UNEMPLOYED GEN XER Explains How

This as-told-tos Essay is based on a conversation with Robert Poe, a 56-YEAR-OLD E-commerce Director. His identity and former Employment have been verified. This Story has Been Edited for Length and Clarity.

I Started My Career at IBM in Digital Marketing. My Brother used to say to me, “You’re always going to have a jab.” I’ve been through layoffs and workhed at companies that shut down, but i really have to look for a nonb in roles.

My Last Position Was As Director of E-Commerce at Badcock Home Suppuet. I made $ 120,000 as my Base Salary. The Company was eventually bought by a company that that filed for bankruptcy. I LASTED ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN A NEW ROLLS THAT I LANDED.

I wasn’t woried about finding another job. But that was a year and a half ago. SINCE THEN, I’ve Sent Out Over 1,000 résumés.

The Experience has ben a shock. My wife and i sold our house and moved into an apartment. We’ve Had to Claim Bankruptcy. I SOLD MY CAR. We’re Partially Living off of Our Sons’ Social Security and My Wife’s Job. Our daughter, who lives with us, Helps Pay Rent.

I Pretty MUCH HAVE GIVE UP ON FINDING E-Commerce Director Role. I guess i’m too old. I Hear a Lot of People Saying, “Go Start Your Own Business,” and “this is the time to reinvent yourself.”

SO at 56, that’s what i’m trying to do.

I tried gig work

I got my real estate licensee and tried that for a little.

I was commuting about an hour each way to sit in an office with a bunch of 20 -ear-ops, doing exactly what i done at home. At some point, realized that it is not realistic to work off strict commissions and commute to an office we do not.

So i tried out being an amazon delivery workr for five months. I’m in shape and i work out. But at the end of the Night, i is wallet up the stairs. IT’S A DIFFERENT World, Especialy when you’re not used to being spoken to that way. IT’S A GREAT SIDE GIG IF YOU WANT SOME EXTRA MONEY, But IT’S not Enough to live on.

I’m giving entrepreneurship a shot

In adding to the gig work stove, i’ve tried to be entrepreneurial.

I LAUNCHED A Digital Marketing Startup Called JBP Media Group with a partner who used to work with me. It will be another six months before any income comes in and i’ve haad currency come out of my pocket just get it going.

We’ve Gotten a handful of clients, which is wonderful, and we have some employs offshore to help with some of the work. But to be clients pay you $ 200 a month, you need a lot of Those Small Clients.

I’ve also Published a Book. I have two 20 -ear-op twin son with special need, and the book is about the expenses that hit special Needs Families. There are probably around $ 60,000 a year in expenses for Kid, including transportation and insurance.

Publishing the book has been a bucket list of type of thing, and it’s one that keps your mind going. Starting a Company has Also Kept with Busy. Eve if i’m working technically for free, it keeps my skills sharp.

I KEEP TRYING EVERYTHING ON TOP OF INTERVIEWING, THINING THAT SOMEONING WILL HIT. In the meantime, have to keep you.

The System is Broken

I have putting out about two to five résumés a day. I’ve with tons of recruiters and have relationspes with some of me. But a recruiter will ask to schedule a call and then never get back to me. I’m heaaring more and more of that happening, where you get through an interview round and they put the jab on Hold or Find Someone Internally. Its Depressing.

Everybody’s Saying, “LinkedIn’s not the place to be anymore” or have to make your résumé different. ” Its Incredibly Confusing. Its like they flipped a switch overnight. The System’s Broken.

For geni x folks, it feeds like you’re out of a job, then i just too.

Right Now, I Feel Like a Failure. But my message to the Other People is that something will WILL work out, if you have to go from a six-fiurer jab to maxing $ 50,000 a year. For me now, I want to work for the special olympics, where I volunteer and coach paddleboarding. If it is a pay cut, i can start over, and we’ll figure it out.

Have you struggled to find a job? We want to hear from you. Reach out to the reporter via email at aaltchek@insider.com Or Through the Secure Messaging App Signal at aalt.19.