Once Homeless, This Job Coach Now Helps Older Workers

Key takeaways

• Access free, personalized job coaching designed specifically for workers aged 50 and older.
• Receive expert guidance on resume writing, interview skills, and navigating today’s digital job platforms.
• Gain encouragement and support from someone who understands overcoming unemployment and starting over firsthand.

Summary

Older workers face unique challenges in today’s job market, but with the right support, a rewarding new career is within reach. America Arevalo, a job coach for a nonprofit that supports AARP Foundation’s BACK TO WORK 50+ program, draws on her own experience of overcoming unemployment and homelessness to help others. She provides practical guidance on resume writing, preparing for interviews and navigating modern job search platforms—all at no cost to participants.

Programs like AARP Foundation’s BACK TO WORK 50+ are tailored to the needs of workers over 50, offering tools, encouragement and personalized coaching. America’s story is proof that it’s never too late to start fresh, and she celebrates every success alongside her clients as they find meaningful work and rebuild their futures.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[00:00:00] I was 49, turning 50 unemployed. I run out for my 401k. I have to short sell my

house.

[00:00:07] I was homeless for, I would say, more than a year. I have to go through all that to

be here.

[00:00:14] This is my journey. This is my purpose in life. I was 28 years old when I came

from Venezuela to United States.

[00:00:27] It was hard because I did not have the support, the language and the resources. I

started studying English and looking and seeking for a better life for my

[00:00:38] daughters, for my future, and for myself. I call it a middle age crisis. 'cause you

after 50, it's like what I'm gonna do now.

[00:00:58] I'm doing this all my life. What is next? You have an emptiness. I wanna travel. I

love to travel, so I decided to apply to become a flight attendant.

[00:01:08] The training is like a bootcamp. They do it in a month. They prepare you for the

schedule to, you know, wake up today at 2:00 AM take

[00:01:17] a flight, go there, do this, do that. It's a lot of pressure. That took a toll on me and

I realized this is not for me.

[00:01:25] I decided to walk out and that's when my struggle really started. It was really

hard to find a job that wasn't my last field for many years.

[00:01:36] So technology, everything around it was different. I started using all my savings.

[00:01:43] I was living in my car a few nights, friends' couches, family members. I start

getting a very deep depression.

[00:02:03] My supervisor, she saw the potential in me as a job coach because my past

[00:02:09] experience, back to work 50 plus, is an amazing program to help people

[00:02:15] over 50 looking for a job, maybe trying to change their careers and to.

[00:02:21] Learn, then sell. How to do it after you working for 10, 14 years in a field and you

believe that's

[00:02:28] your life and then you cut off, or you're fire or you know, like you are lost. That's

what I went through.

[00:02:35] So that's my way to communicate with people because I, I understand that when

I went to the training, I realized.

[00:02:48] So many mistakes that I make. My resume was four pages. I have an outdated

email address.

[00:02:55] I always ask how much you're gonna pay me. Before even the interview, I was

like, oh my God, this is

[00:03:01] why I didn't find a job before. Now as a coach, I see that many job seekers are

doing the same mistakes.

[00:03:11] I'm very excited when they come because I can guide them all. Our services are

free, of course.

[00:03:17] I train people for three days, two hours every day. I try to cover everything that

the, the job seeker needs to get back to work.

[00:03:28] Creation of their resume. How do the automatic tracking system read the

resumes now?

[00:03:34] Be prepared for the interview, know how to search in the job market, phone

calls, thank you notes, et cetera.

[00:03:41] And I offered them also after a one-on-one interview to talk more about the, uh,

personal needs they have.

[00:03:49] I am very happy when they call me, say, America, I got a job. I always tell them,

please call me to celebrate.

[00:03:55] I wanna celebrate with you. I really like what I do. I love my job.