Hi Gary..you seems to have a wonderful experience.. don't give up..please see websites like ziprecruiter and career bliss and local wise. Remember something good will happen..

Best

Shilpa sen

God is Good, i am new to U,S but i am not happy with how Americans treat Aged fathers, you have no family Spirit, it is Survival of the fittest like life .i wish i Could treat you As my father, anyways i will pray for you. Jesus Loves you Gary, and Everything is for Good.

Iam going thru almost identical obstacles. Divorced Iam 47 with a ton of knowledge and experience and hear always over qualified! My bills dont care my age, overqualified etc..I have decided to give up on all the internet job sites and build my own business. If I fail its up to me

Gary,

I'm very sorry hear about your struggles. I had a similar string of life's challenges beginning a few years ago when my ex-wife asked for a divorce and began openly having an affair before she had even moved out of the house.

Shortly thereafter, my position was eliminated and I was let go. I was able to string together jobs here and there, but it became increasingly difficult for me to find the right job. I tend to think that age discrimination was part of what was making it so hard for me to find work, but one can never know.

I resigned from one job to care for my parents as my father's death approached. My mother died two months later. It was very difficult for me be 100% present in my work as I was emptying my parent's house, holding estate sales, and settling their estate. Only after the dust settled following their deaths did I start to suffer with a pretty significant bout of depression, which, of course, made me still less effective in my work.

I spent a year doing contract work, going without health insurance, and worrying constantly about my finances, while applying for approximately 200 jobs. I had a few interviews that went very well, including four for a single position. Nothing came to fruition.

My life had changed around me. My industry had changed significantly as well, and I found it much less interesting and rewarding.

I decided to make a total career change and began to apply for jobs selling life and health insurance. I received many responses very quickly, despite my near total lack of sales experience. I finally connected with a company that I like and a boss that I trust and respect (who is exactly half my age).

I started with this company a month ago and it has changed my life completely. I certainly never expected to find myself selling insurance. To my surprise I found that the insurance industry is full of ethical people performing the important job of protecting others from a wide variety of financial risks. The opportunity to earn a healthy income is directly proportionate to how much energy, time, and intelligence I put into doing my job. I strongly suggest you look into it.

Selling insurance can require a thick skin and a good deal of perseverance, and many people find that they haven't got enough of either to succeed. That is why, I believe, some insurance companies will literally hire anyone with a pulse.

However, if you do your homework, investigate the business models of the various companies that are hiring, and, perhaps most importantly, conduct extensive research on the history of litigation against any company you consider (because there are some awful companies out there), you can be hired and trained by a good company. Once you're in, the opportunities are endless.

You can also work with a company, rather than be hired. You'll be a 1099 contractor but you will be in complete control of your career. You can work for as long as you want in the industry because you are your own boss. As long as you keep producing income, you'll be welcome to stay on as a contractor.

These companies will provide you with leads but you've got to do the work. The harder you work, the more you can earn. The gentleman who is training me made $200,000 last year. He made $9000 in the three days that I spent accompanying him on calls. And, most remarkably, 90% of the people to whom he sold policies thanked us for helping them eliminate a worry that had dogged them for years.

I suggest you start by looking into companies that sell what is called in the industry "final expense insurance." With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day and considering retirement or having already retired. Even those living on relatively small, fixed incomes want to know that they'll receive a proper funeral and burial and that their children will not be burdened with the cost.

Final expense insurance can be purchased for as little as $30/month by a healthy person but even those with a medical history of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and those who use tobacco can purchase these policies for less than $75/month. The premiums are guaranteed to remain fixed for the life of the insured and the policies never expire. At the time of the death of the insured at any age, the policy pays out the full face value to the named beneficiary.

I've found this career change to allow me to work my own hours, to be my own boss, to work from home, to provide a valuable service to the many people I meet in face-to-face presentations, and to earn significantly more than I ever did in my previous profession.

I suggest you consider it. Depending on your circumstances, I would expect you to have a job by the end of August and to begin earning very good money by September or October.

In the mean time, stay positive and believe in your future. Don't take no for an answer ever again in your career -- except in those cases when you call on people who aren't interested in the services you're offering. You are certain to run into those people but when insurance companies are paying >100% commissions on the annual premiums for these policies, you'll need to make just a few sales per week to make more than $100,000 annually.

Your income will then increase significantly in the second year of your new career as the policies you sold in the previous year are renewed and you become skilled at selling a wider variety of life and health insurance products and annuities. You can then begin to hire agents who you train and oversee. You can build your own agency and benefit yourself still further as you benefit your agents and the many clients they and you serve.

Start with selling final expense insurance and launch your new career from there. Yes, at age 61 you can launch a rewarding new career.

You're welcome to contact me directly if you want more specific information. I can suggest specific companies to investigate and put you in touch with people who will work to help you succeed.

Hang in there...if you are into working from home, try looking for jobs in the internet about teaching English (ESL) etc. .as an interim at least.. nevertheless, I'll include you in my prayers.

When it rains it pours .....or when life throws you lemons, make lemonade.

If a full-time role doesn't work out what about a remote freelance role via Upwork or Remote.co? I'll be honest there aren't many companies out there willing to hire a 61-year-old because there is the risk that you'll retire and not stick around for a long time. They rather take the risk on the 30 something-year-old who can be developed and retained. I think freelancing or consulting can land you a decent paying gig given your experience plus companies don't have to extra concerns of retention since you are freelancing for them.

You've really been put through the wringer in both your personal and professional life, but I respect your positive attitude about it all. With the level of determination you have, I'm sure you'll get something eventually (and hopefully before August).

I think, in your case, these younger hiring managers may indeed be intimidated by your experience. Perhaps they may also feel odd trying to direct you as your superior, knowing you have more experience than they do. This is how things like age discrimination form and grow in companies, if unchecked. It can all start with one faulty assumption or insecurity.

Here are a couple of things you can try:

1. Look for companies who are committed to diversity, or who publicize diversity initiatives. "Diversity" includes diversity in age. Any company that makes public an effort or program devoted to employee diversity should know be aware of and work to prevent age discrimination.

2. Try to look for more senior positions. These may not be as plentiful, however, it may be what all your years of experience have qualified you for. It can be easy to underestimate yourself, but perhaps it may be time to experiment with the level of jobs you apply for.

I hope this gives you a little more direction as you try to get hired as soon as possible! Please keep the community updated on your progress. We're rooting for you!