Wiser Worker Blog

Do you remember being a kid and yelling TA DA anytime something really great happened?  Do you remember how good it made you feel to yell….at the top of your lungs TA DA?  If you don’t I challenge you to try it……I promise you…..you will feel better and maybe even a little giggle might come out of it.

When you think about it….kids instinctively know how to celebrate from a very early age and they celebrate the little things in life. Kids don’t wait until they reach a milestone of epic proportion before they yell TA DA…….so why should we?

I went to a meeting last week were the speaker talked about the power of TA DA and frankly in the beginning I was more than skeptical but I tell you what by the second time he had us all stand up and yell TA DA I WAS INTO IT!! It felt so go to yell at the top of my lungs TA DA and celebrate…..you know what I didn’t feel silly. Seriously…I didn’t.

Find something to celebrate and if all else fails celebrate the fact that you are here today.  Because to me that’s a pretty big accomplishment, you are taking the first step to finda new job by visiting WiserWorker.com.  That’s something….TA DA look at you…     

Today I read on Forbes.com that there are over 345,000 people that have been laid off their jobs since November of 2008.  Forbes is placing a tracker on their website so that the American people will know exactly how many people are out of work…Kinda bleak if you ask me.   However if you feel like focusing on positive good news….I have some for you.

On Monday I also read on Yahoo that” Employers Avoid Axing Oldies but Goodies” and guess what that’s you!  You read it right employers across the board are trying hard to retain and in many cases recruit older candidates because as this story reported: “We need their expertise,” says Stephen Wing, director of workforce initiatives at CVS Caremark in Woonsocket, R.I. “When you’re in your 50s and 60s, you’re in your prime.” 

If you are interested we have taken a proactive approach to this impending labor market crisis, the first in the line of defense is our “Putting American’s Back to Work” Job Fair series taking place in more than 50 cities across the country throughout 2009. The job fair series allows jobseekers to have personal contact with perspective employers. 

We are so confident that we are going to be successful with these events we are going to track the number of people that get hired and post the results to our website. Stick with these numbers because they are important and they are positive and that’s what we all need these days….a little dose of positive…..

Are you less likely to be laid off?  Today on Businessweek there is some good news for older workers out there. Apparently, with all the lay offs going on, businesses are leaning more towards keeping their 55+ workers over the younger employees.

Companies nationwide are laying off workers by the tens of thousands. But many are trying to spare the post-55 set from the ax, a reversal of the top-down trends in past waves of layoffs. They’re being driven by legal concerns—since boomers are in a protected age group—and by a need to keep experienced hands in place to keep the companies running and positioned for an upturn. “Seniority matters,” says Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, director of the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College.

All age groups are being hit by cuts now coursing through Corporate America, but government statistics so far suggest that the burden is falling far more heavily on younger workers.

The article goes on to suggest that companies are paying particular attention to veterans and doing what they can to hold onto them.  So there you go, a little silver lining for you in some tough times. I guess that means if you thought you couldn’t get hired let alone keep a job in such a tough economy, now you know that you can.  Be sure to check out our Putting Americans Back to Work Job Fair dates to start off your job search in your area.

Read full BusinessWeek article.

Over the weekend something pretty amazing happened The Arizona Cardinals earned a trip to the Super Bowl. Being an Arizona native this is a day I have been waiting for and waiting literally for years…..but on Sunday January 18, 2009 it happened the Arizona Cardinals are on their way to Tampa, Florida. And you know what it’s exciting; even if you aren’t a football fan it’s exciting. The Arizona Cardinals and especially Kurt Warner have reminded me that if you think you can…YOU CAN.

What you may or may not know is that at the beginning of the season Kurt Warner was brought in to be our backup quarterback and there was all the usual speculation that he was too old to play and especially too old to be a NFL quarterback.  I remember thinking “this guy must LOVE the sport to be still doing it”. He took it in stride and said he wanted to be a team player.   Pretty soon he was our starting quarterback and the magic just happened.

Kurt Warner knew he wasn’t too old to be a NFL quarterback and he went out there and proved it to anyone who had doubts about his ability. My wish for you is that when you are looking for jobs think about Kurt Warner and what he has accomplished, and how he accomplished it.  I have no doubt that is was hard from him, but if you look at his story nothing has come easy for him and he always charges ahead.

Ask for help and look for guidance, WiserWorker.com and The AARP Foundation are here with as many services as you can utilize. It’s not always about what you can do but more about what you THINK you can do. So shed the limitations and get out there the job market needs job seekers just like YOU!

Today’s view of grand parenting duties are vastly differently than those of yesteryear.  The biggest change is how many grandparents are raising their grandchildren- not babysitting but actually holding the role of primary caregiver. More than six million children - approximately 1 in 12 - are living in households headed by grandparents. The numbers are staggering and growing everyday so much in fact that almost every state has set up a program to offer assistance to grandparents. 

The first family and President Obama are moving into the white house next week and they are bringing their grandmother Marian Robinson along with them to help care for the grandkids.  In doing that she has shed the national spotlight on multigenerational living and the value of grandparents to the American family. Grandparents.com recently ran a pole and they are reporting that 83% of their readers say Marian’s presence will redefine the importance of grandparents in the American family. Interesting

With the added number of grandparent’s taking on the role of primary caregiver of their grandchildren it’s no surprise that they seems to be staying in the labor market longer and in some cases heading back to the job.  We all know how expensive it is to raise a child and often they do it alone. WiserWorker.com would like to help you find a job and point you to the right resources.

Today’s grandparents are changing the role of grandparent and redefining what they do and the role they play learn more today at Grandparents.com or in our resource center.  

In just 6 days we will welcome a new leader into the most prestigious office of President of United States.  We welcome the new President Obama with open arms and anticipated his every move and with hope that he can help repair the state that our country is in and quickly!

This inauguration is an event that will end up in the history books for certain.  It’s expected to be the most attended inauguration event in our recent history, so large in fact that President Bush has declared it an emergency in order to free up money to help handle security. Kind of crazy, right? 

What does this change really mean?  For our sakes I hope that we can see some immediate positive change in the current labor market. It’s on all of our minds an especially those of you that are currently looking for work. The economy has had an impact on all of us. 

Our company had taken a proactive approach to this impending labor market crisis, the first in the line of defense is our “Putting American’s Back to Work” Job Fair series taking place in more than 50 cities across the country throughout 2009. The job fair series allows jobseekers to have personal contact with perspective employers. 

Our family of niche job board websites in another tool we hope to arm you with as you search for the perfect job:

WiserWorker.com dedicated to providing quality employment opportunities and resources to the largest demographic group in the country, the older worker. Employmentguide.com the hourly job recruitment source.

Careersingears.com  A website where you can search for nationwide and local truck driving jobs from the country’s top trucking companies.

Healthcareerweb.com  The go to site for all positions related to the medical marketplace.

You can see we are armed and ready to help President Obama get American’s back to work in the very near future. Visit one of our websites today to find the perfect job that’s just right for YOU.

It is right for you?

To truly understand if it’s the right decision you should probably have a clear understanding of what a Reverse Mortgage is basically it’s a loan against your home that you do not have to pay back for as long as you live there. It can be paid to you all at once, as a regular monthly advance.

Don’t forget THIS fact: You pay the money back plus interest when you die, sell your home, or permanently move out of your home.

If you own your home and expect to continue live it in this might be a good move for you while you search for a job. It can help you sublimit your income and enjoy life. There are many companies both private and public that can help you decide if this is the right decision for you to make.

I found some resource tools that will help you be better informed on the topic of reverse mortgages.

AARP Fact Sheet

Glossary of Reverse Mortgage Terms

5 Questions You should ask about Reverse Mortgages

Reverse Mortgage Calculator

Florida Reverse Mortgage Information

What better person to help people decide if reverse mortgages is for them then a older workers…..We have a company that is looking for Reverse Mortgages & Senior Market Specialists.  Its an exciting opportunity for the right person. Make sure you visit WiserWorker.com to see if this is a job you might be interested in.

Kind of catchy right?  I hope so because now more than ever we need to get people motivated and energized about the labor market!  For our organization this is not a new slogan, however for some reason I woke up this morning and this particular phrase was on my mind.  Maybe because it’s the right time of year to be thinking of change but perhaps you may be looking to return to the workforce and I would like to help you find the perfect career.

It’s not that much of a leap to figure out why one would consider returning to the job market or perhaps finding a career for the first time or finding a new career. It’s a different marketplace and one that is ready for you if you have taken the time to prepare yourself. 

Update your resume.

Make a list of possible occupations that interest you.   

List your skill set and take note of what things interest you.

Convert that skill set list into possible job opportunities.

Look for companies that are stable and prone to hiring older workers.

It’s a wide world and the opportunity is there for you!  Good Luck!