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Helping Older Clients Attain Job Search and/or Career Success

Helen LaVan, PhD, LPC, NCCDePaul University1 E. Jackson Blvd.Chicago, IL 60604hlavan@depaul.edu

You're Not OldYou're Highly Experienced

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Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right!!!!!!

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Arm Yourself With Facts

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Key Labor Force Facts

The older workforce is growing. Labor force participation rates for older Americans declined during much of the 20th century, but have risen in recent years. The share of women age 65 to 69 who were employed doubled between 1988 and 2007, rising to 26 percent. Between 1992 and 2007, the share of men age 65 to 69 who were employed grew from 22 to 34 percent, an increase of about 55 percent.

Health care costs are a substantial and growing pressure on older Americans' finances. Median out-of-pocket health care spending consumed 14 percent of income for adults age 65 to 74 in 2003 and 22 percent for those age 85 and older.

As health care costs rise, a typical older married couple could devote 35 percent of its after-tax income to health care in 2030.

Health care costs delay retirement for some workers. Older men who expect high health care costs for themselves or their spouses after age 65 retire about 13 months later than those who expect low costs. The difference for women is 12 months.

More than a quarter of full-time workers in their early 50s change careers before they fully retire. Most earn less in their new jobs but say they enjoy their new work more.

http://www.urban.org/decisionpoints08/archive/19olderworkers.cfm

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Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)

protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The ADEA’s protections apply to both employees and job applicants. Under the ADEA, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his/her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training. The ADEA permits employers to favor older workers based on age even when doing so adversely affects a younger worker who is 40 or older.

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Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (OWBPA) The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (OWBPA) amended

the ADEA to specifically prohibit employers from denying benefits to older employees. Congress recognized that the cost of providing certain benefits to older workers is greater than the cost of providing those same benefits to younger workers, and that those greater costs would create a disincentive to hire older workers. Therefore, in limited circumstances, an employer may be permitted to reduce benefits based on age, as long as the cost of providing the reduced benefits to older workers is the same as the cost of providing benefits to younger workers.

Employers are permitted to coordinate retiree health benefit plans with eligibility for Medicare or a comparable state-sponsored health benefit.

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Waivers of ADEA Rights

An employer may ask an employee to waive his/her rights or claims under the ADEA either in the settlement of an ADEA administrative or court claim or in connection with an exit incentive program or other employment termination program. However, the ADEA, as amended by OWBPA, sets out specific minimum standards that must be met in order for a waiver to be considered knowing and voluntary and, therefore, valid. Among other requirements, a valid ADEA waiver must:

Be in writing and be understandable. Specifically refer to ADEA rights or claims. Not waive rights or claims that may arise in the future. Be in exchange for valuable consideration. Advise the individual in writing to consult an attorney before signing the

waiver. and Provide the individual at least 21 days to consider the agreement and at

least seven days to revoke the agreement after signing it.

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Older Worker Myths Myth 1: Mature age workers will cost the business more for their

experience Myth 2: Mature age workers may be prone to health problems Myth 3: There is no long term benefit to training and developing

mature age workers Myth 4: Younger workers are better performers than mature age

workers Myth 5: Mature age workers won’t be able to adapt to changes and

new technology

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/matureworkers/2_myths.html

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Excellent Sources of Facts

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Aging & Work Facts DatabaseSloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College

http://agingandwork.bc.edu/statistics

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Aging & Work Facts DatabaseSloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College

Age Bias and Employment Discrimination Business Strategies & Workforce Development Caregiving: Elder Caregiving: Employer-sponsored benefits for Caregiving: Other (grandchildren, spouse, dependents) Demographics: Age Distribution, Life Expectancy Education and Training Educational Attainment Employee Engagement & Job Satisfaction Employer-sponsored benefits Employment Preferences Flexible Work Options (general) Flexible Work Options: Bridge Jobs Flexible Work Options: Consulting, Contract Work, Self-employment Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule Flexible Work Options: Leaves of Absence Flexible Work Options: Part-time Employment Flexible Work Options: Phased Retirement Flexible Work Options: Remote Work, Telecommuting, Telework Flexible Work Options: Work Redesign Gender

http://agingandwork.bc.edu/statistics

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Aging & Work Facts DatabaseSloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College

Health & Safety & Workplace Injuries Health Care Costs Health Insurance Health Risks & Behaviors; Wellness Programs Health Status Income Knowledge Transfer Labor Force Participation Marital Status Medicare & Medicaid Mental Health Multi-generational Workplace Older Workers, Advantages of Older Workers, Costs of Older Workers, Job Skills and Demands Older Workers, Perceptions about Performance, Productivity, Absenteeism Pensions and Retirement Accounts Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration Reasons for working Recruitment , Retention, Tenure, Turnover Retirement Income & Expenditures Retirement Planning Retirement Statistics Retirement, Timing of Social Security Unemployment & Underemployment Voluntarism

http://agingandwork.bc.edu/statistics

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Job Central Resources http://www.jobcentral.com/senior_resources.asp

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http://www.rileyguide.com

Riley Guide

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http://www.rileyguide.com/mtoz.html#o

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Age Friendly Employers http://jobs.aarp.org/job.search/?city=chicago&state=il&zip=&keywords=&location=chicago%2C+il&radius=30&status=2&x=28&y=13

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Tailor the Job Search Process

Categorize the client as:Job-related skills high, job search skills low

Job-related skills lowPrefer to retire, but in need of financial resources

Prefer to retire, but in need of something to do

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New Job or Career Change?

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SCSEPTAPAssessment

AARP Foundation

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Skills Pre-Assessment Worksheet

http://www.aarpworksearch.org/Pages/WorkSearchFirstStepAssessmentSystem.aspx

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Skills Pre-Assessment Worksheet

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Resume Modifications

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Resume Strategies for Older Workers The rule of thumb for older workers is to list about 15 years worth of jobs on a resume.

Simply omit your older jobs from your resume unless you feel you have a compelling reason to leave them on.

De-emphasize dates. Certainly don't list your birth date. Omit college-graduation dates that are more than 10-15 years old. Some experts even advise omitting dates from the listings of your jobs, instead just listing the number of years you were in each job.

If you're not willing to leave dates off your resume altogether (some employers will think you have something to hide if you omit them), consider a chrono-functional resume, which is organized around functional skills clusters. After listing 3-4 skills clusters and showing how you've demonstrated those skills, you include a bare-bones work history at the bottom. Listing your work history after your skills clusters has the effect of emphasizing relevant skills and de-emphasizing dates. Some experts suggest softening the job titles you list on your resume so you won't seem overqualified. For example, "senior manager" instead of "vice president."

http://www.eresumes.com/older-workers-resume.html http://www.workforce50.com/Content/Articles/Art0004_Avoiding_Age_Bias.cfm

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Resume Strategies for Older Workers Be sure to list all courses and professional-development activities that

illustrate your willingness to learn and keep your skills updated. Definitely list all the computer and other technological skills you possess that are relevant to the type of job you're applying for.

Emphasize results, accomplishments, and achievements. List some accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates. You will likely have a greater quantity and quality of achievements than will younger workers. In each job, what special things did you do to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else or than anyone else could have done? What did you do to make it your own? What special things did you do to impress your boss so that you might be promoted? How did you leave your employers better off than before you worked for them? Accomplishments are the points that really help sell you to an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties.

http://www.eresumes.com/older-workers-resume.html

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How to Handle Education DatesDON'T leave dates of education off of your resume unless you have a good strategic reason to do so. One of the most common errors that I see are dates of education left off the resume when they should not be left off. For example, if you earned your degree 15 years ago and began working in your current career track the same year, you will actually raise questions about your age by not including your degree dates. The dates on your degree tend to close the "loop" and eliminate age-related questions in the mind of the resume recipient. But if you leave the dates off, the recipient will assume you are hiding your age and are older than your work experience indicates. On the other hand, if you have shortened your resume to the most recent 10, 15, or 20 years, and your most recent degree was earned earlier than a year or two before that cut off point, it is probably in your best interest to leave the dates off the resume.

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Be Proud of Age-Related ExperienceDO be proud of your age and the associated experience and perspective that you bring to your employers. Even though--in most cases--you should not emphasize and draw attention to your age, do recognize that you bring to the workplace a value offering unmatched by your younger competitors in the job market. Your self-assurance and confidence will come across in your resume and during interviews.

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Fill Resume With Achievements That Illustrate What You Bring

DON'T forget to fill your resume with achievements and results that illustrate your personal brand and the unique promise of value that you bring to the workplace. Position yourself for the position. Demonstrate through past accomplishments and value add that you are the perfect candidate for the job. When your resume is filled with achievements that illustrate you will deliver a strong return on an employer's investment in hiring you, your age will NOT even be an issue.

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Showcase Achievements and Personal Qualities DO create a resume that showcases achievements that illustrate the

traits most valued in older workers - your credibility, your depth and breadth of experience, your judgment and decision-making abilities, your range of professional contacts, your work ethic and reliability, your emotional stability, and your commitment to company goals. Subtly, in your resume and cover letter, touch on achievements that illustrate a high energy level, strong technical skills, and adaptability to change.

Resume Employment History Tip!!!

RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 1990 TO PRESENT

Job A 2007-2009 Job C 1999-2004 Job F 1998-1999 Job E 1990-1998 Other Experience Consulting Gig B 2005 Consulting Gig D 2006

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Image IssuesDoes your client need an

image consultant?

Job Fairs http://www.nationalcareerfairs.com/

www.catalystcareergroup.com http://chicago.localhires.com/events/MzAwNg==/+Job+Fair+February+17%2C+2010http://www.unitedcareerfairs.com/eventDetail.php?Chicago-West---Oak-Brook-IL-61http://www.ides.state.il.us/db/event/default.asp 33

Job Searching on the Internet Guidehttp://www.rileyguide.com/jsguides.html#guides

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Interviewing Issues Practice and videotape the most difficult

questions they are likely to face? Why did you leave your previous employer? What don’t you have a job yet? Tell me about your weaknesses. Will you retire soon?

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RetrainingRe-careering

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Office of Vocational and Adult Educationhttp://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/index.html

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Starting A Business Be sure your clients know the odds of success. Would a franchise or purchasing an existing

business be a better approach?

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Starting a Businesshttp://www.rileyguide.com/steps.html

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Freelance or Consulting Work http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/ http://www.elance.com/p/landing/provider.html?

gclid=CInt2uXrvZ8CFQwhDQodwWkwzg http://www.freelancewriting.com/freelance-

writing-jobs.php http://www.ifreelance.com/Freelance-Jobs/

Market-Research-Freelance-Jobs/ http://www.sologig.com/

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Volunteering http://www.chicagovolunteer.net/ http://www.volunteermatch.org/

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Case #1Mark is a 58-year-old accountant and CPA, who was laid off from his former employer due to insufficient work for both him and the CFO of his employer. Prior to this time he had a relatively common career path. He searched and found a new position by emphasizing the credit manager part of his background instead of the accounting part of his background. He was terminated for poor performance after only two months in his new position. What strategies do you suggest to help Mark?

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Case #2

Marcia is 45 years old and previously held the position of manager of recruitment in a manufacturing company. She sought a new position similar to the one she had in the functional area of recruitment, that was then able to find a position. What strategies would you use to assist her?

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Case #3Suzanne is a 56-year-old woman who had stayed at home for nine years to care for her ill husband. When he died, she had to return to the workforce. Previously, she had been a writer and editor for a prominent publication in Chicago. She had hoped to find a position similar to the one she had previously held. However, she did not have a portfolio and did not have sufficient computer knowledge with of desktop publishing software. She had some financial resources. What strategies would you have used to assist her in the short run of 1 to 2 years and in the longer run of approximately 9 to 10 years?