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Since I have started to work at a temp agency, I have had by eyes opened to what goes on in Corporate America with people much older than 50. I have been watching the people showing up for new employee orientation at the large Fortune 500 Company I have been working at. No one is ever over 50. I would say the majority of the people are 25-40 which seems to be the key years for employment success.
I wanted to be sure and asked my new friend in Human Resources to do a query of all the people hired in this office during 2007 who were born before 1957, the answer is 1 out of almost 100 hires. Pretty scary. We do have some oldsters like me (over 50) but they are executives who have been with the company for years. Even the new senior managers are under 40.
What do the people over 50 who are unemployed do, turn into a pumkin?
Last edited by questioner2; 12-23-2007 at 12:59 PM..
The truckload sector of the trucking industry has an insatiable appetite for entry-level labor and their next labor source is AARP members. I've noticed a number of articles in the mainstream media; Wall Street Journal, USA Today and elsewhere featuring semi-retired husband-and-wife teams or solo drivers that are "enjoying a second career seeing the sights of America..." While the truth is somehwhat less glamorous, trucking can still be a decent second career for those that can put up with it's rigors. Large truckload carriers really don't care about your age as long as you come with a reasonably clean past and an ability to do the job.
Apply with the federal government, especially if you've been in the service so you'll get veterans preference. Seems like all I saw hired were ex-military,
50+ men who were already drawing 2 or more retirements elsewhere. They all had the goal to be "triple-dippers" (3 retirements).
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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Originally Posted by Crew Chief
The truckload sector of the trucking industry has an insatiable appetite for entry-level labor and their next labor source is AARP members. I've noticed a number of articles in the mainstream media; Wall Street Journal, USA Today and elsewhere featuring semi-retired husband-and-wife teams or solo drivers that are "enjoying a second career seeing the sights of America..." While the truth is somehwhat less glamorous, trucking can still be a decent second career for those that can put up with it's rigors. Large truckload carriers really don't care about your age as long as you come with a reasonably clean past and an ability to do the job.
You know what gets me about that industry is that last year they were really hard up for drivers and, my uncle in law who drives his own truck told me that they wanted to lower the age to get a trucker driver license to 18 from 21 but then he said no trucking company will hire anybody under 25! That makes zero sense to me! If they want people, why not hire 21 to 25?
Hey they just allowed 60 year old airplane pilots to continue working. It's a youth-oriented society. If you walk into government offices, you will see, among others, the geriatric set.
Without naming companies, of course, there are a number out there that do hire exclusively from the 50's set, while there are are certainly a number that do not.
There are so many other venues open to well-qualified senior's in today's market other than just the standard 9-to-5 "climb-the-corporate-ladder" one, I'd be surprised that any of them would find it as an attractive venue at this stage of the game, anyway! So, maybe it's not the companies that aren't
interested in the 50's set, maybe it's the 50's set themselves!
If one has marketable skills, has stayed abreast of the latest technologies and readily adapts to change, there is a myraid of opportunities out there to tap into, i.e, starting one's own company, consulting, recruiting, training and educational seminars, etc. Even going back to school and changing careers is not unheard of. There have been many studies made on this "baby-boomer generation" and what a crisis shortage of qualified workers there will be if and when they all (we!) retire! And, this is one of the reasons behind many companies trying to put in place a younger management team. Even if this is the case, there will always be a need for well-qualified, stable "worker bees", regardless of age!
At this stage of one's life, it's more than time to think "out of the box" and really take a personal inventory of what your assets are, what your goals and values are and how they apply to your current situation versus what they were when you were at a younger age -- re-evaluate. Now may be the time to do what you've always wanted to do... not what you used to have to do... if not now, maybe when you are ready to leave the 9-to-5 grind with the retirement in hand.
Respect in business is a two-way street here if age rears its' head. A few words of advice to the younger generation of managers out there... we (seniors) will make you a promise... don't view or treat us like your parents or grandparents... and we won't view or treat you like our children or grandchildren!
You know what gets me about that industry is that last year they were really hard up for drivers and, my uncle in law who drives his own truck told me that they wanted to lower the age to get a trucker driver license to 18 from 21 but then he said no trucking company will hire anybody under 25! That makes zero sense to me! If they want people, why not hire 21 to 25?
KevK, most of the large truckload "starter" companies will hire 21-year old drivers (you can get a CDL at age 21) IMHO, the carriers that won't hire drivers under age 25 want a more mature and experienced driver. (as well as lower insurance rates!) Driving a big rig safely takes a lot of maturity. And generalizations are never good (some people never grow up...) but many 21-year olds don't have what it takes to be a professional behind the wheel. (If I had my way and owned a trucking company, I wouldn't hire very many drivers under age 35, but that's just me...) The reason so many carriers are hard up for drivers is the low pay and "indentured servitude"-like working conditions many put drivers through... And that's what that 18-21 year old "training program" would've been. As well as putting a lot of immature drivers behind the wheel. IMHO, the argument that 18-21 year olds drive trucks in the military doesn't hold water; the military has a far more structured, more disciplined workforce (and commanders have the ability to fine/punish offenders, unlike trucking companies...)
Where I work they prefer new grads so they can pay less and mold them into the company's "stepford employee". If they need a more experienced person they will try to find someone in the 30-40 yr old range. They pretend they do not age-discriminate, but it's just talk.
in our business [Las Vegas Casino/Hotels] we require that all applicants be #1 over 18 #2 still alive[and likely to remain that way thru the end of the day(we frown on dropping dead without prior notice)].....as long as you can do the job.....[btw I am 66 and a department manager]
UPS does not let you drive until 21 for insurance reasons.
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) but many 21-year olds don't have what it takes to be a professional behind the wheel. (If I had my way and owned a trucking company, I wouldn't hire very many drivers under age 35, but that's just me...) The reason so many carriers are hard up for drivers is the low pay and "indentured servitude"-like working conditions many put drivers through... And that's what that 18-21 year old "training program" would've been. As well as putting a lot of immature drivers behind the wheel. IMHO, the argument that 18-21 year olds drive trucks in the military doesn't hold water; the military has a far more structured, more disciplined workforce (and commanders have the ability to fine/punish offenders, unlike trucking companies...)
