PB, I've experienced the same thing: <I remember reading DJ mentioning several of his contacts in the plus fifty age group in Germany just cannot find work. I'll be entering the plus fifty group in a few months, and I suffered some employment difficulties a few years ago when I was canned from my high paid engineering job. > But I was only 40. I quit my high-paid job and moved to a place the company didn't want me to be, so we went our own ways.
That resulted in a huge pay cut, and job-interest cut, and achievement cut. Ironically, it freed me up to really achieve things [outside employment] which I wouldn't have done if I'd stayed where I was in the rat race. Maybe I'd have done something even better if I'd stayed with the company, but that's opportunity cost, and I have no idea what that might have been.
There wasn't work for me, using my old skills, at the price I was getting. But I did find voluntary work, unpaid, using exactly those skills and it was a lot of fun and achieved a lot.
Those old guys could get work, but not at the prices they previously enjoyed. If they offered their services at $1 an hour, I'm sure they'd find work!
There's work available, but it's a question of price. Not many people are willing to cut their price as much as is necessary. The welfare system means they don't have to. So they don't.
Mqurice |
