Helpful Resources for Job Seekers

A Brave New World of Job Seeking

Key words and “bots”—even if you’ve been in the work world for years, you may not know these computer terms. But they can make all the difference in whether your job search will be successful. And when you’re competing for scarce job opportunities with hundreds of others, understanding job seeking in the 21st century can help you cut through the clutter.

So, what do these things mean? Key words are specific words and phrases in the job description that are defining terms for how the company selects applicants from the pool of online applications. Bots essentially are software applications that can scan data quickly for specific information.

Here’s how it works. Say, the words “self starter,” “high energy” are in the online job description. These phrases are likely to be key words. The company has programmed a “bot” to sift through the applications that have been filled out online. The applications that don’t have the words “self starter” and “high energy” get lower rankings than the ones that do—making it critical for job seekers in the 21st century to understand how to identify key words.

And this is just one of the new techniques job seekers must understand.

Preparing older job seekers for the 21st Century Job Market

AARP research shows that older job seekers stay unemployed longer. In June 2010, the 53 percent of all 45+ job seekers had been out of work for more than the 27 weeks, which is considered long-term unemployment.

In an effort to help those 50+ position themselves for opportunity, AARP has developed a number of great resources for job seekers. We offer quarterly webinars with job hunting advice, tip sheets on job seeking, and The Watercooler, an online community for members to discuss the challenges they experience seeking employment.

Perhaps the most significant resources are AARP’s job seeker seminars and career/resource fairs.

Registration for Reno job seeker seminars over capacity

AARP has hosted several successful job seeker seminars and career fairs in Las Vegas already this year. In July, AARP offered the first job seeker seminar event in Reno at the Truckee Meadows Community College. Thirty (30) people per session were anticipated; and roughly 60 people per session showed. It was standing room only and spoke to the level of interest those 50+have in getting back to work. (Watch video on Youtube.)

AARP also hosted 20 local exhibitors offering everything from free help starting your own business to volunteer opportunities to keep your resume fresh. AARP members and others 50+ were able to connect first-hand with government agencies, nonprofits and education groups that can lend a hand.

Due to demand, two more AARP job seeker seminars are scheduled for September 21 at the Grand Sierra. Want to guarantee getting an invitation? Sign up for our AARP email by registering on the AARP website.