Job Hunting Tips for Older IT Guys?

I had worked for a single company for thirty years as a Systems Administrator, Help Desk responder and Lead Technician. Got tons of experience and much classroom time, but never bothered to get much certifications (MCP, Network+, Electronics Technician). Well, that company was sold and I've been looking for a "decent" job. After three months of no interviews, I modified my resume to not reflect my age (50+ years) and got a few interviews, which I thought went very well. Still no job offers. I'm starting to believe that most companies do not want to hire older "general type" IT individuals. I've noticed many federal/contracted job oppurtunites that require TS clearance and/or Security+ certification, so I've begun studying for it. I'm wondering if it would be worth my time and effort, given the experience that I'm having. I really need to work for another 4 or 5 years. Any opinions or suggestions?

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erpadmin

E-Unix wrote: »

I had worked for a single company for thirty years as a Systems Administrator, Help Desk responder and Lead Technician. Got tons of experience and much classroom time, but never bothered to get much certifications (MCP, Network+, Electronics Technician). Well, that company was sold and I've been looking for a "decent" job. After three months of no interviews, I modified my resume to not reflect my age (50+ years) and got a few interviews, which I thought went very well. Still no job offers. I'm starting to believe that most companies do not want to hire older "general type" IT individuals. I've noticed many federal/contracted job oppurtunites that require TS clearance and/or Security+ certification, so I've begun studying for it. I'm wondering if it would be worth my time and effort, given the experience that I'm having. I really need to work for another 4 or 5 years. Any opinions or suggestions?

Aloha,

Have you checked out aarp.org? I just looked at their website and they seem to have a ton of information for older folks such as yourself. Also, you could even go back to school (if you're so inclined) at a much discounted rate than us young whipper-snappers.

By the time you deal with clearance for any federal job, you will have met your 4 or 5 years. For that, I'd say go back to school. I'm a couple of decades younger than you, and I also felt that certs were a waste of my time. I even felt a degree was too much beneath me. Now I'm getting both and hope to improve my salary even more so, so that by the time I'm your age...I never have to go to work again...except as an adjunct professor. Just so I have something to do and not get dementia.

Best of luck, sir.

E-Unix

Aloha Erpadmin, thanks for your thoughts. I could retire, but when you take into account such factors such as yearly inflation(3 to 4%),the state of the economy and the fact that the average lifespan is 80+ years, I would like to stay in the work force for a few more years. When I started college and this career path, colleges didn't have IT majors. The nearest dicipline was Electrical Engineering or MIS/Programming. If you're planning to retire in 20-30 years, plan on having about $100,000 annual income. If you got large rent or mortgage, then add that much more. Wish you luck on your career path.

erpadmin

E-Unix wrote: »

Aloha Erpadmin, thanks for your thoughts. I could retire, but when you take into account such factors such as yearly inflation(3 to 4%),the state of the economy and the fact that the average lifespan is 80+ years, I would like to stay in the work force for a few more years. When I started college and this career path, colleges didn't have IT majors. The nearest dicipline was Electrical Engineering or MIS/Programming. If you're planning to retire in 20-30 years, plan on having about $100,000 annual income. If you got large rent or mortgage, then add that much more. Wish you luck on your career path.

AARP seemed to have information on older folks going back into the workplace...it's not just for retirement, though I know folks who will get the AARP card at 50 just for the discounts.

I just know it's rough right now for people in their 20s right now, let alone in their 30s. All I can say is keep your head up.

higherho

E-Unix wrote: »

I had worked for a single company for thirty years as a Systems Administrator, Help Desk responder and Lead Technician. Got tons of experience and much classroom time, but never bothered to get much certifications (MCP, Network+, Electronics Technician). Well, that company was sold and I've been looking for a "decent" job. After three months of no interviews, I modified my resume to not reflect my age (50+ years) and got a few interviews, which I thought went very well. Still no job offers. I'm starting to believe that most companies do not want to hire older "general type" IT individuals. I've noticed many federal/contracted job oppurtunites that require TS clearance and/or Security+ certification, so I've begun studying for it. I'm wondering if it would be worth my time and effort, given the experience that I'm having. I really need to work for another 4 or 5 years. Any opinions or suggestions?

I think you should try consulting. Since you have a vast amount of experience in Administration / Help Desk I'm sure you can offer those services to small companies and possibly work from home too.

E-Unix

Higherho, I've been thinking about consulting/starting a business. I really don't need the big salary anymore, plus my old company did give me medical insurance for a few more years. Thanks for the input.

Turgon

E-Unix wrote: »

Aloha Erpadmin, thanks for your thoughts. I could retire, but when you take into account such factors such as yearly inflation(3 to 4%),the state of the economy and the fact that the average lifespan is 80+ years, I would like to stay in the work force for a few more years. When I started college and this career path, colleges didn't have IT majors. The nearest dicipline was Electrical Engineering or MIS/Programming. If you're planning to retire in 20-30 years, plan on having about $100,000 annual income. If you got large rent or mortgage, then add that much more. Wish you luck on your career path.

$100,000 annual income? While you are working or is that what you need to pull annually from your retirement fund when you quit work? Most people will retire poor it seems. In fact it's already happening and has been for some years. Fuel bills are going up 18% in the UK soon, so more old people will have to choose between heating their homes properly or having enough to eat. A lifetime of hardwork and paying taxes hasn't saved them from poverty.

E-Unix

Hi Turgon. With a spouse and minimal housing costs, I need to pull $60,000 year from pensions, etc. If you add the average yearly inflation rate of goods and services (3%) for the next 25 years, that amount would expand to about $120,000. Of course–it's all theoretical. A lot of stuff could happen in the next 25 years.

Turgon

E-Unix wrote: »

Hi Turgon. With a spouse and minimal housing costs, I need to pull $60,000 year from pensions, etc. If you add the average yearly inflation rate of goods and services (3%) for the next 25 years, that amount would expand to about $120,000. Of course–it's all theoretical. A lot of stuff could happen in the next 25 years.

It's totally unsustainable. Most people dont earn a great deal of money in their lifetime and neither are they likely to. I think the American people have been plundered.

never2late

Turgon wrote: »

It's totally unsustainable. Most people dont earn a great deal of money in their lifetime and neither are they likely to.

I agree that those numbers are unrealistic. E-Unix may feel he needs this considering living in Hawaii can be rather expensive. But I have no illusions of needing $100,000 income per year to survive retirement.

I too, am an older worker in the process of expanding my educational boundaries in hopes of staying employed. While I have not tested the job market in some time (11 yrs at present job) I am apprehensive of my marketability due to my age (51). For this reason I decided to finish my Bachelors and update my certs. Education coupled with experience is a powerful force to have in any field, especially IT.

Claymoore

First the bad, then the good - try not to take the bad personally, just trying to raise some points you may need to address in the interview process.

Sorry, bad news
50 years old, 30 years of experience, a couple of certs, and worked as a helpdesk/lead tech? Where was your motivation? Why aren't you a senior engineer or in management? If you don't have the internal motivation to better yourself or advance your career, do I want you on my team? Why did you stay in those positions so long?

If I have a helpdesk/lead/field tech position available, I want someone with 1-2 years experience - not 30. I see that as 30 years of bad habits I'm going to have to break. Will you follow our policies and procedures or fall back on your own methods because 'that's the way I've always done it.'?

If I look at your age, your past positions, and your desire to retire (I wouldn't tell them how soon) I wonder how dedicated you will be. Will you stay late to fix that stubborn error or come in for maintenance weekends? If you aren't trying for that next raise or promotion, will you be willing to put in the extra effort or will you just punch the clock and only do what you have to do?

Now the good news
You don't survive 30 years of helpdesk/lead tech without being insane and/or good at your job. You also had to learn something along the way. Have you considered consulting around helpdesk and support processes? Take a look at ITIL certifications and consider ITIL and service delivery assessments or process improvements. This could be a way to start your own business and work for yourself for a change.

Leverage your age. Aunt Sue may think it's cute when her neice comes over to show her how to sync her iTunes to her new iPhone, but she hates being made to feel stupid by some 20something help desk tech at work. If you can find out the median age of employees at a company, you may be a better fit with an older crowd. Point out that you can relate and communicate better with their employees and help improve their business unit's satisfacation with IT.

With 30 years of experience you had to have seen a bunch of different technology. They may not have had IS degrees when you went to school, but they aren't teaching mainframes today. Do you have any experience with legacy tech you can leverage?

I don't like to travel all the time because it takes me away from my family. Other people can't work late because of daycare or soccer practice. If your kids are grown and gone, you don't have those worries. Consulting and travel would open up some opportunites, including expanding your market beyond Hawaii, which I assume is a small IT market. If you are willing to hop on a plane, you have easy access to the US west coast and are closer to India than many of us.

As an added bonus, all that time spent in airports and hotels will cure you of wanting to travel when you retire. Think of all the money that will save you! If you do decide to travel, you can cash in some airline miles and hotel points to save money.

esswok

You can do what I did but it is alot of work

E-Unix

Hey Claymoore, your points are well taken. My old company was a subsidiary of a huge corporation and selection of management was very political. The IT manager and Technology Executive had very little IT experience when they were hired. You can imagine how difficult this was for the entire staff. They spent very little on Training expenses and did not reward or reimburse employees for certifying on their own. They just wanted the job done. A Supervisor’s salary was only a little more and management did not have extended benefits like the rank and file, which included extra vacation, a better medical plan, a seniority system, a second pension, etc. It was a great job. Why would anyone want to be a manager in that environment? Ironically, when the company started to lay-off employees and initiate paycuts, these same managers left and found good jobs elsewhere. New managers were hired from the rank and file, which resulted in the “smoothest running” IT department ever, despite having a lower operating budget!

I like your good news. Perhaps, I shouldn’t worry about my age and instead emphasize the many years of experience. There have been some employers that really wanted me based on experience, but either the compensation was too low or the offer was contingent upon getting a Security+ or some other certification, which I’ve been working on. The ITIL course series has been on by “back burner”, but maybe I should give it more consideration. After being unemployed for so long, I’ve realized a few things. I don’t need a big salary. I don’t want to work everyday nor be on call. I miss the social interaction. I miss the challenges. I like planning and seeing big projects through. Perhaps this is the reason some of my older friends continue to offer “services for hire” or work part-time, despite having ample retirement assets. They keep their skills and minds sharp by doing a little work, but they still have the time to do the things they love, want and need to do.

E-Unix

For esswok and never2late,
It's great that you still have the desire to improve. And yes the certifications look much simpler now that I've been doing it for so long. For me, it's a matter of focus. It's harder at this age, cause there's so many other things you'd rather be doing.

esswok

just get busy don't worry about your age

E-Unix

Thank you everyone for your comments. I hope all you young ones
will benefit from the thoughts here. Study, work hard, save for a rainy day and you will be successful.