- Some elderly professionals have been working with blue collar in response to a slow down the white collar employment.
- The roles of the blue collar are helping some people meet the edges as they continue their work research.
- The transition to the work of the blue collar can come with reduced challenges of salaries and resumes.
After a decade full of work, burns and unsuccessful interviews, Donald Malone, 65, decided it was time to take a break from the corporate world as a consultant.
Finding alternative income has been more difficult than expected, and he has not been able to match his previous annual salary of $ 60,000.
After dozens of apps, the New Jersey resident found a job at Craigslist for a company doing cars to produce paper and cardboard. The blue collar position paid about half his salary with white collar, but covered travel and cars. He also worked for various car retail companies and held a part -time security position by earning $ 1,200 a month, though he could not provide any white collar position.
However, after a heart attack and stroke earlier this year, he did not work. He is relying on his monthly social security payment of $ 2,187, which covers his mortgage, but he is concerned that his skills have not continued and that his age and time outside the white collar may be a damage.
“I’m not a bed potato or someone who likes to get up and just spends the day doing nothing,” Malone said, adding that he is thinking of getting real estate.
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Dozens of elderly Americans recently told Business Insider that they have fought to restore the workforce with white collar after a job. Many doubts suspected of age or wage expectations made them with less desirable employment than new workers, leading some to their main careers. While some said they have embraced blue -wage collar work such as truck drivers or guardians, others have annoyed whatever job they could while applying elsewhere. Bi spoke to five elderly Americans about this story.
Older Americans have good reasons to believe that their work research has been more difficult this year than before. Excluding a two-month pandemic diving in 2020, US businesses have been hiring the lowest rate since 2013. Plus, a decline in white collar employment means that in sectors such as marketing, banking, and finance, job posts have dropped significantly from their peaks at 2022 to the first level in February 2020 of work. Meanwhile, 2024 Aarp Research found that nearly two -thirds of workers 50 or above have experienced or seen discrimination of age in the workplace.
To be sure, the unemployment rate for Americans aged 55 and older was 3% since January, which remains close to low historical levels. Moreover, it is not just the elderly Americans who have a harder time to reduce white collar work. Some recent college graduates – including rank of MBA from prestigious universities – are also facing challenges.
Leaving work with white collar without a return ticket
Many older workers said they have embraced that some income is better than none, even if the work does not match long -term goals.
Eric Nielsen, 50, worked for most of his career as an account and executive of sales in financial institutions. He recalled rubbing the elbows with billionaires and made good money, but after a break from work in 2023, he was directed in side hurry.
“Happy what happens is that you turn 50, and you will be interviewed by someone who may be half your age, and they will not make a connection with you,” said Nielsen, who lives in Colorado. “I’m willing to go to work at McDonald’s or Burger King, which I was never ready to do when I was younger.”
Nielsen works for a nonprofit and holds other part -time concert positions, including Uber Eats and the reception of summer parties. He said he has sent dozens of unsuccessful applications, many of which were for hundreds of candidates.
He said he was on the verge of homelessness. Last year, he made about $ 27,000. He said he has about $ 60,000 in student loan debt from his master’s degree, which some people have told to remove his speech not to be exceeded.
“I’m just trying to stay there to see if I can get that job offer,” Nielsen said. “I understand that I won’t make a million dollars, but maybe I can get in that window of 65,000 to $ 80,000.”
As Americans work later in their lives, many get jobs with blue collar from which come with risks. In 2024, about 18% of workers in agriculture and hunting roles were 65 or older, compared to nearly 8% in retail, 6% in production and over 5% in transport and construction. Dozens told Bi last year that they worked with concert work as Uber Driving echoing 2023 AARP statistics that found 27% of elderly workers doing concert or independent work.
Working with blue collar is hard to find
To be sure, some older workers who applied for blue collar roles said they are often difficult to get.
While some blue collar professions have experienced absence of workers, many industries require specialized degrees or certificates that often take months or years to complete. Given the timely engagement, some elderly Americans who worked at work with white collar said they were not worried about becoming certified in industry such as trucks or plumbing.
David Fischer, 54, held marketing roles in Bay Area and Portland, Oregon, before firing from last May, adding that he had never received a negative summary in his career. He has tried to find a job comparable to white collar because, despite sending over a dozen applications every day. Although he said he has saved enough to retire technically, he said it is too early to call him to rest.
He applied for blue collar work such as bus driving or operating a light railroad train, but he said he was rejected because positions wanted more experienced people. He has spent most of his time attending network events and interview seminars to return to an office, though he admits that the market for his industry is saturated.
“I don’t consider myself old; I know what my age number is, but I can keep my own with anyone,” Fischer said.