Willem Moerland: "Finding new work at my age could be difficult. But I did it."
“When I knew that I was going to lose my job due to a dismissal situation, I searched the internet for outplacement agencies. The website of Dynamisch Bureau stood out. I had an introductory meeting with five agencies and the interview at Dynamisch Bureau appealed to me the most.
My coach didn’t have an immediate opinion, listened carefully and didn’t come up with a detailed plan. I liked that. My own approach is ‘if it can’t be done the way it should be, it should be done the way it can be done’. A detailed process is too oppressive for me, so I liked this way of working.
I had never been fired before and I was like ‘what’s going on?’ You often hear that finding work at the age of 60 is difficult. Not very promising. But sitting at home for months didn’t seem like anything to me and I wanted to get to work as soon as possible. I now have a job in the hospital where I worked for 23 years and I am very satisfied with that.
I feel at home and I now work 4 days a week instead of 6 days like in my previous job. The salary is considerably lower, but more than enough to live very nicely.
In the process, I was able to stay in control and there was just enough pressure or brake when needed. I liked the fact that there was also room to discuss matters that were not directly related to finding work.
The recurring advice to be patient has helped me a lot. I gained the confidence that it would work out in the long run. In addition, I have benefited a lot from the help in creating a good CV and LinkedIn profile. My coach advised me to network, which I didn’t embrace on day one. But when I got serious about networking, I did have a job like that.
What tips do I have for others in a similar situation? First of all, try not to doubt yourself, stay critical and patient. In addition, start networking as soon as possible and find a good coach who can guide you and talk to you. I recommend you Dynamic Agency!
Finally, if you are out of work, try to enjoy the freedom and opportunities you have as much as possible. I have been working since I was 18 and had never been ‘off’ for 6 months before my dismissal. During my time as a job seeker, I did a lot of odd jobs, but also had more contact than usual with family and friends. That was definitely worth the effort and uncertainty!”