This particular job did not pay well though it offered health insurance benefits, something that has become the last Dodo bird in employment. Not exactly a perfect scenario the receptionist would have to "change the diaper" of any resident in the lobby if no attendant was available. For me, I had to say "hell no" and yet the job still held the promise of a less than living wage with sufficient hours and benefits.
Needless to say, this is the third job that has slipped by after an interview. It is very difficult and yes, age matters. If we say it does not, then why are so many people having the same experience? The people doing the hiring are our age but they do not want to look upon our faces as the greatest mirror ever shown to them. They have their management jobs and they don't want to be reminded that they are us and we are them or something like that.
The "jobless" rate enunciated in the news today is the biggest lie of all. That rate does not reflect never clearing the bar because you are just too damn old. The rate does not reflect that we are working at half of our previous wages to now buy health insurance and wonder where we are headed. The rate does not reflect working at lame jobs and spending the evenings looking for a better job. The rate doesn't reflect that we never had a chance in hell but the 50 somethings that interviewed us wanted to look like they're an equal opportunity employer.
The talking head may call us the 47% but we are the bulk of the nation's spenders. If you don't give us a chance, we cannot make a living and we cannot spend money. If we cannot spend money then the economy continues to drag its' unholy, bloated self across this decade of greed, deception, discrimination and profound sadness. We don't need a chance to prove ourselves because we already have! We simply need the same chance you are giving the 20-30 year olds.
The emperor does have clothes after all. He is just pretending to be naked.
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