CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's no secret the pandemic changed the American workforce.
Many people re-evaluated their lives and chose not to return to the jobs they had before, while others were forced to leave companies that were struggling.
Betsy Ashworth is about to turn 65 years old.
"I'm finding it very hard because I'm not working, so I'm not feeling like I'm contributing," Ashworth said.
Working in the dental industry for 30 years, Ashworth was even recruited by a big dental company in Charlotte.
"And I did that for years, handling all of the dental schools in the U.S.," she said. "And I was able to just be putting my life plan into action."
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Her plan to save for retirement and move to Florida was shelved when COVID-19 happened and she was laid off.
"And it took me months before I found another job," she said. "The next job I took was half the salary."
For two years, Ashworth supplemented the change from her savings account.
"So then, back last fall, I no longer had that job," Ashworth said.
Her job now is finding a new job. She said it's a tough time to get past the phone interview.
"She said, 'Oh, you're not right out of college?' And I said, 'No, I'm not.' And I said I've been out of college for about 30, 40 years," Ashworth explained. "And she went, 'Oh, that's like my grandmother.'"
"The ageism and the issues of that are clearly heard when you call, if you even get a response," Ashworth continued.
In a recent appearance on Charlotte Today, Chris McCarthy from Carolinas Counseling Group explained ageism is discrimination against those who are older.
"It usually starts at age 40 and up," he said. "And sadly, women are more affected by ageism than men are."
Those who suffer might experience shock and anger, followed by depression. It's something Ashworth admits is chipping away at her spirit, as well as her bank account.
"It just tears away, and it complicates the emotion of turning 65," she said.
Lori Crimmins, president of the recruiting company Talent Bridge Network, said hiring more mature applicants can have a payoff for employers.
"Not only their experience," she said. "But there's kind of a depth of wisdom that comes from just having had to have handled so many different types of situations over the years."
Ashworth said she's fine-tuning her resume and checking LinkedIn several times a day.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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