Developing Your Job Search Plan
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-06-20 13:14:34.138178-04:00
The good news for workers 50+ is that job opportunities are only getting better. The U.S. workforce is aging and the shortage of experienced workers is fueling a positive outlook for baby boomers and mature workers who need or want to continue working and earning.
Projections show that by 2010, nearly one in three workers in the United States will be over the age of 50. Healthier than previous generations, a large percentage of the 77 million baby boomers want to stay active and, in many cases, continue working for financial or nonfinancial reasons. An AARP study indicates that 80 percent of baby boomers will work longer or well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65.
At any age job hunting can be intimidating. It can be especially daunting if you have not been in the job market for a long time. If you have a plan, however, you are very likely to succeed.
The more thoughtful and systematic you are about creating a plan, the more options you're likely to have. This means defining your goals and the steps it will take to reach them.
Do a Self-Assessment
You have the advantage of extensive experience, abilities, and interests from a long work history, or from volunteering in your community, or caring for family. Consider all the skills that you have acquired.
What do you like to do and what do you do best? What don't you like to do? Do you want a family-friendly company? Or perhaps an emphasis on work and life balance? People work best when they are doing something they enjoy.
If you have done a thorough self-assessment, you'll be ready to ask questions about a company during a job interview and you'll be prepared to answer the common interview question: "What motivates you?" or "Why do you want to work here?"
Refer to your resume and write out a list of times when you looked forward to going to work or times when you felt energized by your work. Research the company and industry before the interview and you'll stand out as a more informed and competent applicant. Check company websites. Write down at least two reasons the job is a good match for your skills and experience.
Upgrade Your Skills
In many technology-driven fields, skills matter more than experience. You may need additional education or training to qualify for the type of job you want. If you're employed, take advantage of educational opportunities offered by your employer, or try to find time during non-work hours to attend the classes or take the study program you need.
Lifelong or ongoing learning is the best long-term strategy. New knowledge and technologies require almost everyone to be open to getting the education needed to stay current and have access to good jobs.
Taking courses for a new skills certification or an advanced degree can open doors, but lifelong learning does not mean that you have to make education your full-time activity. Here are some ways that you can get the additional education you need for a new job:
- College or graduate school. Do schools in your area offer programs that interest you? Many offer on-the-job training and placement, as well as courses. In addition, enrolling in a higher education institution may give you access to counseling and to events where employers come on campus to recruit employees.
- Distance learning. You can take online courses, complete a certificate program, or finish a college degree. Distance learning allows people to get the training and skills they need, when and where they need them. Many educational institutions provide distance-learning classes by computer, the Internet, or cable TV.
One caveat: To be successful at distance learning, you need to be organized and disciplined. You can usually interact with instructors through videoconferences, electronic chat rooms, e-mail, or by phone, but it will be up to you to stay on schedule and meet class requirements.
Volunteering
Sometimes volunteering can be a step toward a paid position. Once you've identified a job, a field, or an employer that interests you, working as a volunteer can be an excellent way to find out if you'd really like the work, and to gain experience that will improve your qualifications for getting hired. Some volunteer positions can require challenging skills such as managing programs, writing grant applications, training other volunteers, or counseling clients.
If you want to work as a volunteer, be direct with the organization about your expectations. Make sure that you'll be able to get the experience and training you need while helping the organization meet its goals. Find out if someone at the organization will guide you and provide feedback on your work.
Networking
Networking is the best way to find opportunities and get information. Talk to anyone and everyone you can about your plans, goals, and ideas. Make business cards for yourself and keep a supply in your pocket or purse.
Start by connecting or reconnecting with contacts you already have: friends, neighbors and acquaintances, current and former colleagues, previous employers, college alumni, professional and community groups. Be systematic. Make a list, and work your way through it by catching up on the phone, scheduling coffee or lunch dates, and attending meetings of membership groups.
Branch out to new contacts. One way to do this is through the Internet, which can be an invaluable resource for establishing contacts, conducting research on companies and organizations, posting resumes, and searching for available jobs.
You also need to get out and meet people in person. Join professional organizations, clubs, and networking groups. Visit businesses to find out if they expect to have job openings. Attend community meetings. And, volunteer.
Preparing a Resume
A resume is a description of your accomplishments, skills, and experiences that you'll submit to potential employers. It's very important to do your resume properly, because this piece of paper - or electronic submission - will create the all-important first impression.
There are books, articles, and websites, including this AARP website, with helpful information on writing resumes. There are four common formats: the Chronological resume, Functional resume, Combination resume, and Electronic resume or e-resume. Choose the resume that works best for each job application.
Your resume should directly address the needs and goals of the employer, and the qualifications required for the position. Keep these basic guidelines in mind:
- Keep it relevant. Know what type of employee and skills the prospective employer is seeking. Research the company and hone comments about your skills, emphasizing those that fit with what the company does or might need.
- Highlight your accomplishments. Don't be modest about the positive results you achieved in your work or volunteering.
- Keep it brief. Most employers won't read more than two pages.
- Avoid including personal information such as age, height, weight, sex, race, or religion.
- If you have an email account, be sure to include an email address.
- Double-check your spelling and grammar.
If you create a resume on a computer, you can re-use the forms or cut and paste sections from one format to another. This is ideal for tailoring your experience and qualifications to the specific position for which you are applying.
Salary Ranges
Try to postpone a discussion of your salary requirements until a job offer has been made. If you don't have the range and the interviewer persists, reply with "What salary range are you working with?" The interviewer may very well tell you.
Ideally, research will give you the going rate in your area.
- Monster.com : type "Salary Wizard" or "Salary Center" in the search box, and it will pull up the Monster search engine for salary ranges.
- Vault.com : click on "Salaries."
- RetirementJobs.com : click on "Resources" and then "Salary Wizard."
AARP Resources
Books
Find these books online at Borders:
Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Cash, Clients, and Career Success by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon.
Upgrading Your Skills
The American Association of Community Colleges lists community colleges that offer counseling services and learning opportunities for all adults in a community, regardless of age.
The Distance Education and Training Council serves as a clearinghouse of information about distance education.
The AARP Community Service website offers information on several volunteer outlets for learning new skills.
Career One-Step Centers have a range of training and education options in your area. Toll free 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).
Additional Resources
Social Security Administration
Here you can search for details on the earnings limit and other benefit issues.
RetirementJobs.com
Connects workers 50+ with jobs and resources.
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