[ollymo]

I've worked at the same state facility for 36 years. I have worked in 4 different departments in those 36 years, the current department the longest at 20 years. Recently, there has been change in management and I'm not happy in this job anymore, I find it not challenging enough and I find it difficult to take direction from someone 20 years younger than myself, who is not in the same field (it's like apples/oranges). So, I have applied to over 30 positions at this facility, all of which are in the "administrative/clerical" field that I have been in for the past 36 years. Now remember, it has been 21 years since I applied for a job... but never, ever had a hard time getting a job here. Now I have been rejected for probably 20 of those positions. The reason I get is simply "you were not chosen to interview". I felt like I am being discriminated against because of my age (55). I know that is supposedly illegal, but I can bet they look at my application, see when I graduated from college and think "she's an old bird, we don't want her". Then I got a call asking me if I wanted to interview even though they couldn't offer me what I was currently making. So now I'm thinking they look at my salary and think... "whoa, we'll hire someone off the street at start her at minimum wage". Could that be happening? Is that legal? Yes, I probably make a lot more than those starting, but I've worked hard for all these years. I know times are tight too, and employers wants something for nothing, but how does one survive in this economy without getting a raise in pay for the last 6-7 years? Anyway, I'm bummed because, as I stated, I never, ever had trouble getting a job in the past.