How hard is it really? I'm ready to leave Enbridge, but I'm petrified of actually getting out there and trying to get a new job at fifty. It's been a while since my last job interview and I'm really not looking to having to go through that entire process again.
Are there even companies left that don't discriminate based on age when they hire?
Boo hoo... welcome to the real world everybody. Big oil company didn’t employ you securely till your retirement? Awwww.
Probably living in Toronto
You might have to move to find good positions.
What cities do these people live in that are finding jobs so quickly?
Most of the people laid of at Enbridge are finding better jobs, good talent has always value.
At 54 I left Enbridge and found my new life and job. Great talking points and don’t let the new 30 hold you back!
I was laid off from Enbridge at 55. I took about a month off. I applied to a few openings and within another month I was at my new job. I am happily employed in a job that pays more, was a promotion and the company actually cares about their employees.
Great advice below. Don't wait until after you are laid off. Get prepared early and be proactive.
It took me one year and one month, but I found my dream job at 52. I might have cut that process by several months by prepping beforehand. A number of steps that helped me and might help you, too: immerse yourself in resume composition and interview technique. Resumes today are MUCH different than they were back in our day, and it can take a while to get things right. Spend tons of time researching on career sites and on LinkedIn viewing examples of the good and the bad. The "short story" is that it is all about data and keywords now: you are still telling the story of a progressive career, but you are doing so using bullet points and keywords designed to pass through computerized scans successfully. Be prepared to maintain a core resume document (actually a couple of versions, geared to different types of positions), but to revise that document almost daily. You will want to note important keywords in job listings (they are chosen carefully by the employer) and incorporate those very words into your resume - in a way that makes sense, of course. Most companies use technology these days to separate resumes into a junk pile and a consider pile. To make it onto that consider pile, your resume will have to offer a very nice keyword match with the job listing. Same rules, and more, apply to cover notes. Be certain to employ thank you notes for each and every contact/meeting you have. Personally, I compiled a list of my top 15 employers (could be 50 or 25 for you, or even 100) and I bookmarked their "Careers" page into a folder. Checked each one of these once every 7-10 days to spot new listings in my area. Spend tons of time connecting with people you know: go all the way back to high school, include college and former (and even current) employers. Locate individuals familiar with your personality and work ethic and make personal contact. You can use other social media (e.g. Facebook) here, too. Let it be known that you are searching and ask for their help. Some of your best leads may come from this group of "formers ..." Utilize several job boards at once - posting your resume and doing searches every 1-2 weeks, at least: LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. - there are tons of them out there. "Follow" companies of interest on LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media sites. Stay up to date with the latest & greatest on these companies, especially ones in your "Top 50" group. Interviews can be all over the place, so be prepared for anything. One of my worst was with a fellow who looked to be about 27 or 28. "Oh, THIS is going to go well" I sarcastically thought to myself. It wasn't as bad as all that, but not too far off. The kid, after scanning my resume, said (off the top of his head): "you have had a STELLAR career, the closest to perfect that I've ever seen" (I'm in sales, which is of course very easy to quantify). Did that get me a second interview? Nope. But it was nice to hear. With him and a couple of other "much-youngers" I decided to take the issue on directly, asking something like: "obviously, there is a difference in our ages - would you be comfortable in managing someone of my age?" I would also speak to the issue, saying that I would have no problem in reporting to them, as I tend to look for certain qualities in ID'ing a good manager. In the end, my path to the dream job involved a company I had previously spent 3 months interviewing for a different position. I made it to the very final round with them on the first position and came in 2nd of 3. Six or seven months later, they were calling me to indicate that they were creating a new position in my area, was I still interested in working for them? I sailed very quickly to secure that job - mainly because I had handled things so well during the first round. There's a lot more I could offer, but I think this is more than enough for a good start. If you have the ability to remain in your current position while searching, by all means do that! Personally, I didn't have that option so I went out and got a low-level, easy come easy go 2nd shift Customer Service job just to have someplace to go each day - I needed and wanted to maintain some kind of structure in my life while I searched. As I said, I was 52 and conducting the most insane career search imaginable (focusing almost exclusively on 20 potential employers) and I landed well. If I can do it under those circumstances, I feel certain you can, too. Good luck!
I managed to do it and I'm about your age. I too was concerned about agism, but luckily I kept up my skills and landed a great job. It's easier to go through the process if you are currently working. I didn't have that luxury.