business help: I am 54 years old, married, unemployed and under-employed, almost destitute, no insurance, no employment prospects, hoping I wake up dead every day. - Help.com

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I’m sorry you’re going through all of this. :(

All I can say is: try to stay strong. The economy is just sucking Twinkies and right now and a lot of people are hurting. Do what you have to do to survive this, and I’m sure things will start looking up soon.

Well, Anon, I know what you’re going through. The biggest thing you’re facing is age discrimination. The reason you weren’t hired is simple, pure and unabashed age discrimination. The companies picked younger workers each and every time: it’s the same logic as locating a factory offshore, or outsourcing jobs overseas. The perception is that younger people work cheaper, and even if they suck at their jobs for a while, the expectation is that they will eventually get better.

Keep looking–and network like hell. You should also check out the market for contract jobs in the Middle East. This is probably your best bet.

You know–I have had jobs in the Middle East that paid over $170k a year, but no one in North America would give me a job making even $20k. Why? Age discrimination!

Obama has done zip about it, as his focus is on women and minorities. Romney is so clueless he doesn’t even know what it is.

I’m going back overseas–this time for even more money. Sixteen months of fruitless job searches in North America have led me to this decision. The little HR drones in these companies are making sure you don’t get a job, so they can look good to their bosses. Their job is to screen you out on the basis of age.

But don’t give in to the b******s. Go overseas. And your wife needs to look for a job, too. Women have an easier time of getting jobs, because they will work for less and won’t put up a fuss, and hiring women satisfies all kinds of “affirmative action” quotas. Sorry if anyone is offended by this–but it’s the truth.

Go overseas, my friend. It beats being blanked at home!

Hi
I Can’t say I understand what you are going through, or even comprehend how you must be feeling.
I know they always say try look at the positives in your life and forget the rest. The truth is a lot of people are unable to look at the positives due to all the other chaos in ones life.
It must be hard being a Man with many responsibilities in life.
But I can offer you this you say you have a toddler grand child.
That Grand Child loves you more than what you think, it doesn’t matter if your poor or rich or anything you get unconditional love.

I know around the world there is a downfall with unemployment and salary is crazy, but just hang in there.

You are very precious to many people and all these people would feel such a loss if you were not around anymore.
There is one more who love you even more and if you can cast all your burdens to him he can help.
Jesus Christ who created you wants to know and love you, and He will help you through all the burdens you have.
Please don’t think I’m trying to shove anything down your throat but I believe that if you give God a chance he can help.

God Bless Kara McDonald

I don’t have any advice, but I can totally relate. What I’m doing is just pushing on. That’s all I can do.

Younger people being preferred? Hah! We are being overlooked b/c they can afford to wait for someone with more experience!

Not to mention all of the internship programs that have been axed, AND research programs that no longer get funding! We now cannot find a foothold to get through the door!

Stop youth bashing! Your generation’s the one that f*cked everything up anyways! Obesity epidemic, the crumbling nuclear family, the economy, overspending, you name it, the Boomers have f*cked it up!

HAVE A GREAT DAY! =D

I didn’t screw up anything, Bucko. It’s the upper 1 percent, in case you didn’t notice. They’ll hire whoever will work cheaper, and that’s normally younger people will less education and experience. Remember Circuit City? They fired all of their senior sales staff and replaced them with noobs out of school. Why? So they could pocket the difference in salaries.

And, if you’ll just look around, you’ll see plenty of poor Boomers who have been shafted by the system. It’s not one generation–it’s the upper 1 percent, and they include some twenty-somethings, as well.

You need to direct your anger against the people who caused all of this, and who are still causing it. I never outsourced a single job.

And I’m going into harm’s way this month because the 20- and 30-year-olds in human resources are being “good Germans” and are screening out all of the older applicants.

It’s a youth culture, and every time you buy some designer clothing you’re buying into it. And every time you bash someone older, you’re buying into it.

Problem is, if you live long enough, you’ll be discriminated against, too!

Guidance in many aspects in your life is capable of becoming a reality through your future work environment to your relationship with the people in your life. At times your swimming to shore, and at times your getting swept away by the waves. Age discrimination, HR “mindset”, what’s “best” for the bottom line; all these things are burdened by individuals who chose to envelop their situation with negating philosophy. Trust in what you are capable in doing every day. You have your health, your loved ones, your ability to learn, process, captivate and achieve more than you know. Wake up with the notion that though life’s not perfect; the way you react to the imperfections make all the difference. If the “work” is what keeps you from feeling more useful; find a hobby you have always enjoyed and try to get into a position related to that. Passion, I’m sure you have and still do things that you did as a kid. Maybe you can turn that into a position within an organization which guides towards that primary objective. Be happy; Most of all just be content that knowing what you feel is only a moment in time that will change ever so quickly. Don’t beat yourself up over paper currency; its all just a method in hiding the truth in what you really find important. Through tragedy comes enlightenment in the absence of material.