Going down the drain - help

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This topic has 8 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 4 months ago by jock.

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July 28, 2015 at 3:51 pm #80675

bill
Participant

Well,

It seems that my whole adult life has been an effort to get a better job via internships, volunteering, networking and getting an advanced degree. And here I am, now 60 years old without having ever earned more than maybe $35,000 a year and now having no income coming in.

I have a volunteer job that pays me nothing. I have run out of unemployment and my savings will be gone this month. I have had so many low level jobs despite being having a couple short ones that used my education – an MA degree.

I have had little time to date over the past decade and have been struggling. I have no wife or kids and live in a little room that I could lose. I’m depressed and feel there is no hope for me to get ANYTHING I have ever dreamed of. I am too educated for the low level jobs to want me and the others are so competitive.

I just am not going to have a good life. I am losing hope. What can I do to get some decent work soon and take care of myself?

July 28, 2015 at 4:53 pm #80678

Adam P
Participant

Hey there Bill,

Regarding your situation, don’t worry so much about dating/having a family, because the only focus should be on yourself right now. As for your employment situation, the most important thing to do is keep on pushing through. You said that you have a MA degree. Whatever the field was, keep your focus on it while still sending out resumes to every job that you want. I know in this economy, everyone has a Bachelors and most of them go on to earn their Masters and find themselves in a similar situation as yourself.
But you have to remember that out there in the workforce, there are individuals that have decent paying jobs and they only have their high school degree. Yes, I’m aware that they could have started years ago (15-20 yrs. ago) when things i.e. the economy was different. The motivation that you need to find is that “push” to get up each and everyday and know that you are going to get hired for that job you want. Start simple and apply at retail stores just so that you can maintain shelter, food, etc. If you like sports, apply to a sporting goods store. If you like hospitality, apply to a hotel. Get the pattern. Along with those jobs, apply for any type of computer/ office based jobs. Let me tell you something, while I’m facing another setback with my dream and looking for new employment, I applied to different companies that I never worked before or where my major was not relevant to the business. I have been called back for interviews/open house, but have not heard back until I received an offer from another different job location. In a way you have to have that kind of “nothing to lose attitude”. While searching online, don’t feel intimated by the amount of information companies post regarding their “ideal candidate”. Send in your resume and wait for the results.
As well that final statement in your post; “I just am not going to have a good life” needs to be changed to ” I have a good life and it’s getting better everyday.” Say that message to yourself and send it out into the world and keeping searching and things WILL turn out well.
Thank You and take care.

July 28, 2015 at 5:17 pm #80679
Inky
Participant
Hi bill,

Why not start your own business/company? Get several Yellow Pages from different towns and see where there is a “gap” in your area. For example, what if the nearest dog groomer was 20 miles away from your town? And not to put down dog grooming, but how much skill is needed for that anyway? Even if you’re bad at it at first, you can only get better, and if you’re the only one in the area, no one will know the difference. (I’m just using dog grooming as one of many examples.)

Or how’s this: Estate Manager? Honey-Do Man (“I do the jobs your Honey is too busy to do”)? Pool guy (we need one in our area) to fix the pumps and replace tile?

Once you have a smattering of jobs, though small, it should get you through while you find something else. Or, your new side business will be YOUR business and you can even hire people one day! Who knows?
- This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Inky.
July 28, 2015 at 5:21 pm #80681

turquoise115
Participant

Bill,
We all hit low points and it seems like you have hit one. A quote I read said “Change the way you look at things and things change.” You are educated and have 60 years of living on this earth to your credit! You are a survivor and success is not measured in dollar signs or whether you have the so called perfect suburban life. Don’t ever quit or give up and the right things will happen for you. I take it that an MA is a masters in art. The whole world is in need of artists but you need to take your skills to cyber space. People who can create are in demand. There is no such thing as a low level job its whether or not you consider yourself a low level person. Sometimes the greatest people eek out an existence, are kind to their fellow man and very people ever knew who they were. Their anonymity does not reduce their contribution to our world but our society makes us think we have to be grandiose and get credit for our good deeds. Keep going, create and you will make it. The struggle is the good life because you are breathing and to be alive is great!

July 28, 2015 at 10:51 pm #80715

bill
Participant

I am deeply afraid. Here’s why. I have no place to go if I cannot get a job and pay rent. I still have dreams and want a great career. But I’m scared that because if discrimination, I cannot even get a decent job. I have been an optimist who would not give up. But now I’m reading all the negative reports that suggest that my future is very limited. I can’t be starting a business right now unless it brings immediate cash.
Please tell me if it is time, because of age, to stop dreaming because older workers are truly forbidden to hold good jobs or advance in their areas of interest. What’s really true????tonight my life feels over.

July 29, 2015 at 5:41 am #80723
Inky
Participant
Wait a minute. Listen. Right now you need rent money. Do whatever it takes to make that happen. Ads in the paper. Business cards. Word of mouth. A great one is house sitting. Pet sitting. I have a friend who does Social Media for all the businesses in town so they don’t have to. Girl just bought a house!! Tutoring. SAT TUTORING! We had a 60 something year old guy come to our house to help our son. We took him seriously because he WAS so much older! Looks don’t matter. Wear glasses and be shlubby in a nerdy way and you’re in! Seriously.

THEN, when after you have several side jobs YOU offer to people, THEN after cash is coming in, THEN you worry about this existential “should I stop dreaming” stuff. THEN you continue job hunting. Just get the cash. I’m telling you, “College Coaches” are becoming in high demand. Help these parents launch their kids into college, that’s where it’s at right now.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Inky.
July 29, 2015 at 8:54 am #80734

Anonymous
Guest

Dear bill:

The eternal optimist that keeps dreaming and pushing and staying positive… But running on empty, seeing there is something wrong in keeping that attitude, it is not working out. So keep pushing or give up?

I would (and did in my own life) give up on some things and push in others. I would stop pushing certain things and focus on pushing other things.

There is such a thing as reality, and although there are exceptions-to-the-rules, such as an older person starting a business for the first time and succeeding, the statistical probablity for such is very low, I believe. So we go on statistical probabilities, that is we go on science, instead of the one example that is 0.0001% likely to happen.

Going on statistics, you are 60. Your age needs to be taken into consideration. You do not have cash, this needs to be taken into consideration. You have never earned more than a certain amount of money despite your advanced education, and your dreams, and your efforts and yuor attitued, this too needs to be considered.

All needs to be evaluated or re-evaluated.

Once you do that, if you do that, what do you think you need to abandon, and where should your time and energy go?

anita

August 1, 2015 at 11:40 am #81008
Adam P
Participant
Hey there Bill.
Hope things are getting better for you and you have found some sort of employment to pay for basic needs. Don’t let fear hold you back from anything. We are all cheering for you.
All the best to you.
Thank you and take care.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Adam P.
August 19, 2015 at 5:45 am #82014

jock
Participant

I read your post Bill and made me realise that my situation isn’t as bad as yours even I am a similar age.
What might help you most is a friend or some community spirit. If I were you, I’d go along to a church group and seek some support there. Even you don’t go along with all their dogma, you can connect with at least one person surely.
Good luck kind sir!
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