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Job search help for members of the Baby Boomer generation.
Guide to Boomer Job Search
If you were born in the United States between 1946 and 1964 - the surge in new births after the end of World War II - you are officially a member of the "Baby Boomer" generation, also known as a "Boomer."
In the 21st century, Boomers, who now range in age between their late 40's and mid 60's, are handling a tough job market and a tough economy with their usual Boomer can-do attitude.
Boomer Job Search
In this Job-Hunt column, career coach Phyllis Mufson and career counselor Renee Lee Rosenberg, Job-Hunt's team of Boomer Job Search Experts, help their fellow Boomers deal with the issues of job search in your 40's, 50's, and 60's in the articles below.
Boomer Job Search Concerns
- Laid Off! Now What?
You’ve just lost your job. What do you do next? Here are the first steps to take to get grounded while you prepare to hunt for a new position. - Too Old for "Career Adventure"?
What would you be willing to commit to – if age were not an issue? - How to Address the "Over-Qualified" Concern?
Are you getting passed over for jobs and told it’s because you’re overqualified? Are you wondering if that’s "polite" wording for "too old"? Or, are you one of the Baby Boomers looking to cut back and have a job with less stress and responsibility? Are you concerned because you’ve heard you won’t be considered because you are overqualified? - 5 Ways You Look Out-of-Date
Technology has dramatically changed recruiting today. As a result, effective job search methods have changed, too. If you don't adapt to the changes, you look out-of-date, which can be deadly for your job search. - Boomers Looking Younger
Instead of focusing on how to look younger, this article is my opinionated view about what really works to look healthier, and more vital. The emphasis is on low-cost options that work quickly. Everything that follows has been tested by me, and by my clients. These techniques will help you create a good impression in interviews and also help you feel your best. - Boomer Job Search Success Affirmations
"Who will want me? I’m too old. I worked 20 years in the same company; this is all I know." "I have the qualifications but I’m older than the interviewer and all the other candidates. They’ll never hire me." "Why bother to look, I haven’t looked for a job in years and, besides, my age is a major handicap." Are those thoughts running through your mind, too? Here's how to beat them! - Networking: The Boomer Job Search Advantage
Regrettably, many Baby Boomers are uncomfortable networking and avoid this powerful tool. This is really unfortunate because Boomers have a significant edge over others in job search networking. - How to Reconnect with Your Boomer Network
This article is focused on how you can rebuild your network by reconnecting with friends and colleagues from your youth. This will pay enormous dividends in your job search, and also enrich your life in many ways. - Finding Part-Time Jobs with Benefits!
Are you one of the many boomers who have day dreamed about getting a part-time job? Maybe you’re looking for income while you train for a new career or start a business, or a way to cut back on the time and pressure of your current job, or a way to earn an income cushion while you are retired. Too young for Medicare, you need benefits, too. Here's how to find them. - Age Discrimination in Job Loss
Recently I spoke with employment lawyer Mark Risk, who generously offered to answer my questions about age discrimination under the law. Our conversation covered what age discrimination means legally, how to recognize if you might be a victim, the steps to take to claim redress, and what you might win as the result of filing. - Age Discrimination in Hiring
What to do if you were not hired for a job you were qualified for, and you think you were a victim of age discrimination, continuing the discussion with employment lawyer Mark Risk. - Job Search Advantage of 50+
Because of your age and experience, you have many more options and a much better network of colleagues than younger workers. The network of people who know and respect you, a network built up over the years, will help you succeed in your job search. - Job Search Tips when You Are Over 40
Tips for your resume, the interview, and salary negotiation when you are over 40.
Making Your Best Impression
- Boomer Best Foot Forward
Here are three proactive suggestions to help foil those annoying age discrimination thoughts that may stand in the way of your success. - How to Shave Time Off Your Job Search, Part 1
Employers may think the unemployed aren’t really motivated to want a job or aren’t hard-working and that Boomers are just marking time until retirement. Employers may think that people out of work a long time have rusty skills and assume the same about Boomers. Here's how to beat that. - How to Shave Time Off Your Job Search, Part 2
This part focuses on what you need to do to keep your skills and experience current. - Beating 3 Boomer Stereotypes
Some of the unspoken questions behind the questions you are asked will be - Are you continuing to learn and grow - or do you have a "been there, done that" attitude? Are you vital and energetic? Are you keeping up with new developments in your field? Will you work skillfully with co-workers of younger generations? It’s up to you to create the right impression. Here's how... - Beating Boomer Bias: Being Visibly Up-to-Date
I hate to start with the bad news, but, if you are a Baby Boomer, many employers will assume you are not technically up-to-date. - Beating Boomer Bias: Learning New Skills
This article is designed to help you fill the gap in your technical skills -- because it’s important, and you can do it! - Effective Resumes for Boomers
Now is the time to bend or break the standard "resume rules" when they don’t serve your goal of telling your story well, and presenting your qualifications and your personal attributes in the best possible light. Here's how...
Figuring Out What Is Next
- Figuring Out What's Next: Step 1 - Wanting
Job seekers who achieved the most satisfying results and who were the happiest with their results were the ones who were committed to - and worked consistently toward - identifying their needs, skills, values, and goals. What do you want next? - Figuring Out What's Next: Step 2 - Ouching
Once you have completed your assessment exercises in the “Wanting” stage you will have a greater self-awareness, a clearer idea of what you want, what is important and what you can offer to a prospective employer. Knowing your values, skills, and interests will help you to focus your job search and help you to explore setting realistic goals. - Figuring Out What's Next: Step 3 - Winning
This is the most important step in the process of positive work/life change and perhaps the most challenging because it calls for courage and confidence in yourself to achieve your personal happiness.
Developing Your Personal/Professional Success Plan
- Part 1: Personal Retreat
Taking an afternoon – or a day – for a thoughtful look at where your personal life and career is now, and how you want to develop them in the future, will help you plan, set goals you can achieve, and feel focused and self-confident as you begin the next phase of your career. - Part 2: Goal Setting
This article outlines methods adapted to help you effectively reach your personal and professional objectives this year. - Part 3: Maintaining Job Search Momentum
Take heart from the third law of thermodynamics - A body at rest tends to remain at rest. A body in motion tends to remain in motion.
Boomer Career Pioneers
- Lauralee, MBA at 55
In her fifties, Lauralee took the risk to reinvent herself and change careers, and she has just landed the job of her dreams. - Mark, Changed from Corporate to Non-Profit Career
Mark reexamined his life and decided to leave his fast-paced corporate career and found new meaning as a volunteer manager for Elders in Action, a nonprofit organization tackling important issues for older Americans.
Boomer Career Change Options
- Considering a Career in Non-Profits
Are you like many Boomers - wanting work with meaning that connects with your values, and a way to give back while earning a paycheck? If so, then consider making the leap into a non-profit career. - Lifestyle-Friendly Careers
Interesting alternatives to "regular" jobs, including part-time, home-based, and other alternatives. - Career Changers Guide to Careers
Learn about over 250 careers, what is involved and what is requried.
Additional Resources for Boomer Job Seekers
- Is Your Job Search Too Old-Fashioned?
WorkCoachCafe.com blog post - AARP Interview Tips for Job Seekers Over 50
These are great tips for job seekers over 50 – how to handle some of the tough questions that can come up in your job interviews. And just 5 1/2 minutes long. Thanks, AARP! - AARP Networking Tips for Job Seekers Over 50
Job seekers over 40 and 50 often face interviews with younger managers and often feel the need to address several issues related to their age. This video from AARP provides some excellent advice on how to address those issues - AARP Resume Kit
Boomer Job Search Columnist and Contributor
For some interesting options for Boomers (and others) looking for their "second act" careers, check out author Nancy Collamer's Lifestyle-Friendly Careers articles here on Job-Hunt.org.
Meet more of Job-Hunt's Job Search Experts.
