Employment Tips for the Older Worker
By Carol Gee
Are you 50 years of age or older, and finding yourself out of work? In February 2009, the unemployment rate for adults aged 55 and older was 5.6 percent; the highest since April 1983. In fact, 1.6 million people in that age bracket were jobless: nearly double the number in 2007.
According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., twenty-four percent of men age 55-plus drop out of the labor market after a layoff, while 34% of women in the same age bracket do. Thanks to wise investing, social security, pensions, and other financial resources, older workers who found themselves laid off after years of working might have simply retired. However, with today’s retirement accounts rapidly losing value, retirement for many people is no longer an option any time soon.
So how does one go about finding a job, maybe for the first time after working in the same field or same industry for say, twenty/thirty years or more? The answer, according to many employment counselors is through extensive networking, as jobs at the senior levels are the least likely to be advertised. They also recommend that individuals contact people in their industry, as well as reach out to sororities, fraternities, churches, and other organizations.
As a baby boomer, I realized that finding a position when I was laid off four years ago would be more challenging than when I first entered the job market many years ago. So, I began by telling everyone I knew that I was looking for a position. Fortunately, a colleague with whom I had served on several university committees immediately thought of me when the position that I currently hold became available. She even sent me the internal job description which was more detailed than the one posted.
Learning that the position required extensive writing, I gathered several writing samples to complement my resume for the interview. Armed with eleven years as a former university employee under my belt, a graduate degree in the specified discipline, and other skills, I felt confident that I could hold my own with who I suspected would be much younger applicants. That people say that I look younger than my actual age didn’t hurt. Neither did my outgoing personality.
Other ways to jump-start an individual’s job search include researching where senior level positions exist. Websites like AARP’s profile those industries that specialize in hiring older workers. The CVS drugstore chain, I am told, is another example of a corporation that embraces older workers. This appears to be true at the stores where I shop.
Utilize any government retraining, veteran’s preferences, and any other benefits to which you may be entitled. Update your computer skills. Labor departments offer free computer classes as part of their services. Be sure to mention these computer skills and any other skills that you have when networking. Keep in mind the more flexible you are, the better your options.
Finding ways to survive while seeking full time employment goes a long way to boosting your finances, and your self-esteem. For example, individuals with graduate degrees or other specialized training are often hired as adjunct faculties at many two-year colleges and even some four-year colleges. Teaching continuing education classes in your field of expertise or on a favorite hobby can boost your income. Consulting is another way to utilize specialized knowledge.
A position with a nonprofit may offer attractive options for the older worker. Job sharing or a flexible schedule may appeal to many people, as well as allow them opportunities to do other things. Who knows, they may discover a new calling. If job seekers can type well, prepare spread sheets or design websites, perhaps contract work that they can do from their home may also be an option. This could be the start of a new business, or an opportunity to make extra money upon finding employment.
Loosing one’s job can be emotionally debilitating, thus it’s important for individuals to take care of themselves. Equally important is remaining confident about their skills, their knowledge, and their own value. Try looking at a job loss as a rare opportunity to reinvent one’s self. I did.
About the Author: Carol Gee, M.A. has worked in education for 26 years in positions ranging from teaching to administration. Currently she is an editor and business writer at Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She is also the author of books, The Venus Chronicles and Diary of a ‘Flygirl’ Wannabe (Life Lessons of a Cool Girl in Training,) and a contributor to the baby boomer book, Age Smart-Discovering the Fountain of Youth at Midlife and Beyond. Carol is a recipient of the Center for Women’s 2009 Unsung Heroine Award for recognition of her dedication to issues that affect women at Emory or in the larger community.
www.venuschronicles.net
venuschronicles@aol.com
Are you 50 years of age or older, and finding yourself out of work? In February 2009, the unemployment rate for adults aged 55 and older was 5.6 percent; the highest since April 1983. In fact, 1.6 million people in that age bracket were jobless: nearly double the number in 2007.
According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., twenty-four percent of men age 55-plus drop out of the labor market after a layoff, while 34% of women in the same age bracket do. Thanks to wise investing, social security, pensions, and other financial resources, older workers who found themselves laid off after years of working might have simply retired. However, with today’s retirement accounts rapidly losing value, retirement for many people is no longer an option any time soon.
So how does one go about finding a job, maybe for the first time after working in the same field or same industry for say, twenty/thirty years or more? The answer, according to many employment counselors is through extensive networking, as jobs at the senior levels are the least likely to be advertised. They also recommend that individuals contact people in their industry, as well as reach out to sororities, fraternities, churches, and other organizations.
As a baby boomer, I realized that finding a position when I was laid off four years ago would be more challenging than when I first entered the job market many years ago. So, I began by telling everyone I knew that I was looking for a position. Fortunately, a colleague with whom I had served on several university committees immediately thought of me when the position that I currently hold became available. She even sent me the internal job description which was more detailed than the one posted.
Learning that the position required extensive writing, I gathered several writing samples to complement my resume for the interview. Armed with eleven years as a former university employee under my belt, a graduate degree in the specified discipline, and other skills, I felt confident that I could hold my own with who I suspected would be much younger applicants. That people say that I look younger than my actual age didn’t hurt. Neither did my outgoing personality.
Other ways to jump-start an individual’s job search include researching where senior level positions exist. Websites like AARP’s profile those industries that specialize in hiring older workers. The CVS drugstore chain, I am told, is another example of a corporation that embraces older workers. This appears to be true at the stores where I shop.
Utilize any government retraining, veteran’s preferences, and any other benefits to which you may be entitled. Update your computer skills. Labor departments offer free computer classes as part of their services. Be sure to mention these computer skills and any other skills that you have when networking. Keep in mind the more flexible you are, the better your options.
Finding ways to survive while seeking full time employment goes a long way to boosting your finances, and your self-esteem. For example, individuals with graduate degrees or other specialized training are often hired as adjunct faculties at many two-year colleges and even some four-year colleges. Teaching continuing education classes in your field of expertise or on a favorite hobby can boost your income. Consulting is another way to utilize specialized knowledge.
A position with a nonprofit may offer attractive options for the older worker. Job sharing or a flexible schedule may appeal to many people, as well as allow them opportunities to do other things. Who knows, they may discover a new calling. If job seekers can type well, prepare spread sheets or design websites, perhaps contract work that they can do from their home may also be an option. This could be the start of a new business, or an opportunity to make extra money upon finding employment.
Loosing one’s job can be emotionally debilitating, thus it’s important for individuals to take care of themselves. Equally important is remaining confident about their skills, their knowledge, and their own value. Try looking at a job loss as a rare opportunity to reinvent one’s self. I did.
About the Author: Carol Gee, M.A. has worked in education for 26 years in positions ranging from teaching to administration. Currently she is an editor and business writer at Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She is also the author of books, The Venus Chronicles and Diary of a ‘Flygirl’ Wannabe (Life Lessons of a Cool Girl in Training,) and a contributor to the baby boomer book, Age Smart-Discovering the Fountain of Youth at Midlife and Beyond. Carol is a recipient of the Center for Women’s 2009 Unsung Heroine Award for recognition of her dedication to issues that affect women at Emory or in the larger community.
www.venuschronicles.net
venuschronicles@aol.com
