Best of DiversityInc.com
BY ZAYDA RIVERA
Tips for the 50-and-Older Job
Seeker: Staying Plugged In
Technological savvy is vital to
keeping with the times and
remaining an asset to your team and
organization. For those from the baby-boomer generation who have decided to
postpone retirement, whether because
of reductions in Social Security benefits or
other reasons, having an understanding
of the ways that technology is used in
business will confirm your value in a multi-generational team.
“AARP’s recent ‘Staying Ahead of the
Curve’ study shows that 70 percent of
boomers intend on working past traditional
retirement age,” says Debra Russell, director
of work-force issues for AARP. “So the more
that you demonstrate how ‘plugged in’ you
are to today’s methodology, particularly
from a technology standpoint, the higher likelihood
you will have of being successful, or at least not being
viewed as dated.”
There are approximately 36. 4 million
predominantly full-time U.S. workers between the
ages of 50 and 64 (one-quarter of the U.S. work force)
working today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, and with the number of boomers remaining
in the work force, this number is projected to continue
rising.
So in order to stay competitive and bring a
combination of your experience, expertise and
knowledge of how today’s work force runs, here are
some tips for the 50-and-older job seeker.
“If that’s the case, there may be requirements such as
training if you don’t have the skills for that particular
job. Take advantage of [the training] whether it’s short
term or long term.”
You can teach a ‘mature’ dog new tricks!
Who says life ends at 50? For many, this is the start
of a new beginning, and if you’re reentering the work
force at this stage in your life, don’t be afraid to look
for something new—maybe something you’ve never
even tried before.
“Oftentimes, we have found that in reentering
the work force, there’s an interest in perhaps doing
something different—something new,” Russell says.
Looking for a job is hard work, so have
the right tools
If you’ve worked for the same company for many years
and are just now beginning the search for something
new, you will quickly discover the hard work that goes
into finding a job. It’s almost as if it should be treated
as a job itself.
“Looking for a job is a job,” Russell says. “You need
to make sure that you create an environment that
allows you to really conduct your job search in the
most professional way, meaning do you have a desk, a
computer, access to the Internet [at home]? [This will
allow you] to do job searches online.”
You have the tools … now use them
In this generation of text messages, e-mail alerts
and networking web sites, it’s easy to get lost in
translation. This is true for younger people too. So it
is vital to demonstrate to a potential employer that
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