream.

I keep seeing old leather sofas that people are giving away, but I don't have the energy to pick them up, strip the leather, chop up the remains and take them to the tip. Such a waste though.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Spoke with my boss. My last day will be Dec. 1. He's covering my health insurance until the end of the year. I think I'm ready.

(He was almost in tears when he fired me. I almost feel worse for him than for me. Almost.)

 

[equationgirl]

Spoke with my boss. My last day will be Dec. 1. He's covering my health insurance until the end of the year. I think I'm ready.

(He was almost in tears when he fired me. I almost feel worse for him than for me. Almost.)

Corporates always want to do these things around the holidays, I cannot tell you how many times I would be worried about losing my job at one corporate, in the almost nine years I was there I survived at least ten rounds of redundancy. Eventually my number came up and I was made redundant from them in 2018. They were so shit at managing the redundo process it took them six months to actually make me redundant, despite putting me at risk in mid Jan that year.

They were so pleased with themselves for doing it after Christmas we actually laughed.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Corporates always want to do these things around the holidays, I cannot tell you how many times I would be worried about losing my job at one corporate, in the almost nine years I was there I survived at least ten rounds of redundancy. Eventually my number came up and I was made redundant from them in 2018. They were so shit at managing the redundo process it took them six months to actually make me redundant, despite putting me at risk in mid Jan that year.

They were so pleased with themselves for doing it after Christmas we actually laughed.

Yes, whenever I've lost a job its always right around Christmas. I even have a couple that fired me before Christmas and rehired me in February.

I don't hold it against my boss. This is a family-owned business that is dissolving in its third generation. We just couldn't survive in the current climate when everything print-related it being bought up by hedge funds. They then outsource the work to low-wage countries, lower the quality, and make customer service difficult to find. As we're closing down, I can see that's he's trying to do things to benefit us. And I can't complain about the severance package.

I feel kinda bad for our customers too. We've worked with some of these people for years and I'm already hearing massive complaints about the customer service and workd quality at this new company. As I've been telling myself "Its not my circus. Not my monkeys."

 

[Serge Forward]

Um, no. I'm pretty sure being so specialized is going to work against me. Either they won't understand what I'm talking about, or they'll not see transferable skills they can use.

Your job skills might well be specialised but you can also think in terms of what way they are transferable to other jobs.