Struggling to find a job in middle age: Trying to turn danger into opportunity

The challenges of finding a job again in middle age are inevitable. However, opportunities are not over for this group of workers in some fields and occupations.

Middle-aged workers are still highly competitive with their own advantages after many years of working - Photo: Q. DINH

At the age of 51, Mr. Truong (in Ho Chi Minh City) lost his job despite being a sales manager. The pressure of paying off the mortgage for an apartment, paying for his children's education, and supporting his parents in the countryside... surrounded him. Giving himself seven days off, he began his journey to find a job again at middle age.

There are certain advantages to finding a job again in middle age.

Mr. Truong wanted to return to his business because he was confident in his CV. But after knocking on many doors, he only received head shakes. To deal with the pile of bills, he hid his CV, forgot about his position as a department manager and... drove a technology car.

That period of time helped him realize that even though he had worked for a big company, if he didn't try to learn, there was almost no chance of him getting back to his previous income level. So he drove during the day, and at night he studied Chinese and practiced speaking anytime and anywhere while waiting for work. He took advantage of the opportunity, especially when he was driving Chinese-speaking passengers, to start conversations to practice listening and speaking.

Seven months later, Mr. Truong received an offer to become an assistant director of a corporation that needed someone with business experience, who could communicate in Chinese, and who was fluent in driving on the streets of Saigon. He was happier when this job offered him a higher income than his previous salary as a department head.

Mr. Le Thanh Son (44 years old) used to be a manager at a leading international technology corporation for more than seven years and in the past two years had to change four jobs.

Currently the technical team leader in charge of customers at Go Net Zero Pte Ltd in Singapore, Mr. Son said that every time he looks back, he still finds that challenge meaningful because it helped him grow a lot despite his reduced income.

Everything just happened, I was not prepared for anything but luckily thanks to quality relationships, my friends introduced me to many new jobs.

"The longest time I took a break from work was about three months, so I took the opportunity to return home to organize a training event for technology directors and spend more time with my family. I think it's difficult for middle-aged workers to expect high salaries like before the COVID-19 pandemic or before applications like ChatGPT, for example," Son shared.

Middle-aged workers need to be ready to change jobs as long as they can flexibly apply their skills. This will create more job opportunities in the current context.

Ms. NGUYEN THU TRANG (Manpower Vietnam Co., Ltd.)

An employer's perspective on finding a job again in middle age

With more than 20 years of experience in the field of human resources, Ms. Le Thi Doan Trinh - Deputy General Director of Human Resources at Scommerce Investment Joint Stock Company - said that many businesses are still concerned about the adaptability and learning ability of middle-aged workers, especially in a multi-generational working environment, especially in terms of foreign languages ​​and technology of young workers.

What is needed is for middle-aged workers to demonstrate their strengths through practical experience and soft skills accumulated over many years of work.

At the same time, middle-aged workers need to design their own learning path that suits their conditions and circumstances. This is currently supported by many free online learning platforms such as Coursera, or edX that offer courses on basic technology, especially when learning to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Bard is urgent.

Ms. Doan Trinh emphasized that middle-aged workers can try their hand at starting a business or participating in growing start-ups because they often appreciate people with practical experience, market knowledge, and good problem-solving skills.

"The market still needs people with practical experience in middle and high-level management positions. The problem is that you have to prove your value through specific achievements as well as the ability to create value for the business," she affirmed.

Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang - brand director of Manpower (Manpower Vietnam Co., Ltd.) - said that middle-aged workers may be confused by the current way of finding jobs, applying for jobs, and interviewing because the job market has changed a lot. They also find it difficult to adapt flexibly to new environments because they have been attached to their old place for a long time, and their mentality is also passive and less open than young people.

There are many new industries emerging, new jobs appearing. Not to mention the current trend of businesses focusing on looking for skills rather than specific experience in candidates. Ms. Trang said many employers believe that workers with the right skills can handle the job well even if they do not have much experience.

MC Van Anh created a personal channel to take care of her child and earn income - Screenshot

Increase your competitiveness

Having observed reality for many years, Ms. Ly Ngoc Tran - Director of outsourcing human resource services (Talentnet Company) - affirmed that the current labor market is very "open and flat" for everyone. Compared to young people, middle-aged workers have strengths in experience, courage, experience, maturity, responsibility and problem-solving thinking.

These are difficult to train in courses alone, but are sought after by businesses for management positions in today's fast-changing environment. Therefore, middle-aged workers are still highly competitive.

"To increase competitiveness, middle-aged workers need to be equipped with foreign languages, knowledge and technological skills (AI, robotics, etc.) that are highly valued by businesses. It also requires a spirit of eagerness to learn, the ability to improvise and adapt to challenges," Ms. Ngoc Tran suggested.

Opportunity to force yourself to change

MC Van Anh, who used to work at a TV station that recently stopped broadcasting, said that the press and television industry is now full of staff, so not many of her former colleagues can find similar positions elsewhere. Some have switched to working for private companies, but she is a freelancer because she has a young child.

Looking at the positive side, Ms. Van Anh said that sometimes incidents are opportunities to force herself to change so that she can seize other opportunities. Taking advantage of the strong development of technology, social networks and her existing personal brand, she chose to use her personal channel to do business.

"I think it won't be too difficult, we just need to try to overcome the initial confusion and everything will quickly get into the swing of things and develop," Ms. Van Anh shared.

(to be continued)

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vat-va-tim-lai-viec-o-tuoi-trung-nien-no-luc-bien-nguy-thanh-co-20250216084124807.htm