When Masao Suzuki heard his company was offering an early retirement program that paid out 2.5 times the regular amount, he figured it was time to move on. But first he has to find a new job.

And at 54, the certified electrical engineer is facing a whole world of difficulty.

Suzuki, not his real name, works for a well-known electronics maker. He hopes to find a new job before his employer's generous retirement offer expires in March.