Boomers, seniors and retirees are returning to the workplace in droves. Many believe that they are up against insurmountable barriers like unemployment figures, age discrimination and technological deficiencies (shortcomings). They perceive resistance among employers regarding over-qualification and earnings demands.

They sense that the younger public has accepted as truth various misconceptions about older workers. Despite these perceptions, research from agencies such as the Department of Labor, the American Council of Life Insurance and Andrus Gerontology Center is indicating that workers that are 50+ possess work ethics that are highly desirable to employers.



What, then, can boomers, seniors and retirees do to increase their success at landing a job?

1. Do your homework. Learn the latest in technology skills. Take adult education or online classes to give the impression that you are in sync with the rapidly changing technological advances. And read Michelle Goodman’s Seven Mistakes Job Hunters Older Than 50 Make

2. Study AARP’s excellent articles beginning with Job Tips for 50+ Workers

3. Write a clean, well-constructed, convincing resume

• Using correct terminology (search job descriptions for assistance).

• Indicating all your skills and expertise pertinent only to the position you are applying for.

• Eliminating “References available upon request” from the resume. The employer makes this assumption.

• Emphasizing experience, skills, talents and expertise.

• De-emphasizing dates.

• Ensuring that there are no spelling, grammatical or typographical errors.

• Mailing or sending your resume early to the head of the human resource department.

4. Prepare for your job interview

• Your interviewer will probably be younger than you are. Treat him or her with respect.

• Practice your interview with a younger person.

• Dress and groom yourself appropriately.

• Be ready to explain why you’re applying for a job below your level of expertise.

• Research the company you are applying to.

• Follow up your interview with a thank you note.

5. Make use of tools that search specifically for companies that are committed to hiring older workers like:

SeniorJobBank -http://www.seniorjobbank.org/

Workforce50 -http://www.workforce50.com/

RetirementJobs -http://www.retirementjobs.com/index.html

RetiredBrains -http://www.retiredbrains.com/

Seniors4Hire - http://seniors4hire.org/

Jobs4.0 -http://www.jobs4point0.com/

6. Locate companies which are agreeable to hiring older workers by considering AARP’s 2008 lists of the best Employers for workers over 50 in the United States and internationally

7. Take advantage of government training and employment opportunities at:

a. The Senior Community Service Employment Program- SCSEP trains and places qualifying seniors.

b. Senior Environomental Employment Program- As part of the United Environmental Protection Agency, (SEE) hires seniors for temporary, part-time, and full-time positions to help EPA improve the environment.

c.CareerOneStop- Sponsored by the Department of Labor this site assists job seekers by giving help with personal assessment, career options, education and training leads, resumes, interviews, networking and job availability.

8. Don’t forget the nonprofit sector for job opportunities:

a. Action Without Borders runs a website which matches volunteers and paid individuals with over 57,000 nonprofit organizations that are interested in improving their communities. “AWB is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed.”

b. Older volunteers find that Peace Corps is a wonderful way to “give back” to the world while gaining valuable benefits for themselves.

9. Use your old job and turn it into a new career, such as substitute teaching or tutoring.

10. Turn your hobby into dollars: If you’re handy around your own house, why not get paid for it by assisting others?

If you are over 55 years old and have concerns about age discrimination in the interview, you are not alone.  Research by AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons (http://www.aarp.org) shows that discrimination against older people in the workplace is pervasive.  Although there are laws that protect jobseekers and employees from age discrimination, it is possible that a recruiter’s perception of your age might be used against you during a job search.   

Many say age discrimination is very subtle and more difficult to prove since most people genuinely think that the normal process in the workplace is for younger workers to replace older ones.  Although this may have been the generally accepted practice in the past, today’s workforce has multiple generations coexisting in the workplace at the same time.

Despite that reality, an AARP survey of public perceptions revealed that nearly 40 percent of the respondents feel that older workers aren’t as effective as younger workers. Almost half of the respondents also believed that the majority of older people cannot adapt to change. 

Despite these perceptions, mature professionals considering career reentry should know that a recent Go60 (www.go60.com) report shows that more than 16 million Americans over 55 are either working or seeking work.   The following additional information from that report should reassure career reentry professionals that opportunities are available.   

1. Older workers are getting new jobs at an annual rate of 4.1 percent. This is more than double the .8 percent rate in the general population.

2. Older Americans make up 10% of the workforce, but account for 22% of America’s job growth.

3. By 2015, the number of employees over 55 will reach a record 31.9 million, compared to 18.4 million in 2000.

4. Extensive research has found no relationship between age and job performance.



As you apply for jobs consider what employers might be thinking.

The reality is, employers may be thinking that experienced or older candidates come at greater expense due to higher salaries, pensions, training and healthcare benefit costs.

As you strategize for your job search, your goal is to consider seriously what you want employers to think about you.  Your goal? To get the company to see that they can’t afford to NOT hire you despite any perceived downside.

Think about the following as you write your resume and prepare for your interview:

1. Stay cheerful and high energy for all phone or in-person in the interview

2. Speak to the benefits of experience, professional maturity and expertise you bring

3. Keep your resume content current and stick to relevant information

4. Speak to the long term value you can bring to the company

5. Tell stories about outstanding outcomes in prior assignments

6. Consider using a functional resume

7. Use a cover letter to focus on relevant, recent experiences

8. Speak to your ability to collaborate and work with everyone from Boomers to Millennials.

A word of caution as you proceed - before you conclude that you are not succeeding in the job search because of age discrimination, consider if you are guilty of sabotaging your own job search in any of the following ways.    

-Did you share an unwillingness to relocate or commute

-Unwillingness to gain current knowledge and skills

-Unprepared for the interview

-Inadequate company research to be impressive

-Not really clear about long term commitment

-Salary expectations beyond market value

Companies seeking the best candidates for the job will look beyond age. If they succumb to personal biases, that is their loss.  Know that you would not want to work there anyway.