Using the Wisdom of the Crowd - Finding A Job in Retirement

written by: Mark Miller

Finding a job is challenging for anyone in tough economic times but it’s harder if you’re over age 50 and searching for jobs for retirees. It’s illegal for employers to discriminate based on age, but any older job-seeker will tell you it happens every day.

That reality is colliding with the intent of baby boomers, most of whom hope—and need—to keep working past traditional retirement age. So, what are the best strategies for landing a job when you’re over 50?

I posed that question via an informal survey of hundreds of business people who’ve been on both sides of the hiring desk—employers and job seekers. I did it by querying my network on LinkedIn, the online social network for business people. In just a few hours, I received nearly three dozen passionate, thoughtful responses. Clearly, this is a hot-button issue in the business world.

But my respondents weren’t complaining about age discrimination. That’s accepted as a fact of life. Instead, they were pushing 50-plus job seekers to adopt smart strategies for selling themselves, networking aggressively, and generally cleaning up their act when it comes to interviewing.

Summarizing the wisdom of the crowd: You can get this done—and here’s how:

It’s not all about you. “The most important thing in getting a job after 50 is to understand why anyone would hire you,” says Scott Kane, managing director of Gray Hair Management, a career network and coaching organization for senior-level job seekers. “There’s one common reason people get hired—when the hiring manager sees the candidate as the solution to their problem.”

Kane and others say older job seekers looking for jobs for retirees too often want to talk about themselves in job interviews—narrating their resumes in too much detail, and even showing off the battle scars inflicted by unjust employers of the past.

Leave the history and attitude at the door. Instead, go into interviews prepared to listen and understand your prospective employers current situation and issues. Research the company thoroughly in advance. You’re there to find a way to match up the employer’s problems with specific areas of your experience that make you the obvious solution.

“Don’t whine about your last company, your financial situation, your health or your children,” says J.P. Stein, a career coach and human resources consultant. “The employer really doesn’t care. They are interested in earning more revenue, not in providing you with counseling.”

Technology really matters. Most baby boomers are comfortable with basic business technology—computers, the web, e-mail and mobile technology. Still, Luddites lurk in the applicant pool who want to get by on ignorance for the remainder of their working lives.

“You need to know how to use the basic programs on a computer and have an e-mail address that sounds business-like,” says Tim Driver, CEO of Retirementjobs.com.

Adds Susan Ayers Walker, who writes about technology for AARP.org: “Know how to apply the latest technology to your prospective job. If you are applying for a sales job, know about mobile technology like smart phones and Web 2.0 applications, and how to find hotspots for your laptop. If you are applying for a marketing position, then know how to use (Microsoft) Powerpoint, Excel and Publisher and know how to start and/or post to a blog.”

Make the cultural connection. Show younger hiring managers that you’re not stuck in the past. “Be brutally honest with yourself,” says executive recruiter Jim Stranberg. “Understand how you are perceived by others—the way you look, the words you use, the attitudes you hold. Clean up your act before you enter the market.”

Network creatively. If you haven’t joined LinkedIn, do so immediately. It’s free, and with a little investment of time you’ll build a useful professional network that can help with your next professional move and build your knowledge. A LinkedIn profile also is a great way to show potential employers that you’re up to speed on the web and social networking.

Rick Lopatin, a finance executive who was merged out of a job earlier this year, is a fan of LinkedIn but also focuses on non-virtual networking. He tries to attend as many industry and professional meetings and conferences as possible. He’s also tapped into some less traditional networks. “I have attended my 8th grade reunion—a great resource for network expansion!”

How to Find A Job Fast Even if Retired

There are times when it's not a matter of finding the best job, but finding a job period, and finding it fast. Those types of times are upon us, and using the usual means of sending your cover letter and resume out don't work if you need something quickly. So here are some tips on what you can do when you need to land a job like yesterday.

The first secret to finding a job quickly is to understand that starting at the beginning doesn't work, we need to tap into already existing circumstances in order to do it quickly.

One way that works is to look at the networks you already have; whether professional or personal. Many times these networks aren't really tapped that often or even thought of as networks because they may be people you just hang out with in general, or professional ties you've connected with before you retired.

But when it comes to finding a job quickly, forget about anything but letting people know you're looking for a job and that you're willing to work at just about anything to get it.

Remember, you're trying to get a job in a very difficult market. That requires lowering expectations in order to survive until things turn around. When you are looking for jobs for retirees don't look for jobs that generally older people have. In the tough job market we are in today, people of all ages are fighting for the same jobs.

The key point it to identify networks you already have and don't assume they don't have any value in job hunting. Anyone has the potential to know about a job available somewhere. Just start asking and you'll be surprised at how many opportunities start to turn up.

If you're too fussy at a time like this, then in reality, you're really not trying to get hired quickly, you're acting like we're in a normal hiring environment, which we're not. So you must be flexible in this type of economic situation, and if you're not, you're going to end up having to be one way or the other. Better to do it right away than be brought to the place of having absolutely no option but to take the first thing that comes your way.

How about your neighbors

If you have had some contact with neighbors, they can make an excellent source of information for possible job openings. They also talk to one another a lot, so if you ask one about it, they can spread the word around the neighborhood and you're sure to get a hit quickly.

Local pals

We tend to put our net way too far at times we're looking for jobs, and if we have the time to do that, it works great, but when we need a job quick, local is probably the best place to spread the word.

So any of your friends can be sources for job opportunities, and don't fail to let them know you're looking. Almost all of this is about communication, and the more you communicate locally, the better chances at getting a job quick.

Organizational Ties

Most of us belong to some type of organization or another; whether church or what have you, and there are a lot of people you can let know that you are job hunting, and that can very quickly generate legitimate job possibilities in a hurry. Just get the word of mouth going and get out of the way.

Former managers or supervisors

Assuming you're on good terms with former bosses, they are a great source for job openings; not only for where they work, but they are always in contact with other businesses and managers that are looking for people. You never know, if you left on good terms with them, they offer you a job then and there.

This one almost always works

I've had to apply this strategy to my job searches in the past when I was getting desperate, and that's to go to a local mall and start applying.

Many times you don't have to go store to store, but can find an answer desk where any store in the mall that is looking for workers has that information available.

While that's what I would try first, I would still try individual stores if there's not much there, as many stores don't immediately post job opportunities, and so you could walk into one without any competition to battle for the job. This can be one of the fastest ways to get a job if you are getting right down to it.

Online job searches

You would have thought I would have listed this first, but with needing a job quickly, the Internet, in many cases, is much slower to respond, and you may have to go through many hoops to get something.

So because the parameters we're talking about is securing a job quickly, we can't rely on the Internet for that.

Now having said that, I would still put out my application, but I would it in conjunction with my local networks and searches. If you don't you'll find yourself getting deeper in financial trouble waiting for an online opening or response, which probably is the most competitive and time consuming out there.

Follow these numerous strategies and you should be able to get a job for retired quickly and start bringing in some much needed income.

(Source: Ellen Stevens)

What Are the Best Jobs For Seniors and Boomers?

If you are looking for work relax. Yes you can actually make money month after month on the internet and there are thousands of business that will pay you to do it. You can start as small time as you want and build you business or you can do all the work yourself. Best of all you can work the hours you want and live the live you want. There are many jobs for retirees out there, you just need to know where to look!

Here is what you do:

1) Figure what you like to do. What are your interests, what hobbies do you have. If you are a professional it is easy you can market your own services. If you are not and just want to make money there are thousands of companies that will pay you to market for them.

2) Find a Hungry Market - Do some research - Got to Freewords Wordtracker dot com and see which of your niches actually have people looking for them.

3) Go out to one of the online market places and find a product that you want to promote. These Electronic Market places are great for beginners as they collect the money and mail you a check. No need for you to get a merchant account and worry about charge backs and returns, fulfilling the product or customer service.

4) Once you have found a hungry market and picked a product simply Market your product through the free online services to market. YouTube.com, WebWire.com (Press Releases), Fax out press releases to local and national media, Start a Blog, Write Articles.

5) In all of your promotion give out the website of the product you are advertising.

6) Check you online accounts to see what your sales are each day.

7) Go to the mail box and collect your checks!

It really is that easy and once you find the market you want to promote you can outsource the rest of the marketing to online services. You could not turn it off if you wanted to and you will make money month after month year after year.

(Source: Donald Griffith)

More articles about Senior Jobs | Home