Unemployment...

Maybe there are other people in my position...I've been a local sports reporter and editor for 25 years in my area. Two years ago I got laid off and haven't been able to find work. I feel it could be my age...60....and not up to the social media skills...I look for openings at newspapers in an area I feel qualified but can't get a reply..Any suggestions..I thought about starting a local sports blog or website but being unemployed I need to make money...Thanks

 

There are a lot of people in your position, and many more may be in the future.

Unfortunately we're all part of a shrinking, dying industry run by people who measure success by the number of workers they can cut off the payroll.

The best advice seems to be to widen your horizons and look beyond your previous areas of specialization.

Doing a local sports blog might be one idea, but unless you can make it pay, it might be more of a drain on your energies and time.

I'm close to your age, and more and more I think we're just going to go through a decade or two of what our grandparents went through. Up until now our generation has had it pretty easy. I guess that's all over.

 

I know somebody in a similar spot.

He's freelancing and applying for jobs, but nobody's touching him because of his age.

I'd try to switch careers?

 

One problem with switching careers is finding something in a similar skill set. Otherwise, employers will have two red flags about him: His age, and his experience level in the new career.

 

Don't volunteer your age.

 

Even if you don't volunteer your age, when you show so many years of experience employers can put two and two together.

I do some hiring for my little corner of podunk on occasion, and I must admit that when I see someone with that kind of experience applying for a job with our circulation size (and pay offered) it raises red flags. Not that I won't at least investigate if their clips sing, but it does plant the seed of doubt.

 

It's especially difficult for some older men to get back into the jobs they love when ...

- they wear sweatpants to an interview.
- they take every line of their "areas of expertise" on their resume from insidejobs.com. Line by line.
- they post their resume online so everyone can see they plagiarized parts of it.
- they claim to have been a sports editor for 10+ consecutive years even though they were fired, then rehired a few years later, but as a reporter.

 

When I got laid off..I didn't think it would be two years before I'd still be looking for work...I've accepted there are younger and more talented candidates out there...the part that upsets me is that EMPLOYERS don't have the courtesy to even reply or anything...I know it's an employers world but come on....It's been two years and very little work...I've always wanted to do a local sports blog and get advertising but that's a risk...So we take one day at a time...

 

mcollar,

You may not have a job, but how good is your network of sources? Could you start a blog that would be competitive in news gathering with other news sources in your area?

Have any connections with account execs in the same boat as you? If so, you could start a partnership. You write and edit the blog, they market it and sell advertising. Split the proceeds. You'd then have your new media backgroud.

Not a perfect situation, but then again, considering the times, it's better than nothing.

Good luck.

 

I have a decent network among my colleagues...but that doesn't work..I just moved to another city so I really don't know anyone yet..and that hurts especially in the advertising game..I don't feel I can offer readers something different or unique ...in over two years of unemployment you lose a certain amount of energy, confidence and who knows what else...

 

Be patient, be open-minded, be persistent.

Don't let them have your honor/self-worth. That's yours to keep.

 

Could someone please explain that part about a resume..Sorry I'm a little slow...My resume was done professionally three times just to make certain it was done right..Any other suggestions...