Overcoming Barriers to Employment
By: Howard Basse, Kay Reitz Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2003-03-04 07:45:23
Overcoming Barriers to Employment
In this article: Age Discrimination | Seniors & Technology | Organizing Your Job Search | Interviewing
Age Discrimination
By Howard Basse
AARP SCSEP Project Director, Jacksonville, FL
Let's face it age discrimination exists.
Be prepared for it.
What does one do? How does one overcome the age thing, the gender thing, and the race thing?
First let's make a couple of assumptions:
- You really want to work.
- You are able to work.
If you have the desire (want) and have the ability (able) it's time for an evaluation of your attitude. Are you prepared to sell yourself? Do you have a ready smile? Can you crank up your enthusiasm? Attitude can be improved upon, enthusiasm can be developed. You have to work at it.
Never stop selling yourself, be yourself, be sincere, put your best foot forward.
Time for one more assumption, your attitude is good. Now what to do? What do you want to do? What will you do? Set yourself a realistic objective. During your earlier years perhaps you were a teacher - now you may have to be an aide or light duty clerk. You were in construction — now you might have to become a driver or a custodian. You were a RN - now become a sitter. Will you adjust? It's up to you. Will you work in fast food, will you bag groceries or be a greeter?
When you have targeted a prospective employer, whatever the position, prepare to sell yourself and remember the basics.
If a resume is expected, make yours letter perfect; if an application is your first document, make yours letter perfect. Errors, misspellings or poor grammar is a sure way to miss the first cut. If you can't get it right when you're trying to look your best, you'll never get it right if you get the job. Have important documents with you — driver's license, Social Security card.
If you can't learn new tricks, you will not last long. Were you a cracker-jack typist just a few years ago? Better understand computers now. Do your homework. Learn all you can about the company you're trying to sell yourself to. If you have good information about the company you will have a head start over other applicants. Be a good communicator. The pros make it look easy — not because it is, but because they practice. Before you go to the interview, practice. If you want the job bad enough let them know it. Be flexible. Want full time? Accept part time (I started at nine hours a week, worked up to full time within a year).
Let's talk about resumes. Customize your resume to fit the employer, tell the employer what you can do for them, never what you have done for another employer twenty years ago. Need help with your resume? Check out your local library or our website for information on writing a winning resume. (click here).
And remember, if you are unemployed no job is demeaning. If you are a custodian, be the best-darned custodian your company has ever had. If you're a greeter, be the friendliest, display the best smile of any greeter ever. Be determined to be the best at what you are doing. Demonstrate flexibility. Be a little early and stay a little late. Do it all with a smile. Be it ever so humble it's a lot easier to get a better job when you've got a job.
Never stop selling yourself, be yourself, be sincere, put your best foot forward.
Seniors & Technology
By Howard Basse
AARP SCSEP Project Director, Jacksonville, FL
Ann, 58 years old, had years of accounting experience from years past. She had spent the last six years caring for her disabled husband and her son. Veteran's checks and Social Security checks were no longer providing enough income to pay bills. Ann interviewed with several companies, but like many older workers, she fell short in one critical area-she had no computer skills. She couldn't find a job.
Sue, 62, recently widowed, had worked with a local law firm for 13 years as a secretary. Sue had great typing skills (80 WPM). Her husband became ill 8 years ago. Sue resigned from the law firm to care for him. Now ready to go back to work, Sue discovered that no offices have typewriters any longer. Yes, again, no computer skills. She too couldn't find a job.
Accounting, secretarial, and general clerical all require computer skills. As far as technology is concerned, it's difficult to get a very light receptionist job without data entry ability. Technology is here. If you want to work, you've got to accept it.
Don't think you can't master the computer. If you have typing experience it's a big help. The keyboard is the same. Master the mouse with solitaire and get started. Where do you go for training? Many AARP SCSEP sites have training opportunities and guide you to the class best for you, if you qualify for the program.
You don't know how to type? Every computer instructor can guide you to basic typing instructions on the computer.
Get started, and stick with it. If you can get in a class with other seniors go for it. Senior classes are easier to adapt to.
Even if you don't want to go back to work, develop computer skills for the joy of the Internet. It's wonderful!
Organizing Your Job Search
By Kay Reitz
SCSEP Project Director, St. Petersburg, FL
Looking for a job is a job in itself. It requires focus, dedication, attention to detail, and above all it requires organization. A scattered approach to your job search will result in nothing but frustration and probably not too much success. So how does one go about this job of getting a job?
The first thing you need to do is set up a base of operation. If you have a home office or a den, someplace where you can work undisturbed, it will be to your advantage. It should be a comfortable space, quiet and free from distractions. A computer is a plus, as applying "online" is becoming more and more popular, and there are many Web sites where you can post your resume.
Your day's activities should have been planned the day before—set aside an adequate amount of time to search job leads on the computer, review the want ads in the morning paper, or call job lines before going out to personally apply for positions or to keep interview appointments.
The first, and most obvious step in organizing your job search is to decide exactly what type of job you are looking for and for which you possess the necessary qualifications. As strange as this may sound, some folks are just "looking for a job" and don't focus on the type of position for which they are best suited or that will give them personal satisfaction. This scattered approach leads to a lot of wasted time and effort. So make certain that you have a clear idea of what you are looking for.
What are some of the tools that will help you get your job search organized?
- You will need a calendar (either electronic, or the old-fashioned kind) to assure that you don't forget any important dates and times. Make certain you review your calendar each night so that you will have an idea of what is in store for you the coming day. This will enable you to " get prepared " as far as planning what you will wear, what time you need to leave your home to arrive on time at your appointments.
- You will need a well-prepared resume, free from typographical and grammatical errors, printed on good quality white or beige paper. (Even though there will be many occasions when you can fax or e-mail your resume, there will also be an equal amount of times when your resume will be mailed or delivered in person, so it must look professional.)
- You will need a 3 x 5 file box and cards (or, again, a simple data base can be set up for this purpose if you have a computer) to keep track of the companies where you have applied. These cards (or data base) should contain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of each prospective employer that you have contacted, as well as the names of the individuals from that company and their position title. Keep track of your activities with the particular companies-dates you applied, submitted your resume, had a personal interview, phone calls, the results of your activity, and any follow-ups required. (Make certain you enter any required follow-ups on your calendar.) Don't forget to write a Thank You note immediately following any personal interviews.
- At the end of the day, bring your calendar up-to-date for the next day's activities. Update your file cards or your database. Make copious notes. At the time of an interview or a phone conversation, you think you will remember what happened, but trust me, after talking with numerous prospective employers in the course of the day, you will soon get confused.
- When it becomes apparent that a prospective employer is no longer a viable option, remove that company's information from your " active " files but keep them in an " inactive " status. Don't burn any bridges.
- Remember that persistence pays. If you have found a job lead that particularly interests you, be persistent. Don't make a pest of yourself, but every 10 days or so, follow-up with a phone call, or a quick personal visit to say, " Just checking in to let you know that I'm still really hoping to become a part of your organization. "
Finally, the most important thing to remember in searching for a job is to not get discouraged. Sometimes it's difficult to keep up your enthusiasm and positive attitude when you keep getting turned down. Just remember: You may hear a lot of "No's before you finally hear that "Yes." So stay organized, focused, persistent and POSITIVE. It will happen for you.
Interviewing
By Kay Reitz
SCSEP Project Director, St. Petersburg, FL
"Interview!" The very sound of the word is enough to strike terror in the hearts of the mightiest of men and women.
Does an impending interview unnerve you? If so, is it the fear of the unknown? Interviewers are "just folks" like you and me, and so during the interview process we will be subject to their own personalities, eccentricities, and pet peeves. Some interviewers will throw in an "off the wall" question to every applicant just to see how they react to the unexpected - unusual questions such as "If you were a tree what kind would you be?"
Having said all that, the best way you can feel comfortable and fairly relaxed during an interview is to be as prepared as possible. You have read and heard this hundreds of times, but the fact remains it is the one constant of this process. You need to do your homework. What are some of the things you can do to be prepared? Make certain you have the following information:
- The date and time of the interview. If we are nervous, we may not remember, ( was the time set for 10:30 or 11:30?) so don't rely on your memory — WRITE IT DOWN!
- Write down the exact name of the company, the address and phone number, the name and position of the person who will be interviewing you, and driving directions. (Yes, it is a good idea to take a " dry run " if you are unsure of the location).
Know the basic information about the job for which you are interviewing. Have a clear understanding of:
- The job description
- Skills required to do the job. (Don't set yourself up for failure. If you don't have the required skills, you shouldn't be interviewing for the position.)
- The right attitude required for the job. (Is it a customer service position, and you like your cat better than you like most people?)
- What results does the employer expect of you in the position? (Make certain you discuss their expectations and that the two of you are on the same page.)
Be well informed about your prospective employer: The interviewer may ask you what you know about their organization.
- What are their products and services?
- How long have they been in business?
- How big is the company? How many employees do they have?
- Who are their competitors?
(You can subtly work this information into your responses at an appropriate time, and the employer will be very impressed by your knowledge.)
Be prepared to answer those "tough questions." There are literally hundreds of publications available at the library, your local book store, etc. that will give you lists of potential tough questions, as well as some suggested responses to those questions. The best way to feel confident that you are fully prepared is to practice, practice, practice! If there is no other person available for you to practice with, answer the questions in front of the mirror until you feel totally at ease with your responses. And while you may not know the exact questions that will be asked, it's better to be safe than sorry. You cannot over-prepare for an interview.
So remember the basics: Show up on time (not too early and certainly not late), dress meticulously and properly, mind your manners, be quietly enthusiastic and confident. Answer the questions thoroughly, but don't talk the interviewer to death.
As Robert Calvert, Jr. of Garrett Park Press said, "The best person doesn't always get the job. The best-prepared person gets it." This is so true. Interviewing is a game, and the better you are at playing the game, the better your chances are of winning.
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