Finding a job at any age can be a stressful time.
Now imagine trying to do it after being out of the job market for 20-plus years.
This is the reality for many older adults, usually over the age of 40 who find themselves either in need of a new job or looking for a career change.
Diane Hartley, vice president of care coordination with the Peninsula Agency on Aging, said there is a perception of people viewing younger workers as cheaper and easily trainable whereas older workers are set in their ways and not as technologically savvy.
Hartley runs a career club for adults 40 and older that meets once a month.
She said people from all over the Peninsula come out to these clubs to meet and learn about what it takes to find a job in this new market.
Skills taught in this club include:
- Goal setting
- Resume building/editing
- Cover letter writing
- Mock interview help
Hartley said the way to find a job today is vastly different from when most of those older than 40 found their first jobs.
No longer can you cold call a company and show up with three resumes ready to go.
Hiring today is done online, and one of Hartley’s jobs is to help people become internet savvy so they can post their resume online.
Jumping over hurdles
Another big hurdle a lot of people over 40 have to jump is the fact that there could be times that the job interviewer is younger than them.
This can sometimes cause anxiety or embarrassment, Hartley said, adding the mock interviews are designed to help alleviate this possible scenario.
The people who come to these club meetings and the job fair hosted by the Peninsula Agency on Aging are from diverse backgrounds.
Hartley sees people who work part time, who are looking to transition from military to civilian jobs, people who aren’t ready to dip into their Social Security just yet and even people who’ve just downsized and are in need of cash.
The club has been going for eight years, and it is all as a direct result of feedback from the community.
The job fairs have always been around, but a lot of the visitors felt that they didn’t have the skills to find jobs anymore, Hartley said.
Focusing on soft skills
One thing employers might overlook with an older job candidate is that they could get a more experienced worker who is more likely to be loyal to the company, Hartley said.
Often the older crowd has better soft skills like customer service and engaging with people in a pleasant manner.
Hartley wants those looking for jobs to be able to use their life skills and experience without being hampered by a lack of knowledge about today’s technology.
She focuses on getting people into the jobs that fit them, and if further job skills are needed, the Peninsula Agency on Aging partners with AARP.
The AARP program matches older people with temporary work that will help update their job skills.
To learn more about the Peninsula Agency on Aging, click here.
Want to go?
The Peninsula Agency on Aging will have a job fair Sept. 20 at the Historic Triangle Messmer Community Services Center, 312 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg.
This story was published in partnership with our sister publication, HNNDaily.
