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PAGE 10 HOME & LIFESTYLE IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022
Job Hunting for Extra Income?
Combating Age Bias in the Workplace
you afford to do so without compromising
BY KAREN TELLEEN-LAWTON your retirement, you could consider starting
a business or buying a franchise in an area
(SENIOR WIRE) Older adults have recently you understand.
emerged as the fastest growing labor seg- Some employers fear an older worker
ment, both in the United States and around may quickly become bored in a job for which
the world. A confluence of factors explains they are considered “overqualified.” You may
this trend, including low unemployment choose to address this head-on with argu-
and difficulties recruiting and retaining ments such as, “I’m looking for an encore
talent. Less quantifiable is the notion that career in a different but related field” or “I’m
our generation is arriving at retirement age more interested in applying my skills in a new
with higher expectations and less financial area, with a good work-life balance.”
hardiness. Job-hunting has morphed into SENIOR SERVICES
the new senior hobby. Perhaps your concern is the opposite:
It’s a demanding hobby, to be sure. a perceived lack of skills. Many women
Young job seekers, fresh out of school, are especially find themselves needing supple-
wisely counseled to “meet with their future mental income but feeling as if they’ve been
self,” listening to workers in positions out of the workforce for too long to qualify.
they’d like to hold in a decade. This can set In that case check out the senior services in
up a mentor-mentee relationship that helps your area, which may be available through
draw the job seeker into their desired field. city hall, the YMCA, or a community cen-
But what if the job seeker is older than ter. Be on the lookout for job-training or
their potential mentor? Senior job applicants Age bias is real, but the facts are on our side. We have resume-writing workshops. You likely have
need a different angle to make an impression. wisdom, energy, and perspicacity. It’s important to more skills than you think!
ADVANTAGES OF AGE look inside yourself first to uncover where your enthu- If you’re lucky enough to live near one
siasm lies. Then go for it. © Insta Photos, Bigstock.com.
The reasons for hiring an older worker of a number of U.S. sites from Miami to
far surpass the disadvantages. Seniors gen- Birmingham to Austin to Chicago, you can
erally have experience in a wide variety of whose work, industry, or work situation you participate in an AARP-developed program
situations and deep knowledge in special- admire. Determine the roles for which you called BACK TO WORK 50+. This initiative
ized areas. We have learned when to roll might be qualified in their organization. connects workers with information, training,
with the punches and when to take a stand. Consider non-profits where you’ve been support, work experience, and employer
AARP research, “Disrupting Aging in a volunteer or donated over the years, and access. Another one to check out is Work Force
the Workplace: Profiles in Intergenerational think about where you could fit in. 50. Both programs work with seniors on skills
Diversity Leadership,” provides a further Some industries are more conducive to ranging from designing an effective resume
reason to look at mature applicants. “The rel- older workers. Again, non-profits are a good to interpreting an employment contract.
ative productivity of both older and younger fit here. Consider other areas where seniors AGE BIAS IS REAL
workers is higher in companies that utilize are a target market, such as medical sales Bottom line, age bias is real. Nevertheless,
mixed-age work teams than in companies or patient advocates. Many careers benefit the facts are on our side. We have wisdom,
that do not,” their 2016 publication finds. from people with maturity and perspective: energy, and perspicacity. As with any task,
STAY COMPETITIVE dietician, accountant, personal trainer, the hardest part is inertia. That’s why it’s
What are ways older workers’ resumes writer or editor, or any type of customer important to look inside yourself first to
can avoid ending up in the circular file? service representative. uncover where your enthusiasm lies. Then
A resume for a 50-something could run Part-time jobs are great for showing go for it. ISI
for many pages, but the last 15 years or so your prowess and can grow to full-time
are the most relevant. Concentrate on your work if there’s a match. Tutoring and virtual Karen Telleen-Lawton helps seniors help themselves by pro-
highlights: don’t write an all-inclusive assistant fall into this category. Other ways viding bias-free financial advice. She is a Certified Financial
white paper. to package a job successfully are to offer Planner professional, the Principal of Decisive Path Fee-Only
Financial Advisory in Santa Barbara, California You can reach
It almost goes without saying to mine contract versus direct employment, assum- her with your questions or comments at ktl@DecisivePath.
your personal network. Check with friends ing you have other access to insurance. If com or visit DecisivePath.com for more info.
&
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