People Are Sharing What It's Like To Job-Hunt Over 50 — And It's Harrowing

Donna Kopman, a 57-year-old job seeker, is pictured at her home in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She has been looking for a job since being laid off in December.

In fact, half of people in their 50s are laid off at least once and only 1 in 10 of these workers will ever again earn as much as they did before this setback, according to a 2018 dataOne major reason it’s so hard to get rehired? Because of machines that rank an older job seeker’s job application.

To fight against the assumption that older workers are unfamiliar with technology, Nina posts her LinkedIn and Instagram information on her résumé to show she is up to date on social media.Kopman is aware of how her long-term unemployment is eating into her savings. She has not taken a break since her layoff. Her unemployment insurance will expire in November. She is currently paying $900 a month to retain her health insurance from her past job through COBRA.

And she’s not alone with experiencing financial insecurity as an older adult. White said a lot of older workers will eventually give up searching for the types of jobs they once had and start looking for what she calls “a casserole of work.” Jelley said the program taught her computer skills like how to craft a résumé and how to use Excel and PowerPoint. But more important than teaching her how to save files, the program boosted her confidence, Jelley said.

You never know who might lead you to your next job opportunity, so make time to invest in your relationships. But more hiring managers need to believe in this, too. Until then, don’t count out people just because of their age, older job seekers implore.“At this stage of the game, I have no kids at home,” Nina said. “I don’t have to be home at 5. I can stay late, I can come in on the weekends, I’m not running out to drive anybody anywhere. To me, it seems like a no-brainer, like, ‘Give me this job.’”

Or as Kopman puts it: “People over 50 are not ready to be put out to pasture. We have so much experience and personal learnings to be shared with colleagues who are new to the workforce.”As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

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