Pardon my age! I am firmly ensconced in middle age now. It's not my fault; it's just a natural evolution of living through the years. I've taken a whole generation with me; I have not aged in a void by myself. I also have not been in a coma - I lived those years. Excuse me for not being young and cute anymore, but I'm still very much myself with a somewhat wrinkly exterior. I'm still energetic (thanks to good health) and I'm also reasonably smart and capable.
This being said let me get to the crux of the matter - I need a job. At an age when some people (although fewer than ever, I believe) are ready to retire, I need to continue working full time. Blame me for poor planning, overspending, whatever, the point is I cannot retire. I'm not old enough for Social Security and who in the heck can live on that without supplemental income? After five years of a wonderful job at a residential home builder I'm back in the job market at a time of almost total economic shutdown. Just my luck - broke, wrinkled and searching for employment during the worst economic recession since the 1930s.
The last time I went through this process I noticed that I was always the oldest person waiting for an interview in the outer office. No problem - maybe they'll be impressed by my resume and sparkling personality. Out comes the HR specialist. She walks toward me and smiles as she says my name. She is literally younger than any of my four children. She is the youngest, cutest person I have laid eyes on since watching the Grammy awards.
After a brief interview where I silently marvel at her shiny hair and bright eyes, the manager I would be reporting to enters the room. It's not good - he's 40 at the most. Wonderful; he's the same age as my son. When did executives get to be so young? Where are the grey haired gentlemen my mother worked for when she was in her 40s, 50s and even 60s? I have sweaters older than this man! He looks over my resume, asks a few questions and then smiles at me and has the HR specialist lead me back to the waiting room to retrieve my coat. I wait a week and hear nothing. I send an email and do not get a reply. I call and leave a message and do not receive a return call. Can it be that he would not feel comfortable working with someone as old as or older than his mother? Well - he could have at least called!
My search continues. I will studiously avoid any new, developing companies (only preschoolers need apply) or any applications that require my GPA. Give me a break! My GPA from college dates back to a time when records were chiseled into stone tablets.
Time to contact AARP for a list of companies that hire the elderly. I'll keep you posted.
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