Working from home online

There is a growing trend of people working from their computers at home. Advertisements of work from home litter the internet with promises of big money, little hours and never leaving your home. Most people don’t believe those ads simply because they aren’t true. But there are jobs that can be done from home and it would be a great opportunity for someone unemployed and over fifty.

One of the most popular jobs at home is that of a customer service representative. Companies find that they can route calls easily to someone’s home. Although the pay might be low there is a certain amount of flexibility that goes with working at home.

Another at home opportunity is becoming a mystery shopper. A mystery shopper will be paid to test out websites to see how easily it is to make a purchase or to see how helpful the website is at answering customer questions. Before agreeing to become a mystery shopper, check to see if the company is legitimate. If the company belongs to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association then there is a good chance that it is above board.

Taking surveys is another way to earn a few extra dollars each month. The amount of money earned could range from 50 to 100 dollars a month. Some companies pay by giving away their product to survey takers.

For the more adventurous types starting your own online business is certainly something to consider. Purchasing a web site is relatively cheap today and there are many websites that cater to people who want to setup their own business.

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What are job aggregator websites?

The internet or the web is now the main place to find employment especially for those unemployed and over fifty. There are many job sites that you can search for jobs in a specific field and there are websites that have many categories of jobs according to skills and locations. It can be quite overwhelming. That’s where job aggregator websites come into play.

Job aggregators are online job sites that drive the job seekers directly to the job posting of a company. The job aggregator searches thousands of job sites and adds them to their database.

This service works well for the employer who doesn't have to worry about their job site being inefficient and not attracted the right candidates. It also works well for the candidate because the site uses filters such as job skills, experience and also location to match the candidate up with the right employer.

Two of the most popular job aggregators are Indeed and simplyhired.

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Consider using a referral service to look for a job

If you feel that you aren’t making any progress in your job search you might want to consider a referral service. Job sites like seniorjobbank.com and workforce50.com are excellent places to start to look. They specialize in finding jobs for folks over 50. They also have listings of job referrals by state.

There are also government agencies that assist in finding employment for older workers such as The Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration (ETA). These programs are delivered through the http://www.careeronestop.org/. a very informative website that gives information on a state by state basis as well as descriptions of careers and job tool resources concerning training, interviews and resumes. You definitely want to check out this website.

The Federal government has also has a program called the Aging Worker Initiative, the goal is to better serve the older workers who are looking for employment.

Best employers for people over fifty

AARP came out with its best employers for workers over the age of 50. Cornell University came in first and there was a number of Universities on the list, like MIT, Harvard, and University of Pittsburgh. A good many of the companies were related to the health industry.

The way that AARP determines who makes the list is the company submits an application and has to describe why their company is especially beneficial to older workers.

Cornell University, which won this year, has been on the list for the past 5 years. They actively recruit mature workers and they have an excellent tuition reimbursement program for their employees.

Here is the list
http://www.aarp.org/money/work/best_employers/best_employers_list_2009/

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Over qualified older workers

Are you afraid that your qualifications are going to keep you from getting a job? You are not alone; this is a common fear among older workers.

You are successful in your field but through not fault of your own you lose your job. With the current employment picture finding a job in any field isn’t going to be easy especially if you are in a highly specialized career. At this point in your life you just want to get back to working and your pride isn’t a problem but maybe your qualifications are.

What do you do?

You can’t lie about what you have accomplished in life so you need to sell yourself and punch holes in all the arguments that say that an employer shouldn’t hire someone who is overqualified. One such argument is that you will leave when something better comes about. That assumption is probably true for every ambitious employee or it should be. But right now you are at a point where you don’t want the stress that you had before and would be perfectly happy and very productive in a new position.

Or maybe you won’t be as motivated at a new position that isn’t as challenging as your old job. But a new job, a new surrounding and the fact that you attempting to prove yourself, is plenty of motivation for anyone.

So don’t let any negative thought of being overqualified keep you from being employed.

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The Experience Works program website

If you are an older workers (over 55 years of age) and you are unemployed and your income is not more than 125% of the national poverty level then you are eligible for the Experience Works program. The website has a listing of the 30 states that are involved with the program.

The online site is easy to maneuver through giving helpful tips and information about training and job seeking skills. You can signup for email updates that will give you their newsletter which has job tools and job tips.

Experience Works has also received a grant from the Walmart foundation which will be used to train several hundred workers.

It is worth taking a look at.
http://www.experienceworks.org/site/PageServer

Consider a government job for a second career

Although it seems that no one is hiring these days but there is one place that might have a job for you, the Federal Government. Some say that the government will be hiring over 250,000 employees in the coming years.

There are definite advantages to working for the government such as good benefits and they wouldn’t discriminate against you because of your age. But since the economy has down turned dramatically, the time that it takes to apply for a federal job and actually being hired could take a long time, maybe several months, Of course considering the lack of jobs in the private sector that shouldn’t be a deterrent.

Where do you find Federal jobs and how do you apply?

Like most things now a day, the internet is the place to look for government (state and federal) jobs. The official web site is http://usajobs.opm.gov/ which is very user friendly. But this isn’t the only place to look for federal jobs. If you want to work for a particular agency like Homeland Security you can go to their website and check out their job section.

Another site, the partnership for public service, also has a lot of information about government hiring.

Benefits of hiring older workers

There seems to be a lot of talk about why not to hire older workers. Of course no one will admit to it but there perceived problems with hiring older workers. One of the main reasons that employers are hesitant is that they are afraid that older workers can’t keep pace with younger workers. I guess if you talking about working in construction or digging ditches that might be true but for office work that certainly isn’t the case.

Another possible concern is that an older worker will only have a few years to work before retiring. The way the economy is right now that shouldn’t be much of a worry.

Older workers get sick and miss a lot of work. Is there any proof to back this up, No, younger workers miss as much as older workers.

Older workers can’t learn new skills; once again there isn’t any evidence to back this up. One of the fastest growing groups on the internet is older people, so keeping up with technology isn’t a problem.

In fact there are a number of benefits to hiring older workers as outlined in Entrepreneur.com.

What to do after being laid off

You just got laid off or downsized or fired or whatever you choose to call it, even if you saw it coming you are still surprised. You feel like you have just been hit by a truck and you are scared. What to do after being laid off.

The first thing to do is to take a deep breath and understand that you aren't alone. This is the worst job market in decades; millions of people have lost their jobs and probably a lot more to come. Don't blame yourself. As difficult as it is, you have to remain strong through this trying time.Do you have resume updated, if you haven't make that one of your first steps. A digital resume wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Remember that the internet is where you will find many opportunities.

Reconnect with your network of friends and professional associates. They may have information about a job lead that might not be publicized. And if they don't right now they may in the near future.

Join social web sites like Facebook and especially Linkin, which is a professional networking site.Take the time while you unemployed to research other employment fields that you might be interested in. Also continue to learn new skills, especially pertaining to technology.

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Job search for older workers in this Recession

We are presently at one of the worst employment times in history (besides the depression). Everyone knows that whether you are looking for a job or not. But it is really rough if you are over fifty and looking for a job.

What can you do?

• Realize that you aren’t the only one in this position. I know that doesn’t make it easier to find a job but it will make you realize that it isn’t you it’s the economy.
• Staying on the theme of number one, mental toughness is so important in order to stay focused and confident. It will also keep you from being discouraged.
• Make a plan that you can stick to. Time management is as important when you are unemployed as employed.
• Make a list of the reasons why anyone will hire you. Be specific! Think hard on this one.
• Keeping the resume up to date is always important especially now.
• Don’t give up and don’t become discouraged.

unemployed and over fifty news, Sept 7th

From the Washington Post, an unhappy labor day
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/06/AR2009090601194.html

From Time.com, research from Pew says that older workers are happier. I don’t know if I believe this one
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1920163,00.html

From Bloomberg.com, employers need to give older workers what they really want.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/harvardbusiness?sid=H2983e6eb50f5ebada146414b0801ca6e

Older workers chronologically challenged? From the examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-22733-Grand-Rapids-Workplace-Issues-Examiner~y2009m9d7-Aging-WorkersChronologically-Challenged

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unemployed and over fifty news, September 1st

Here is a story about a man who had second thoughts about retiring, from the Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/letters/bal-retireletter0831,0,3707218.story

Tips against ageism, from the Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-2452-Minneapolis-Workplace-Examiner~y2009m8d31-11-tips-for-older-workers-How-to-avoid-ageism-in-the-job-search

Another story about older workers being hard hit in this economy, from the Abbotsford-Mission Times
http://www2.canada.com/abbotsfordtimes/news/story.html?id=6b445693-f745-49e3-bd5b-eaccb400511b

Older workers are indeed an asset, from the Miramichileader.com
http://miramichileader.canadaeast.com/community/article/776623

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