Been talking to a friend who was laid off more than a year ago by General Electric, and he is still looking for a new job. He said he had a few offers, but the pay was less than half compared to what he used to earn here, so he passed on it.
Now I'm wondering, is it really that hard to find a new job after being laid off? Specifically, for electrical engineers?
There are lots of local recruiters and a few that specialize in any one field. It would be a good idea for any one here to call them and see what they say. They do get paid when they place people so they'll probably ask for a resume.
Nothing wrong with pinging the job market to see what's available and who knows, maybe the grass IS greener.
It took me about half a year to get another job, but that's because I burned out from GE and needed a sabbatical. I worked in the hot sun, and man I loved it. SC benefits and my severance from GE only lasted 5 months however.
For electrical engineers it should be very easy. If your friend is an electrical engineer and can't find a job then I wonder what job he's looking for. It may not exist.
You can learn basic skills relatively fast 1-5 years. What makes you valuable after that is experience and product knowledge (in most engineering fields).
If you have 25 years knowledge designing GTs then you are valuable, if designing GTS. If you have to move to another area you may still have value, basic skills and decision making capability, but you are unlikely to be worth as much to them as you were to your previous employer.
Even if it isn't direct age discrimination if you stay in engineering, as opposed to management, you will typically specialize, certainly in the design field. This is helpful if the labor market in your area is tight and less so if it is not.
It really depends on what your skills are. If they need you they will have to pay you sooner or later. I'm over 50 and decline offers all the time. Not worried about placement at all. They hired me full time salary in my late forties and they came recruiting. I declined the 1st offer as well.
If he’s not willing to relocate, it can be tough. If he is willing, he should be able to easily find a job within 3-6 months. It’s also possible that he was significantly overpaid by GE (seen more than a few of those in my years at GE).
You're very unhappy. Maybe you should think of changes even if it means a pay cut. You need to do something
If you are over 50, stay put. Use those analytical skills - Read the data and studies. Education and experience don’t matter and neither do “can do attitudes or sunny dispositions.” Older workers have a harder time finding a New job and if they do find one, a significant pay cut is highly likely (90% chance)
I am a machanical engineer, so my comments are at that particular discipline. Most guys I known work doing stress analysis and they are obsolete. They refuse to learn/use anything but Ansys classic so they are stuck in the eighties. No body uses Ansys classic any more. Those guys will have a very hard time finding a job outside GE. The same goes for the engineers doing "performance analysis" in the gas turbines. They refuse to learn and keep working using very old programs. They are unemployable outside GE.
As engineer you have the responsibility to keep your knowledge up todate in order to be employable.
Yes. Its difficult to find a job outside GE. Reasons are:
GE gives comparatively good salary for the amount of work and kind of work people do there
The work has been divided so much in GE to make it process dependent and not person dependent that you are actually learning very little. You will realize it once you give a few interviews. Nobody wants 6 sigma and Fastworks....they need people who do engineering and deliver qualiry products...not power points.
I was laid off and was an LPB with no pension (very bottom of band). I had 2 offers paying 10% more within 3 months ( worse benefits though)
On the other hand, if you're like the previous poster, expect the job offers to roll in given your sunny disposition, the easy way you make friends and your can-do attitude.
A commodity? A stack of skills? Boy that post was ignorant. No wonder GE is sinking. mo--ns like that on board.
If you're still a commodity, a stack of skills, by the time you're 50, you should have a hard time getting a job.
If you're applying for jobs at places no one knows you, after you're laid off, they will wonder what's wrong with you.... No matter what your age is.
What State does this person live that needs a job?
Don't kid yourself, the best job is probably the one that you have now. If you leave on someone else's terms you will be giving up vacation, and retirement benefits, not to mention wages. Most companies are looking for younger employees fresh out of school and are looking to get rid of employees that are over 40. And don't kid yourself that this doesn't apply to engineers also. So if you are an engineer under 40 years old, you will probably be able to find another job, and your financial hit will be less severe. If you are over 40, you will have a much harder time, and god forbid that your over 50.
Most engineers in their 50 can tell you stories about looking for work and interviewing with someone in their 30's and how well that went. Age discrimination is alive and well.