[decisiontime]

So, as an older professional, with changes in life cannot get one interview in two years...savings? gone. IRA just dipped into it. Resume? great.
I need to understand if anyone else who is older is having the same problem as I?

I have a few pitfalls, that may be an issue: I lived abroad for 20 years so I actually do not know anyone here and have not been able to build up a network (my current retail, low paying, low hour job is so random that I cannot commit to anything even church) But, I do have good references and employment history.

So, in the past year, I decided to apply abroad and guess what? I get interviews and job offers. really? I want to live in my country.

I need to understand if other "older" people are having a difficult time as I am with job searching.???

I think that society feels that we should be all "set up" by now and able to play around? Yet, we can't get social security (not enough anyway) until we are 67.5. The system is not working.

Sad to may have to leave and grow old (I mean you know, the "old" where I can't work anymore) in another country without my family.

[ManOfConstantSorrow]

Do you have any special skills and experience that may appeal to a narrow specialist field where they may be pleased to hire you?

Going head to head on general sort of jobs could leave you at a disadvantage compared to other people?

[nonightowl]

There is much ageism in the U.S., but the country is in denial about it. There are still millions of long term unemployed here, but nobody talks about it or does anything. Many are over 40 or over 50, and the U.S. IS a youth-oriented culture.

How many times do you hear "anti-aging" or ways to "look & feel younger"? You're not supposed to "age" here.

Not much to add, just wanted to say I have a LOT of empathy for you and feel your pain. People not old enough to retire struggle too.

And employers look down on the unemployed. WTF? It's THEM who put people out of work all the time, except when people quit. But who wants to do that in this market?

The experts say we have "recovered." Well, that's not everyone. And the way they count the unemployed is not accurate at all.

[tradika]

To many variables with this. A lot of it is pure dollar signs. Why pay $60,000 per year when you can get it done for $45,000? It sucks, but that's the reality.

[Mrs. Mania]

I'm in my 40's and I noticed a difference when looking for a job in May. I used to get a job in a day. Took almost 3 months this time! My profession also wrecks me physically and it used the be a breeze