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| The Basics | Employment strategies for 50-somethings
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If you are over 50 and looking to jump into the job market for one reason or another, check out these 13 tips for getting back in the game.
By Bankrate.com
The job market can be rough for anyone, but it can be especially challenging for older Americans.
"Age discrimination is a very real phenomenon, especially in industries such as technology and media," says Janet Scarborough, Ph.D., founder of Bridgeway Career Development in Seattle.
During economic downturns when companies look to downsize, often they target older workers because they're usually the highest paid with the biggest benefit packages, says David Grinberg, a spokesperson for the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission in Washington, D.C.
More than 20% of the EEOC cases are related to age discrimination. But, "a lot of cases go unreported," Grinberg says. "People come to the EEOC as a last resort. Age discrimination is a significant problem."
Women in particular face more age discrimination in the job market, says Donald L. Davis, vice president of work force development for the National Council on the Aging, or NCOA.
What's an older job seeker to do?
Despite the age-related obstacles, persistence, a positive attitude and a little homework can go a long way toward landing a job.
If you are over 50 and looking to jump into the job market for one reason or another, check out these 13 tips for getting back in the game.
1. Take on temporary or consulting work
2. Volunteer
3. Think outside the box
4. Keep a positive attitude
5. Stay fit. Don't be artificial
6. Don't try to hide age-identifying information
7. Be flexible
8. Highlight your empty nest
9. Keep your skills up to date
10. Open your own business
11. Network network network
12. Seek out older-worker-friendly companies
13. Stay in touch with youth
1. Take on temporary or consulting work
Register with a temporary agency. You'll be able to generate some income and build your resume while you continue to hunt for a better job or even some project-based work.
With consulting or temporary work, the employer has an opportunity to "date before marrying" by hiring individuals who agree to complete a time-specific project.
"It is an easier sell to convince someone to hire you for three months to do a particular job than to convince the same person to hire you on a permanent basis," says Scarborough. If during that stint you make a good impression and yield top-notch results, your age variable fades into the background.
"Look for and talk to companies about project-based work," suggests Tamara Erickson, a director of The Concours Group, a management consulting and research firm in Kingman, Texas.
Companies that used to turn to temporary agencies when a worker was out on short-term disability or maternity leave now are turning to retired workers to fill the spots.
Or, if you've left a job or have been downsized, let the company know you are interested in part-time or short-term assignments, suggests Erickson, who says you may have an advantage because you know the company and the culture.
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2. Volunteer
Join the board of a professional organization or volunteer for a charitable endeavor where you'll work side-by-side with other professionals in the service of a good cause. You'll have the opportunity to build relationships with a wider network of people.
Hiring managers prefer to hire individuals they know, like and trust, says Scarborough. "The more positive experiences a hiring manager has with a prospective candidate, the less age matters," she says.
This means older job seekers should spend less time on strategies such as cold calling prospective employers and more time gaining experiences that allow hiring managers to evaluate their skills and value up close.
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3. Think outside the box
People are doing some very innovative things with compensation packages, says Erickson. For example, some people are working on a project or on a part-time basis for health-care benefits alone.
One older worker bargained for a year of health-care benefits in exchange for working three or four months without salary. He was able to take a spot at another company for the remainder of the year working for a salary without benefits -- making him an attractive hire.
"You have to be innovative in this work climate," says Erickson.
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4. Keep a positive attitude
Employers want to hire people with upbeat attitudes. If you're having a personal pity party, feeling like a victim or holding a grudge, you probably won't land the job.
Don't be turned off by ads that might have language that seems off-putting. For instance, an ad that asks for "high-energy people" is usually just a code word for "young," says Erickson. But don't be turned off by it. Go into the interview and demonstrate that you have high energy. Be upbeat.
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5. Stay fit. Don't be artificial
"Don't bother pretending to be younger than you are," advises David Carpe, a principal and founder of Clew, a human resources consulting firm in Boston.
"Forget about the botox injections, cosmetic surgery or other superficial stuff unless you are that person. You'll just come across as desperate."
It's more important to come across as a high-energy person than look younger.
At any age, if you come across as a low-energy person, it's over. You can be 23 years old and come across as low energy and not passionate and you won't get the job.
Staying fit is one of the best ways to impress hiring managers. Exercise, eat right and get enough sleep, says Carpe.
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6. Don't try to hide age-identifying information
"By omitting important information, you are sending up a red flag to a recruiter and asking for a problem, says Carpe. If you leave out the date you graduated from college, it looks like you never finished college. Without the date, it makes it impossible to verify that you did graduate. Recruiters can figure out from your job experience about how old you are anyway.
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7. Be flexible
"Be as flexible as possible with work schedules," says Davis. Even if you prefer to work a certain number of hours per week, initially you may have to accept something you don't want. Once inside the company you can prove your worth and negotiate a more acceptable schedule, he says.
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8. Highlight your empty nest
Generally speaking, the over-50 worker doesn't have day-care emergencies, children's doctor appointments or parent-teacher conferences to take them away from the workplace. And, the older worker may also be willing to travel. This can be a real asset to an employer. Offer to work those odd hours that younger workers with family responsibilities cannot.
The more mature worker is generally a more stable employee. Statistics show that the average length of employment of a 20-something is three years. Those first few years are a critical period where companies lose a lot of their young talent, says Erickson. If you hire a mid-50s worker, that worker is more likely to stay 10 years. Market these benefits aggressively, advises Erickson.
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9. Keep your skills up to date
Young or old, it is important to stay abreast of new trends and new technology.
"Recently I coached an older worker who admitted to me that before she began working with me she told a prospective employer, 'Computers scare me.' That wasn't smart. Be a lifelong learner whether you are a job seeker or not," advises Scarborough.
Go back to school. Check out courses at your local university, college or at community agencies to update your skills or learn something new.
If you're still employed, take advantage of any new training offered, suggests Davis. If it isn't offered, go into human resources and ask to be trained on that new computer. Staying current is like hedging your bets against future downsizing.
The National Council on the Aging offers training programs for older workers as well as job placement, says Davis.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program is the nation's oldest program that provides training and employment opportunities to low-income Americans over the age of 55.
The Senior Environmental Employment program's mission is to provide a unique opportunity for people 55 and older to work in a variety of environmental projects. The SEE program offers administrative and technical support positions nationwide.
For more information, log on to www.ncoa.org, the Web site for National Council on the Aging.
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10. Open your own business
Self-employment is an excellent option for older Americans, says Scarborough. "Prospective clients and customers care more about what value you can provide to them than they do about your age. While some employers may consider too much experience to be a liability, that same experience is an asset when you are running your own show."
Service Core of Retired Executives is a good resource for assistance, and it's free. It is a not-for-profit association in which working and retired executives donate their time and expertise to mentor new entrepreneurs.
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11. Network, network, network
Don't limit your job search to the local newspaper want ads. Check the Internet. There are hundreds of Web sites specifically geared toward job hunting. Take a look at monster.com and craigslist.com.
Practically every industry has a Web site for jobs. Interested in journalism? Try mediabistro.com or journalism.com. Want a job in finance? Check out Careerbank.com.
Go to a job fair in your town. There's a listing of countrywide job fairs at employmentguide.com.
Break out your Rolodex and call every contact you have and let them know you are in the job market.
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12. Seek out older-worker-friendly companies
AARP launched a new Web site to match mature job seekers 50 and older with employers who are interested in hiring them. Among the national companies partnered with AARP are Home Depot, AlliedBarton Security Services, The Borders Group, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Met Life Inc. and Pitney Bowes Inc. New companies are being added to the list all the time.
CVS, a large drug-store chain, is an example of an older-worker-friendly company, says Erickson. "The CVS statistics on customer satisfaction in stores that have hired older workers is phenomenal. Customers love being waited on by courteous, responsible, older workers. This is very powerful information for them," she says.
You can also find job search assistance and resources geared for the 50-plus worker at the career area at www.aarp.org.
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13. Stay in touch with youth
"I always recommend that older job seekers spend some time with younger persons in settings that have nothing to do with work, just to stay fresh and to retain the ability to interact well with a wide range of people," says Scarborough.
The good news is there is reason to be optimistic about the future for older workers, say the experts. The baby-boom generation is one of the most active in history. They marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam War. They pressed for day care and flexible work schedules, and they will press for employment rights as well, say the experts. They are healthier, more active and are living longer.
"Failure to include mature workers in the work force is something this age group is not going to accept," says Davis. "There is a rising tide of mature adults who are going to be fighting for their employment rights similar to the way they fought for civil rights in the 60s."
There's another factor to consider -- the sheer numbers of baby boomers.
As boomers reach 65, corporations will begin to face critical shortages of workers with skills, experience and "market-place know-how," says Erickson.
"There just aren't enough people to replace them," she says.
Making it more attractive for mature employees to continue working, full time, part time or on a project-by-project basis, will be a win-win situation for everyone.
By Ellen, Goodstein, Bankrate.com
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