Over the last few days there have been quite a few articles on the older worker unemployment rate; while it’s still a problem; it’s also an opportunity.  An opportunity to reinvest yourself and maybe find a job doing something you never thought you might do and heck maybe you can even find something you enjoy doing. However invest in yourself wisely, too often I find older workers short change themselves in the quest for a job.

Recently I attended a job fair and the most common response to the question: What kind of job are you looking for what this: “I’ll do anything”.  This answer makes me cringe……Really would you do anything?  You might think this answer makes you sound attractive to the employer because you will adapt; but what it really says is you specialize in nothing and your desperate and worse yet you are not the best candidate senior, older or otherwise.  

So what is it you CAN do and do successfully? Take off your blinders, open your mind and take a chance. Sounds bold but believe it; not enough people take a chance on themselves and the end result is you end up holding yourself back.

This morning I was reading okay watching the news and I came across the following article: “Over 50, and zero job offers”.  Okay that’s just silly; yes the job market is tough I give you that however; you need to remember this:  As an older worker have something that other applicant’s lack…..EXPERIENCE.

Your only obstacle is connecting with employers who are ready and willing to hire YOU. Get started today by creating the right resume, connecting on the social media sites that will get your connected and of course visit WiserWorker.com the only site for older workers!

Functional Resume usually starts with summary of qualifications to put emphasis on skills particular areas of focus. Examples might include: customer service, word processing, computers, accounting, data archiving, office, telephone reception and problem solving. Rather than listing specific details, the job seeker lists responsibilities and achievements under the three main highlighted areas. The employment history is simply listed underneath the functional areas followed by education, training and other complimentary sections.

LinkedIn exists to help you make better use of your professional network or create a network.  Their mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. Jump right in and create a account and make sure you select that you are looking for a job. You will be amazed at how many people seek you out because you are qualified.

WiserWorker.com YOU already know the most valuable resource online helping older workers get back in the workforce. WiserWorker.com is dedicated to providing quality employment opportunities and resources to people just like you.  

Good Luck!

And that folks is why we not only NEED National Employ Older Workers but why I look forward to this event all year. National Employ Older Workers Week showcases as well as honors the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which provides on-the-job skills training to individuals 55 or older with limited financial resources. Over the years, SCSEP has helped over one million older Americans enter the workforce.

WiserWorker.com honors older workers by hosting a job fairs series that operates in markets all across the United States. Our theme this year is Putting American’s Back to Work our goal is to hold events where employers are hiring job seekers NOW!

So do yourself a favor is you come across an older worker do one of 2 things thank them for their service or better still HIRE THEM!!

It has many meaning to many people and we all look at ambition different, accordingly to Webster’s  this is the definition of ambition.   What does it mean to you?  To me: if you work hard enough and have the skills nothing can stop you from achieving your goals.

What do you suppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor used to drive her ambitions all these years? They are calling her story an all American once in a lifetime story. However I think it’s a modern day tail of what happens if you work hard and applied yourself. Ms. Sotomayer probably hasn’t taken many lavish vacations and probably hasn’t worked less than 60 hours a week in many years. Because where she is is where she always saw herself to be and that place is the Supreme Court.

Ambition means something different to each of us.  Everyone who speaks the term hears a message that applies to only them.  Ambition can mean finding a good job that gives you the ability to meet your financial obligations or it can mean something as large as being appointed to the Supreme Court.  

What’s important is this:  Are you are ambitious enough to make yourself happy? If you can answer this questions with confidence than you can hold head up high!

You know what the coolest thing about chameleons is?  They adapt to any situation, no matter where they go, who they meet, or what they need they are able to change color and adapt to their surroundings. Sometimes I think if we all had a little chameleon in us searching for a job might not be such a chore but more of an adventure.

This morning I spoke with a job seeker where my knowledge of chameleons came in handy. Mary called to share her latest job interview experience and she was rather upset.  Up until 2 years ago Mary ran and owned a deli in Pennsylvania, today she found herself looking for work. With all her experience she was sure she was a shoe in for a job opening at the local sandwich shop, where she had turned in her application.

Mary immediately got a call back from the hiring manager and set up an interview to meet with him. At the interview all was going well until the hiring manager told Mary she would need to submit to a background check and provide references.  This upset Mary….as she had years of experience she couldn’t and wouldn’t complete their background check. Mary didn’t get the job she wanted and needed at the sandwich shop.

The moral of the story: Mary failed to become a chameleon.  You must remember when you are seeking a job you need to blend in and accept reasonable companies policies and procedures. Every company has hiring policies in place that are often tailored to their specific hiring practices. Don’t do anything that you are uncomfortable with but practice being a chameleon as they often get hired because they blend in and go with the flow…

Yesterday I received an email from a colleague in our Pittsburgh office, she shared a experience she had at there local job fair; it got me thinking and I bet once you read today’s blog it will get your juices flowing and take action.

As I mentioned Mrs. Hodges, attended our Pittsburgh job fair yesterday and one of the many observations she made was the number of retired or laid off older workers.  She recalled a conversation with a man; this man had worked at a company for 35 years; as a supervisor to over 500 people; recently that company was sold, he shared that he was laid off and could not find any work.  He also shared that his experience was people felt he was too overqualified and rejected him.

This should anger you on so many different levels……first of all he is qualified because he has worked for the same company for over 35 years this should alone earn him accolades.  He like most older workers isn’t a job “jumper” he proved this and so much more over his 35 years of his service.   To be a loyal worker and care about his company is another characteristic that should make recruiters JUMP. 

So what can we do? Mrs. Hodges gave me an excellent idea that I am going to share with you. She watched the President Obama address the nation and she reminded me that President Obama mentioned “perseverance” several times during his address and that got me thinking….

I learned that the White house is now open for questions….this is an excellent chance for us to share our concerns with the man who can make a change.  

The White House invites you to participate in their community-moderated online town hall.

You can submit your own question about the economy and vote on submissions from others. On Thursday March 26, 2009 you can watch the President answer some of the most popular submissions live at WhiteHouse.gov.

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.”  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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!

From time to time I like to take a look at different job choices that I think might make a great second career, today I came across a position that falls into that category:  a recruiter. At a first glance I almost missed it because frankly it’s an industry I work with all the time and probably took for granted, today however I saw recruiters or at least their industry in a different light.

So why is the job of a recruiter a perfect second career choice?

Recruiters make dreams come true, career dreams that is.  Their job is to listen to job seekers and discover or uncover where their true potential lies. It’s the recruiter’s job to dig deep and match their job seekers skills and ambitions with their client’s job openings.  They are in my mind the ultimate match maker, how much fun must that be?  Recruiters get to help job seeker all day long and I get chills just thinking of the job one must feel when a job seeker start their first day of work with their new employer.

The older job seeker has all the skills needed to be a recruiter as a general rule they are people pleasers and frankly they like to be around and help people.  They are a nurturing demographic and want to share their years of experience and their knowledge they have collected along the journey of life.   Older workers usually possess the much needed skill of analytical thinking which can be used to hone on what job best fits the job seekers skill level. 

I found a recruiting firm that is making hiring the older worker a priority:  Morgan Samuels I learned they are committed to one primary objective: To do what is in our clients’ best interests.  Morgan Samuel’s mission and culture is based on executing searches with speed, tenacity, and integrity while maintaining total accountability, process control, and constant communication from start-to-finish.  They are so committed to find job seekers just like you…they have placed a posting on WiserWorker.com….check it out!

It seems that the 55 and older group has taken to the keypad for communication. Researchers at Sprint report that 20% of adults ages 55-64 send text messages, and LIKE to communicate this way.  Of that group 76% report that they use this method of communication to send messages to their children. Texting has become a fast and efficient way for parents to stay in touch with their children who often live far away.

Why the sudden texting craze?  Couple of reasons first of all it’s easy, quick and accessible, the message sender you can get the message across without any interruptions hassle, when you get a text you don’t have to call anywhere to get the message its right at your fingertips.  Guess what studies show that people are 4 times more likely to respond to a text than they are a voicemail.    I remember when voicemail was a luxury now for me it’s a hassle.

As a manager I use texting as a method of communication because it’s a quick non intrusive way to get my message across and they can look at the message at their pace when they have time and respond at their own pace.   In addition to texting  WiserWorker.com has made it easier to look for a job. For now you can enjoy all the great articles from that contribute to this site is an easy to read and navigate mobile version. Now you can enjoy the WW Blog on the train, the bus, at the doctor, in the park or anywhere that life takes you.

How do I get this information on my cell phone you are require to have internet access on your cell phone’s plan. Please consult with your mobile carrier if you are unsure.

1. On your mobile web browser, head on over to http://wiserworkerblog.mofuse.mobi/
2. Follow the instructions!

Texting makes it easy to communicate with those you need to and stay in touch with your world.

Everyday businesses across the United States make decisions, some tough and some are easy. Hiring new employees are one of the most difficult decisions managers have to make. Why? Well if you hire the wrong candidate you run the risk of actual hurting your business.  When you hire someone you are actually hiring people to represent you and your business. Still need convincing?  Here are the obvious outcomes of hiring the wrong candidate:

1. Conflict:  How much of your time is spent trying to get employees to communicate more effectively with you or their co-workers. 

2. Poor Productivity: This is the number one business issue today.  

3. Errors: Some people have the competencies to be trained quickly, continue processing new information and multi-task. Others don’t and create the costly errors that their teammates are forced to solve.

4. Lost Customers & Sales:  You know when you’re business is experiencing conflict, apathy, low motivation and errors. So do your customers; and they won’t put up with it.

If you really care about YOUR customers that keep you in business, stop hiring the wrong people and stop losing clients to your competitors.  The topic at hand is WHY should employers hire older workers?  Today I learned a pretty amazing statistic about the older jobseeker.

The turnover rate for employees under 30 is six times greater than that of employees that are over 50.

Do you need any more proof you need older workers for your business?  Email me I will help you, in your mission to hire older workers.