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TrogL

(32,818 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:37 PM Jun 2014

I just lost my job - again. Any suggestions for a 59-year-old IT guy?

Last edited Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:20 AM - Edit history (1)

Apparently my skill set no longer matches my current position despite retraining.

For those attempting to post jobs - I live in Edmonton, Albertam Canada and am not in a position to move.

42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I just lost my job - again. Any suggestions for a 59-year-old IT guy? (Original Post) TrogL Jun 2014 OP
Uber X AngryAmish Jun 2014 #1
Move overseas bigwillq Jun 2014 #2
Sorry to hear that! MannyGoldstein Jun 2014 #3
Skill set TrogL Jun 2014 #7
Apply at every hospital in your area. These skills are often in demand in hospital IT departments. Scuba Jun 2014 #14
Colleges/universities too. (nt) TacoD Jun 2014 #17
School Districts ThoughtCriminal Jun 2014 #24
I wouldn't feel discouraged about your skill set, then. Mister Ed Jun 2014 #25
Ideal skill set for a NOC supervisor...if not already registered on linkedin do so and join the two Drew Richards Jun 2014 #31
Schoold Districts and towns or whistler162 Jun 2014 #35
Server 2008 Bonx Jun 2014 #40
Yeah, that would help TrogL Jun 2014 #41
You might want to try oDesk.com - I have picked up a few QA jobs there, over the years. djean111 Jun 2014 #4
Are you married, kids? Separation Jun 2014 #5
If You're In A State With A Healthy Public Employee Union, Go Governmet... WillyT Jun 2014 #6
He's not, but I imagine he's in a province that does KamaAina Jun 2014 #18
this website is for it jobs. Hope it helps. I've seen more like it online SummerSnow Jun 2014 #8
i am sorry. i know my hsband goes thru the same,a s he ages in the seabeyond Jun 2014 #9
Can you build and design basic websites? I've had this idea forever and always meant to pass it on riderinthestorm Jun 2014 #10
No particular advice, but wishing you well just the same. NYC_SKP Jun 2014 #11
+1 Liberal_in_LA Jun 2014 #28
age 59-- take care of YOURSELF first buddy carolinayellowdog Jun 2014 #12
Where are you at and are you willing to relocate? n/t tammywammy Jun 2014 #13
If you're looking for skill buzzwords... phantom power Jun 2014 #15
whitestrips, haircut, posture, lop 20 years off your resume elehhhhna Jun 2014 #16
This is actually very good advice. Looking good is an essential closeupready Jun 2014 #39
Move to where the jobs are. randome Jun 2014 #19
I am sorry etherealtruth Jun 2014 #20
Sorry to hear that. I see that some people in this thread, I'm sure with totodeinhere Jun 2014 #21
Consider the MIC. jeff47 Jun 2014 #22
jeez i'm so sorry. barbtries Jun 2014 #23
sorry... handmade34 Jun 2014 #26
Good luck in your job search ... 1StrongBlackMan Jun 2014 #27
As a 64 year old IT guy, I suspect that there is not much wrong with your skill set OutNow Jun 2014 #29
And this is why I love DU. babylonsister Jun 2014 #30
Been there Dude at 61. I'm so sorry and sending good vibes. KauaiK Jun 2014 #32
Contracting and consulting firms are the norm for IT now IronLionZion Jun 2014 #33
hang out your own shingle dembotoz Jun 2014 #34
Sorry to hear that. Rex Jun 2014 #36
IMO Mr Dixon Jun 2014 #37
I am not in the IT field, but know people who are. Coventina Jun 2014 #38
right here if you want to work for the gov Sunlei Jun 2014 #42
 

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)
2. Move overseas
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:38 PM
Jun 2014

A lot of "our" jobs are over there, I heard.

Sorry about that. Hope you land on your feet soon.

 

MannyGoldstein

(34,589 posts)
3. Sorry to hear that!
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:42 PM
Jun 2014

What's your skill set? I'm not in that field, but maybe someone will have a suggestion on how to match your skills with something in demand?

TrogL

(32,818 posts)
7. Skill set
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:48 PM
Jun 2014

UNIX systems administration, particularly Solaris 10/11
Network monitoring using What's Up Gold and SCOM
Windows server 2007 including Active Directory
Backup using Commvault
Development - shell scripting, PERL, C
Core Developer for NET-SNMP
SQL Server Reporting
ORACLE 10c

 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
14. Apply at every hospital in your area. These skills are often in demand in hospital IT departments.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:15 PM
Jun 2014

ThoughtCriminal

(13,996 posts)
24. School Districts
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:39 PM
Jun 2014

Underfunded, often have out of date networks. Unfortunately, the pay can be outdated too.

Mister Ed

(5,877 posts)
25. I wouldn't feel discouraged about your skill set, then.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:52 PM
Jun 2014

UNIX, SCOM, W2K8 AD, SQL reporting, Oracle...

I think those skills are in high demand.

Submit your resume to consulting firms who may find long-term contracting gigs for you. My friend Jack and I, both in IT and both approaching your age, expect that it wold be hard for us to find full-time employment again if we lost our present IT jobs. However, we're confident that we could work until retirement at a series of lucrative contracting engagements instead.

Then, in any contracting engagement you land, impress the hell out of the customer. Come to think of it, that's how I've landed each of the three full-time jobs I've had in my IT career. I always got in through the contracting backdoor.

Drew Richards

(1,558 posts)
31. Ideal skill set for a NOC supervisor...if not already registered on linkedin do so and join the two
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:12 PM
Jun 2014

Groups network engineers and noc group. You should find interviews if not a position fairly quickly my friend. I am quite a bit older than you and still working...granted I took a major pay cut to work for a startup but its a steady paycheck and my brain still works...plus they just paid for my major surgery through company health care....

If not the US there are many overseas looking for us

Good luck my friend.

Drew.

 

whistler162

(11,155 posts)
35. Schoold Districts and towns or
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:47 AM
Jun 2014

any government IT department. Got downsized after 23+ years, good termination package. Ended up with a state job working in various school districts.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
4. You might want to try oDesk.com - I have picked up a few QA jobs there, over the years.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:44 PM
Jun 2014

Doesn't pay a whole lot, but you can work from home and still look for local jobs.

Separation

(1,975 posts)
5. Are you married, kids?
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:47 PM
Jun 2014

If not, or don't have issues with being away from the family for extended periods of time there are literally tons of jobs overseas.

That was what I was going to do after I retired last year, but due to injuries I'm lucky just being able to walk.

 

WillyT

(72,631 posts)
6. If You're In A State With A Healthy Public Employee Union, Go Governmet...
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:48 PM
Jun 2014

State, County, City, Colleges, School Districts, etc...

They usually cannot practice ageism, and your skill set might just be what they're looking for.

Sorry about your job.

I was an IT guy at a spin-off company of Pacific Bell.

It was my fantasy job, and I loved it.

After 9/11... the company tanked and I went through my savings, and ended up on, and going through, my unemployment benefits.

Then... I took a test and ended up working for EDD... California's Department that handles... Unemployment.

Ironic, no?

Hang in there... and use the computer and start the search.

Best of luck!!!




 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
18. He's not, but I imagine he's in a province that does
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:20 PM
Jun 2014


although, come to think of it, if union-busting ever does come to the Great White North, Alberta would be first on the chopping block.
 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
9. i am sorry. i know my hsband goes thru the same,a s he ages in the
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 06:55 PM
Jun 2014

computer world of always new. he has the fear of aging out. that is a scary place to be.

 

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)
10. Can you build and design basic websites? I've had this idea forever and always meant to pass it on
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:02 PM
Jun 2014

My husband is a professional horse rider/trainer.

There are many, many trainers and smaller barns who don't want to hire a big bucks designer. They simply want a basic page that lists their rates, accomplishments, locations, specialities etc. and how to contact them. They don't want to pay to have it "managed" since most won't be changing it very often but they want it to have a website to put on a business card or have a webpage come up when someone searches for their name.

We had our/my husband's website done by a friend who specializes in this and knows horses but you wouldn't need to know horses per se. The trainer/barn would presumably provide you with photos to use and/or hire a pro to take photos (trust me, all of us horse nuts have LOTS of photos).

You can easily "advertise" your services by going to the 100 plus local (big and small) shows in your area that occur during the year by posting flyers on their "sales" bulletin boards (all shows have them - its how a lot of horses get sold) or hitting the local barns and posting flyers. If you're savvy with social media you could also throw in some "coaching" tips about how to push their name up for Google searches etc....

Horse sports are still very much of technological backwater since many trainers aren't in the "big leagues" but can make a living teaching beginner- intermediate riders/horses. Also in my experience most trainers don't create their own web pages and don't have the skills to do so but for a few hundred dollars (? not sure what the going rate is, we bartered), it would be a service that most would jump on.

I would guess it would be the same for dog trainers too....

Feel free to pm me and I'd be happy to point you in the right direction on how to locate local horse competitions if you're interested.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
11. No particular advice, but wishing you well just the same.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:02 PM
Jun 2014

I'm almost your age, and luckily have a job nobody else has and few can do as it's a hybrid of two former careers.

Maybe if you look at what you've done before, if more than one thing, you could market the combination somehow.

Good luck!

carolinayellowdog

(3,247 posts)
12. age 59-- take care of YOURSELF first buddy
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:04 PM
Jun 2014

I had a heart attack last year at 59 and was appalled to find that is the typical age of the first such episode.

Feeling expendable is not good no matter how expendable others may say you are. You have 6 decades of life experience. Survive and thrive!

phantom power

(25,966 posts)
15. If you're looking for skill buzzwords...
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:17 PM
Jun 2014

I'd recommend trying to pick up some flavor of linux.

Open source tools and ecosystems:
git
github
apache

Modern "big data" tools:
spark
hadoop

Languages:
python
scala
java
ruby


You can access softare, documentation, tutorials, etc, for all of the above on line, for free, so it's plausible to learn them on your own. Local programming/software groups may be available via Meetup.com -- they're good for learning and schmoozing.

 

elehhhhna

(32,076 posts)
16. whitestrips, haircut, posture, lop 20 years off your resume
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:18 PM
Jun 2014

and remove dates on your education.

BOOM




I'm a headhunter, trust me.

If a botox would get the mad look off your face (mine's like that in its natural state - I'm mid50's), get one.

 

closeupready

(29,503 posts)
39. This is actually very good advice. Looking good is an essential
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:30 AM
Jun 2014

but neglected part of finding and keeping a job.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
19. Move to where the jobs are.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:21 PM
Jun 2014

If you have a house and you're afraid you might sustain a paper loss, just walk away. Paper is nothing.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.
[/center][/font][hr]

etherealtruth

(22,165 posts)
20. I am sorry
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:30 PM
Jun 2014

It really sucks being an older worker (I know, I am one) ... I know what you are up against and am sorry!

totodeinhere

(13,028 posts)
21. Sorry to hear that. I see that some people in this thread, I'm sure with
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:33 PM
Jun 2014

good intentions, are advising you to move. Well, perhaps you are in a position to do that, but perhaps not. Not everybody can just pick up stakes and move across the country. Some can't afford it. Moving is expensive, especially for an unemployed person. Others have deep roots in their community and own homes or have children in local schools or may have an employed spouse who might be forced to give up a job to move. It's just not that easy for everybody.

So for a lot of people it's a tough situation.

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
22. Consider the MIC.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:35 PM
Jun 2014

If you can get the equivalent of a security clearance, the military industrial complex is always hiring.

 

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)
27. Good luck in your job search ...
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 08:00 PM
Jun 2014

It seems that DUers gave you a start.

Were you the only person terminated? Maintain whatever connections/relationships with a couple of your co-workers ... see who they hire, what they do ... it doesn't really matter if your skill set is up to the next step, just that you could perform the job you were doing.

PM me for specific advise.

OutNow

(862 posts)
29. As a 64 year old IT guy, I suspect that there is not much wrong with your skill set
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 08:44 PM
Jun 2014

OTOH, employers like eager 22 year olds with high energy who don't know 1/3 of the stuff you know but are willing to work for crap wages or as temp workers with the "promise" of a better paying and/or permanent position.

Good luck.

babylonsister

(170,928 posts)
30. And this is why I love DU.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 09:14 PM
Jun 2014

You guys rock, offering all these suggestions.

TrogL, I got nothin' but positive vibes for you, and being in the same age group, working a slug job, I do understand.

KauaiK

(544 posts)
32. Been there Dude at 61. I'm so sorry and sending good vibes.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:52 AM
Jun 2014

My plan was to work until I was 67-68 to pay off my house. Didn't happen; and at my age I was "unemployable" even though I had a high skill set and management experience.

One thing that works for me was to give thanks for 3 things every day. I also volunteer when the call goes out asking for help. I can't afford to donate $$, but I do have time and skills. Giving of yourself to others helps and consider it networking.



IronLionZion

(45,163 posts)
33. Contracting and consulting firms are the norm for IT now
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:36 AM
Jun 2014

its not ideal but it does provide income and keeps you working. You might find some that have local clients in your area. dice.com, indeed, linkedin, and the government jobs sites are good places to post your resume. Recruiters contact me on LinkedIn more than the other sites. I've had friends have luck posting their resume up on monster and similar sites, as well as using technical recruiting or staff augmentation firms.

I'm in the IT field too, and this is a tough field for those who are looking for any hope of stability. Good luck to you.


 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
36. Sorry to hear that.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:48 AM
Jun 2014

Sounds like they were going to fire you no matter what. Did you work for them long? Was it a big IT firm?

Mr Dixon

(1,185 posts)
37. IMO
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:14 AM
Jun 2014
Sorry to hear this, there is a guy here about your age at my job who was IT lost his job in OCT 13, jumped on the cleaning crew and still has not found a new job. This is a trend at my job they get rid of the people with experience to higher younger people for half the pay.

Coventina

(26,808 posts)
38. I am not in the IT field, but know people who are.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:21 AM
Jun 2014

I've heard them talk that TripAdvisor is hiring.

FWIW

I'll be sending good vibes your way, no matter what you choose to do....

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