The Mature Worker’s Job Search

Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center

Purpose of this workshop

Empower

Enlighten

Equip

The mature job seeker for the challenges of the 21st century job market for a more effective strategy toward quicker job attainment

Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center

Purpose of this workshop

In other words –

we want you to know what it takes to get a job quicker!

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Objectives

Define Mature Worker Identify the challenges of being a

mature job seeker Provide information on your rights Explain advantages held by the

mature job seeker Identify job seeking resources Provide job search strategies

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Who is the mature job seeker?

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How would you describe the mature job seeker?

Who is the Mature Job Seeker?

AARP – 50+

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – 55+

Saul Carliner of Intercom Magazine – 35+

The Age Discrimation in Employment Act (ADEA) – 40+

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Changes in the labor market

“The labor force participation rate of the older workforce has increased considerably since the late 1980s. The increase in the labor force participation of this group over the past several decades is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.”

Source – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Outlook: 2006-16 Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) forbids discrimination against people age 40 or older. This includes: Hiring/firing decision Pay and benefits Job Assignment Promotions Layoff Training Any other term or condition of employment

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

ADEA protection does not apply to:

Employers with fewer than 20 employees

Workers under the age of 40 Occupations where age is shown to be a “bona fide occupational qualification”.

For more information on your rights

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Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.gov

Challenges!

What Are They?

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MYTHSCan’t teach an old dog new

tricksWon’t stick aroundStuck in their waysTake a lot of sick daysToo expensive to hire

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Fastest growing internet users and taking classes to learn new skills

Stay on job twice as long as those 25-34 They may question change

but can accept it and adjust The higher turnover rates in

younger workers is more expensive than the cost of pension and vacation time for older workers

REALITIES

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ADVANTAGES

Worker’s point of viewEmployer’s point of view

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Job Seeking Resources

LocallyOnline

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Traditional Strategies

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Searching online

Checking job boards

Viewing classifieds

Mass resume distribution

21st Century Job Strategies

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Stand out to employers by:

NetworkingSelling yourself through personal branding

Have a killer resumeInterview the right way

Something you should know about employment and

never forget…

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Publicly posted jobs represent only about 20-25% of vacant positions

Jobs are filled only about 25% of the time by individuals responding to a post

Jobs are filled 75% of the time by individuals who know a connection

Job search is a skill. Skills are improved only when practiced

NETWORKING

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Who do you know?Who do they know?What do they know?Informational interviewing

PERSONAL BRANDING

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Self-promotion using elevator speech Connecting your name to your

career in terms of product, asset, quality and results

Something you should know about employers and never forget…Your resume will get about a 10-20 second read

If you do not capture their interest in the first 7 seconds, they might stop reading

Don’t bore the employer

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KILLER RESUME

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Ask yourself - Is my resume a boring job description? Does it show the results I get? Do I have a brand or do I

sound generic? What do my skills have to do

with the needs of the company and position I am applying to?

Did I write the date of the Killer Resume workshop on my reminder calendar?

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Money saved Processes stream lined Improvements made Speeding bullet caught Tall building leapt over Use numbers where

appropriate

INTERVIEW THE RIGHT WAY

Body LanguageTough Interview QuestionsFollow Up

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Q&A

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