To everyone unemployed:

I’m sure you’re asking yourself this question: Am I unhireable? I lost my job early this year, and the struggle to regain employment has been horrific!

I have wondered at the lack of response to my applications, I have redone my resume, I have called about jobs until I developed calluses on my fingers, and always the same answer: hiring was done within the company, I was not qualified, or the job has been pulled. Not qualified? I have a college degree and 30 years’ experience. But wait a minute ... so does everyone else who is unemployed right now.

Many businesses are cutting back, so instead of hiring outside they hire within, which is common on Fort Hood. Our government thinks everyone should have a college degree, but now everyone out there has one and we, the educated masses, are forced to take jobs that pay minimum wage; that is, if the employer does not have a problem with hiring the over-qualified.

The problem is not our qualifications, but that there are too many of us unemployed. So I ask you, what are we supposed to do as middle age creeps up on us while we stand in the unemployment line? Are we unhireable at our age (age 47), and are we immediately tossed out because we’ll actually be using our benefits and putting money into retirement?

One would think we’d be highly desirable having experience, being settled and educated, but time and again I see younger, fresh-out-of-college people getting the job because ... how did the last HR person put it? Because they were fresher and had more drive to make the company succeed.

We all have that drive, and I can’t help but think this is age discrimination. I have nothing against a young person gaining employment. As a matter of fact, kudos to you! What I do have a problem with is that so many of the business communities in any city think that valuable employees must be young and trainable. We soon to be middle-agers have a lot to bring to the table. We are trainable, and we are eager to work.

The next time a business is hiring, I only ask that they think about that for a change!

Kelli Walker