{"id":8507,"date":"2020-10-18T21:08:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T01:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=8507"},"modified":"2020-10-18T21:27:17","modified_gmt":"2020-10-19T01:27:17","slug":"tips-for-finding-a-job-when-youre-over-50","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=8507","title":{"rendered":"Tips For Finding A Job When You\u2019re Over 50"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Hey boomers, it\u2019s not your imagination. Finding a job in today\u2019s COVID economy is harder than ever, especially for \u201colder Americans,\u201d i.e. workers 55 and older.Let\u2019s start with the grim statistics (just to get them over with).<\/p>\n
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According to the \u201cOlder Workers Report<\/a>\u201d released Aug. 5 by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis Retirement Equity Lab (ReLab), nearly 3 million workers ages 55 to 70 \u2014 about 7% of workers in that age group \u2014 have left the labor force since mid-March, about 50% more than the 1.9 million older workers who left the labor force after the Great Recession began in late 2007. And unless the labor situation changes posthaste, the report expects an additional million \u201colder workers\u201d to be out of a job before the end of the year.<\/p>\n

The sobering prognosis? More than half of unemployed older workers are at risk of \u201cinvoluntary retirement\u201d due to the pandemic because they can\u2019t find a new job, according to the report, and that spells bad news for all of American society moving forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cA total of 4 million people potentially pushed into retirement before they are ready will increase old-age poverty and exacerbate the recession,\u201d the report said, concluding that \u201cCongress should increase and extend unemployment benefits for older workers, discourage withdrawals from 401(k)s and IRAs, lower Medicare eligibility to 50 and create a Federal Older Workers Bureau.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nice suggestions, but since Congress has been preoccupied lately with TikTok and deadlocks, maybe it\u2019s best for unemployed older workers to move to Plan B: Improve your chances of getting rehired.<\/p>\n

Author, speaker and personal finance expert\u00a0Kerry Hannon<\/a>\u00a0can\u2019t do much about congressional action, but she has plenty to say about how the older crowd can improve their chances in the job market.<\/p>\n

The author of \u201cGreat Jobs for Everyone 50+,<\/a>\u201d\u00a0\u201cNever Too Old To Get Rich,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and the soon-to-be-released \u201cGreat Pajama Jobs<\/a>,\u201d believes older workers (\u201cI like to say experienced\u201d) have taken a bigger hit in COVID-19 furloughs and layoffs in part because they usually have higher pay and beefier benefits than their younger counterparts, making them attractive targets for strapped companies looking to trim their costs.<\/p>\n

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\"Author,
Author, columnist and personal finance expert Kerry Hannon, has published 14 books including the bestselling \u201cGreat Jobs for Everyone 50+,\u201d \u201cNever Too Old to Get Rich: The Entrepreneur\u2019s Guide to Starting a Business Mid-Life\u201d and the soon-to-be-released \u201cGreat Pajama Jobs. Your Complete Guide to Working from Home.\u201d (Elizabeth Danitzke)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The good news? When the economy starts recovering, older workers might have an advantage with employers because they will require little or no training and can hit the ground running, especially since employers will likely be working with fewer staff, Hannon said.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it\u2019s also likely those experienced workers will be hired at a lower wage than their previous jobs, Hannon said, noting research by Richard Johnson at the Urban Institute, who wrote in his\u00a0May 14 blog Urban Wire<\/a>: \u201cAfter the Great Recession, workers ages 62 and older were about half as likely to become reemployed as their counterparts ages 25 to 34. And when unemployed older workers found a new job, they earned barely half as much as they did on their previous job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on Los Angeles Times<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

So what\u2019s an older worker to do?<\/p>\n

Plenty, Hannon said. Working remotely could be a boon for employees who want the focus on their work product rather than their looks, and in job interviews older workers can play up their demonstrated work ethic, time management skills and maturity.<\/p>\n

No question the challenges are greater for older workers who have lost a job. Employers may worry about their increased vulnerability to COVID-19 if they return to the office, their potential for higher healthcare costs, their ability to work with younger colleagues and whether their technology skills are up to date. But Hannon thinks those issues can be overcome with the right preparation. Here are her 11 tips for success:<\/p>\n

1. Consider your skillset<\/strong>
\nA layoff is a good time to consider whether you want to try something new, Hannon said. Look at your skills, make a list of your interests and strengths \u2014 ask friends and family for suggestions if you aren\u2019t sure \u2014 and then look at what jobs might fit the bill. \u201cSo often in this age group, people flat-line intellectually; they\u2019re not learning something new and get stuck in their ways,\u201d she said. \u201cThey want to replicate the old job and do what they were doing before, at the same basic salary, and that\u2019s a problem because they really need to think about how to take their past experience and transfer it to something new.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Self-evaluate and grow<\/strong>
\nDo not devolve into a panicked state, sending out the same stale resume to dozens of companies and despairing when no one responds. This is the time to beef up your skills, take a few classes and start volunteering with an organization you really care about, so when prospective employers ask what you\u2019ve been doing, you can show them you\u2019ve been busy honing your skills and saving the world.<\/p>\n

3. Get LinkedIn<\/strong>
\nEmployers are going to do a Google search on prospective hires, and their first and most important stop will likely be your LinkedIn profile. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a [profile], you\u2019ll look ridiculous,\u201d Hannon said. \u201cYou need to have a really sharp LinkedIn profile because it really shows who you are.\u201d LinkedIn lets you personalize your background and skills while mentioning your volunteer experiences and any new skills you\u2019ve added since you left your last job. Use a current photo and include videos, articles or presentations \u2014 anything that can help employers learn about you and your personality.<\/p>\n

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4. Customize your resume<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cYour resume is not your obituary; it\u2019s an advertisement,\u201d Hannon said. \u201cPut your skills at the top and stick to the last 10 years.\u201d Include a relatively recent CAR story. That stands for a situation that lays out \u201cyour challenge, your action and the result\u201d you achieved, ideally a challenge that addresses a problem your prospective employer might face. \u201cYou need to customize your resume for whatever jobs you apply for and be very shrewd,\u201d she said. \u201cYou need to pick a handful of employers where you really want to work, do all the research you can on the company and be very specific about using the words they use in the job description on your resume.\u201d Don\u2019t focus on achievements from 20 years ago. If you must include any truly stellar moments from years gone by, do it in a brief paragraph at the end.<\/p>\n

5. Start sleuthing<\/strong>
\nOnce you\u2019ve identified the companies where you\u2019d like to work, go on LinkedIn and other sites to find out everything you can about the job and the people who work there. Specifically, you are trying to find someone you know or someone who can make an introduction, because the reality is \u201cemployers hire who they know,\u201d Hannon said. \u201cI like to say, \u2018Networking\u2019 is just one letter away from \u2018not working.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Make a connection<\/strong>
\nDon\u2019t fret about appearing needy; now is the time to tell everybody you know that you\u2019re looking for work, because you never know who can help. One of Hannon\u2019s clients made dinner for his son and his son\u2019s friend, who asked him what he was doing these days. \u201cI\u2019m looking for a job,\u201d the dad said, and the friend replied, \u201cYou should talk to my mom.\u201d The mom didn\u2019t get him a job, but she did introduce him to his future boss. \u201cYou just never know when somebody can help you,\u201d Hannon said.<\/p>\n

7. Update but don\u2019t overdo<\/strong>
\n\u201cThere\u2019s no question that ageism is alive and well,\u201d Hannon said, \u201cand people do judge a book by its cover,\u201d so it makes sense to update your look with more stylish glasses and clothes but don\u2019t go overboard. If you make more drastic changes, like growing a beard, getting Botox or coloring your hair, be sure your LinkedIn photo matches the new you and never make big changes just before an interview; too many things can go wrong.<\/p>\n

8. Get physical<\/strong>
\nThe most important change you can make to your look is via exercise, Hannon said, even if it\u2019s just walking the dog for 20 minutes every day. When you\u2019re physically fit, it doesn\u2019t just improve your frame of mind, it gives you energy and a positivity that shines through in an interview. \u201cIt\u2019s subtle, but when you exercise, it does things to your attitude; it gives you a can-do spirit, where you want to be around that person. It\u2019s the best thing you can do to fight ageism. All that energy and positivity comes through even on a Zoom interview, because you just spark.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Know thy interviewer<\/strong>
\nOnce you get an interview, find out everything you can about your interviewer. Here\u2019s where LinkedIn can really help you again, because it lists personal interests as well as work backgrounds. These personal tidbits are particularly important today, when we can\u2019t meet in someone\u2019s office. Back then you could search around the room for clues \u2014 a photo of children or a beautiful dog. Mention you love dogs too and, boom, you\u2019ve made a connection. These \u201cice breakers\u201d need to be authentic, Hannon said, \u201cbut anything you can do to enrich information about yourself can help future employers see whether you would fit into the workplace culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

10. Be curious<\/strong>
\nAsk a lot of questions during an interview, Hannon said, and start with the phrase, \u201cSomething I\u2019m really curious about ….\u201d because curiosity is appealing. \u201cIt\u2019s the key to an active mind, and it goes a long way to fighting ageism,\u201d she said. \u201cIt shows you\u2019re looking forward and not stuck in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

11. Consider salary options<\/strong>
\nIt might be tough to get back to your old salary, but with a solid work history and skills, you can negotiate other options, such as flextime, extra vacation or the ability to work from home. Be open to new opportunities, Hannon said. \u201cWe get frozen in place and change is really scary, but this is a great time to redefine how we think about work. We need to make work a part of our lives, not our entire lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

By\u00a0<\/span>JEANETTE MARANTOS, <\/a>STAFF WRITER<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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