Seven Elephants

Susan Brannon
7 September 2011

Guess what?  You land the interview you don't sleep well the night before, you walk into the door and the HR contact is 1/2 your age.  There are two other people in the room applying for the same job, and they are younger by about 15 years.  When you walk into the interview, you get a surprised look on the manager's face.  Your resume does not state your age, but it is obvious that you are over 40.  The interview takes an awkward turn and you walk out of the door knowing that you will not get the job.

The 40 and over job interviews are called, "Seven elephants in the room"  Because they are present with every interview, being ignored with influence the decision makers.

Elephant One:
Working for a younger manager or with a younger team. It is difficult for the 25 year old to get it out of their heads that they are having someone like their mom or dad reporting to them.  The corporate pyramids have the "oldies" at the top this is the norm.  So, you age might be a factor; but if the job requires experience, this should not be a factor.  What to do:
Ask the question, it exposes the truth about the position and the corporate culture.

Elephant Two:
Over qualifiation: You may fit the profile, except for your age. They may interview you as an exercise, with no intention of hiring you. Shake it off and carry on.  They may think that you are taking the job as a stop over, until you find that better job and may be worried about you leaving.
What to do:  Look at your resume' is it overloaded with the experience that they are looking for?  It may be you that is telling them that you are overqualified.

Elephant Three:
Lack of energy:  We do slow down as we age, fact. However, in the workplace young people can waste a ton of energy.  A mature person will accomplish more in the same time frame, because the task is performed more efficiently.  The tortoise can win because he is not distracted, stays on track and completes the race.  The hare, knows his limits and works with them to succeed.
What to do:  Show your enthusiasm, if you just finished a cycling race or climbed a mountain, drop it into the conversation.  It is the projection of energy and perception of health that matters.

Elephant Four:
Health Problems:  It is a fact that many middle aged people have more health problems than the younger folks. Do you look healthy? Look at yourself honestly in the mirror and see what is real.  You must project confidence, look after yourself.  What to do:  invest in your health and appearance, with a positive attitude.  It will take you a long way.

Elephant Five:
You don't need the money:  There is the common perception that the elders are already set, they don't need the money.  They may assume that you are not driven as the younger people because they think that money is not the issue.  What they don't understand is that you too have to pay a mortgage and for the university for your kids or caring for a parent.  Focus on personal fulfillment and a desire for new challenge.  What to do:  See if you can have a quiet word with the senior person by private communication.  Sometimes they will understand better if they know your situation.

Elephant Six:
Mentally Agile:  There are two types of intelligence: fluid and crystallized.  One does not exist without the other.  Fluid is the capacity to think independently of acquired knowledge to apply logic to problem-solving.  As we age, our fluid intelligence wanes.  This is why young people tend to perceive those who are older as slower, and less mentally agile.

Crystallized intelligence is knowledge gained by experience, which includes verbal skills, general information and the ability to create analogies, this is the wisdom.  Negotiating skills depend on crystallized intelligence.  this increases with age and remains stable until after 65. 
As the excuse for not hiring an older person, does not work because it does not have a foundation in science.  What to do:  Memorize salient facts about your prospective employer and the industry.  With that knowledge at hand you will appear bright and ready as the young candidate.

Elephant Seven:
Problems with change: Some people cannot cope with change and some can.  Prospective employers may be under the stereotype that you cannot change.  They may be projecting the characteristic on someone that they know who is older.  This one is a difficult one to fight. What to do:  When you realize that you are older than everyone else, you can have extra confidence in your abilities. 

Now that you know the "Elephants" you will be better prepared to face them because they will no longer be hidden in the corner.  Smile, relax and look into the eyes, be yourself and don't think about your age!
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Feedback and Postings For Job Hunting

Susan Brannon
5 September 2011
   
Post One
age discrimination on jobs and the high cost of insurance for older workers

    I worked for Sorenson Photography for 17 years and was laid off before people after me were hired. My employer was heard to say he wanted younger workers in the studio.He even gave me a glowing letter of recommendation so i know it wasn't my quality of work. He even told me my work was great! I've since learned that the insurance companies charge hundreds of dollars more a month for health coverage than they do for employees in their 20's. (I was wondering why at job interviews they weren't even giving me the time of day, Now I know and no I'm not ugly) Now employers fire or lay off older workers to get rid of the high cost of health insurance and hire younger workers who as I can see aren't as dependable or experienced. The employers also turn to employment agencies so they don't have to pay for employee benefits or keep the employee. Younger workers in the work force aren't noticing this trend and I try to tell them to start saving money now because you never know. Even my nephew who is 42 graphic designer is considered old and my nephew who is 30 is considered old in his work.

    People think that just because you are an older worker that you have all kinds of retirement money or savings that you should be able to quit work by the time you are 50 or around there but that's not always the case with older workers. Lots have no retirement or not enough for one reason or another. It seems like a lot of people just don't care about this problem either. I purposely look around when I go out shopping or just in places of business on my errands and look or count how many older workers I see and I'm always disappointed to see the majority are younger workers. Like 10 to 1.

    My sister works for an employment agency in California and she sends out well educated, well experienced, well dressed , and great personalities peoples to job interviews and the potential employer calls her back and tells her to send them someone younger. and she informs them that comment is against the law. Discrimination. So then they put it in their job description some job skill that an older person couldn't do to use as discrimination like lift 70 or something that keeps the older worker out but I have to say I've seen young workers in Costco that I could out work any day. Just because they are young doesn't mean they are in shape.

    Oh and yes I do believe in God and regularly talk to Him about the work situation but that doesn't mean you're going to get a solution. In fact life as a christian can be much harder because you don't conform to the world and Jesus said 'take my yoke upon you" and I wouldn't say His yoke is light. But there are many other benefits in being a believer that I wouldn't give up for anything.

    And Yo some people don't have the finances to retire already...

the response?
    37 So far in life either under or unemployed

    Just retire already....maaan.
Post Two

A 61 year old makeover plan

TODAY,there is a paradigm shift from marketing to religion. Let our lives be updated.

In 2007, we lost 3 homes from foreclosure. Our financial problems started when my husband, my daughter in law and my other son lost their jobs.Since we are a family all these problems had a domino effect. We started living on rented rooms/house separately. We lost our credibility with our children. Worst, our rented house was foreclosed and we are being evicted. Is this a true story? It is.

My husband and I decided that he goes back to our country, study LVN, teach and try to sell our property . I promised to send $1000 monthly and started looking for a job as a babysitter, caregiver, a director of religious education and a math teacher but was not hired.I worked in Pasadena as an environmental engineer/chemist for 10 years.When my son got involved in the gang I opted to stay at home and saw my son joined the military. Last year I got an environmental engineer worka fter 13 years of not working but that only lasted for 3 months. On different occassions, a friend loaned me $1500, my brother in law, $2000 and got $2000 from the pawn shop. I enrolled myself on a Certified Nursing Assistant 20 day program which costs $1200.I decided to give away our good furnitures and fixtures for a donation.My 2 children give me $100 monthly allowance. Why am I sharing all of this? Because I believe that we are forgetting that there is a God who loves us, who will provide for all our needs.

Post Three

So I am in school with only 4 month coop and 6 months left of school to get my Civil Engineering/Environmental Protection Diploma. No way can I find a job other then on the end of a shovel while my classmates are all working. Well those under 40 anyway.

I'v had employers like government agencies make comments like "your not what we expected" and of course I didn't get the job. Proving age descrimination is a farce, so don't waste your time.

My solution: Become a burden on society! If enough of us do it maybe some action will be taken since the "youngins" can't afford and don't want to help. Do these people realize they will get old too? Man I can't wait to crap on them.

So work your network, of what unemployed boomers?

I'm so disgusted and I feel I have just wasted $20K+ on a college education. Grrrr I can't even find work at 15 cents on the dollar from what I used to make. I guess we are going to end up making like hippies living about a hundred to a room. Can't wait for that.

I think the answer may come from political pressure, after all we boomers make up the largest part of the population. So when it comes time to vote remember that you should vote for a party or individual that promotes employment and does not descriminate against boomers.

Post Four

You have to think young , present yourself as a young, innovated , current , person aligned with where the world is today and bring your experience into this world. I do Business Consulting for a Fortune 1000 company , I joined the company 18 months ago ,leaving another company for more money! I have been consistently employeed both in the US & Europe and have changed jobs a couple times since I turned 50. It can be done & I know a lot of people who have done it. At the age of 57 I decided I wanted to move to London England to work for a couple years, I did it because I found an opportunity and presented solutions to problems & brought innovation to the company that hired me. I do not have an MBA but I have a positive attitude and a how can I do it attitude!

THINK OUT OF THE BOX!!

Post Five

    The fastest growing jobs for "old timers"

    I'm a trained accountant but was not able to break into the field when I got my degree at 37 due to two facts. #1 the companies I tried wanted females and especially not males over 25. #2 a little thing called the Vietnam Conflict (Harry Truman's and LBJ's money pit) kept me from going to college early enough. I should have stayed in the Corps since my job was so critical due to IQ(130) required, but as a married man, I tried to keep my family together. As to training in the military, my job was also controlled by the Fed who is the worst age discriminator in the Nation and gets away with it. As I was told by the "Simple" Service, "We (the government) make the laws but we don't have to abide by them" The field I was in in the Corps was changed from a highly school trained position to an OJT position by LBJ and military training, unless one carried extra points, was not a help. I am working part-time, freelance in a labor intensive industry at the age of practically 65 and now with the down turn, my $25, $37.50, and $50 dollar per hour job is only gleaning around 20k annually. Unlike the scum that would not pay their mortgages and reduced the value of my home with foreclosures in the neighborhood, I have been responsible and paid my debts not ony on time but ahead of time and now carry a 782 credit score, FOR WHAT? no bailout for high interest rates unless, as my mtg co has told me, I wait until my mtg is 90 days behind which at this point would be Feb of 2011. All I can do without going back to school, which I cannot afford, is continue to eat one meal per day, work every hour I can squeak out of the several companies I do work for, and hope that I die suddenly without a lingering illness that would put me on the streets under a bridge somewhere. I had to take SS early due to this situation but the $12,500 annually from that, before Jimmie Carter's taxes, only pays the mortgage. As to the reference to AARP, people forget that that organizatioon is run by 30 and 40 something liberals that have no idea what they are talking about. Now with BO's attempts, and he will continue to try, Veteran's health care will soon be a thing of the past. If people think that Fed Health Care will be so good, look at the VA farce and then make that judgement. The average citizen without military service thinks the VA is so great, then they can go in for an appointment and wait hours past the appointed time to see, not a Doc, but a PA or a nurse. As to disability benes that we worked for and put our lives on the line for, they are a joke until one reaches a 60% disability or better. My 20% that I have fought for now 42 years and just got(Jan 2009) is a ripping $243 per month and will probably not go higher because I bear the pain and continue to work in a job usually done by 20 to 40 year olds (and still outwork them).
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Job Hunting Tips for Over 40

Susan Brannon
4 September 2011

The goal is to get your resume to the top of the stack, get an interview and land a new job.

Don't broadcast your age - Exclude graduation dates.  You need to look up-to-date with the workforce.  List the work most relevant to the description of the job. Don't include all of your achievements, only the experience that is relevant.

Give examples: Provide concrete examples, how much money you saved the company, not just the program you worked with or that you can communicate well.

Be flexible:  List achievements that show you are adaptable and comfortable with technology.  Link websites that you designed, programs that you implemented to improve on your workflow.

Provide New Information:  When you follow up on your resume' submission with your phone call, offer a new piece of information that is not included in your resume.

Solve Problems:  Research what problems a company may have and position yourself to a solution to solve that problem.  You want to show that what you can do is better than others.

Focus - There are many companies that hire older workers, healthcare, higher education, and government positions.  See the Fastest growing jobs for Baby Boomers.
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Fastest Growing Jobs for those over 50

Susan Brannon
3 September 2011
U.S. News Report in their Money section listed the 20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for Baby Boomers:

Type of Job                                  Projected Growth            % 55 and Older
Retail Salespersons                   
Personal and Home care Aides                        50.7            23.4       
Financial Advisers                                        40.9            18.8
Social and Community Service                      24.6            24.4
Entertainment attendants                            23.8            21.1
Veterinarians                                               35.5            22.4
Surveyors                                                    23.6            16.9
Environmental and geoscientists                   23.6            20.2
Nurses                                                        23.4            17.9
Animal Trainers                                         23.3            23.0
Instructional Coordinators                           23.3            32.0
Locksmiths and Safe repairs                        23.1            25.4
Teachers                                                    22.8            27.0
Archivists, curators                                    22.2            24.7
Social workers                                            22.2            17.5
Management analysts                               22.0            26.5
Pharmacists                                             21.8            21.4
Counselors                                                21.4            18.2
Business Op. specialists                             20.9            18.8
Brokerage clerks                                       20.5            29.5
Religious Workers                                    20.5            32.5

Remember, your failures and successes give you an advantage in the workforce.  You have maturity, you are dependable much more than the current graduates on the job market!
You can also go back to school and get a degree in psychology, start a consulting business, design training programs, write a book.  You are not in the dead zone, keep going and enjoy the process!
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Job Hunting Blues and Truth for over 40

Susan Brannon
2 September 2011

Those who are looking for a job all know that the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics says that the current unemployment rate is 9.1 percent.  I believe that it is higher because the number does not include those who gave up, those who are not on unemployment, those who work out of their homes in the black to survive and those who are homeless without a home.  I imagine that the real number is more like 11-13%, but that number would scare anyone, and therefore it is not published.

Of course, this makes it harder to find a stable and secure job, that dream job in the field that we are trained in.  How about the newly divorced "mom" who never really had to work and has minimal skills?  They are up against a big wall with a societal mindset that they are "losers" and went off somewhere.  This is unsaid of course, but it is felt.  In some cultures the divorced women are shunned and thrown out of the communities.

In the U.S. some of the people in HR and managers of corporations, say that  "the older folks messed up and they made bad decisions and that is why they are where they are today, by loosing their homes, their jobs and maybe their cars."  I have also had conversations with some corporate managers that said, "We view this as a "weeding" the good workers were able to keep their jobs, and the bad workers lost their jobs" 

Really?  The logic is to "hire those that already have the jobs"  Ummm.  Are they trying to tell me that the accountant next door was not a good accountant?  She only worked for almost 20 years and the company laid off most of the near retired workers because they were not good workers?  Are they trying to tell me that the nurse down the street, was not a good nurse?  She is the kindest and sweetest person that I have met in a long time.  She lost almost everything, her retirement dropped so she can't retire, she was laid off so she makes no income, she is a 99er, and her unemployment stopped. It is a good thing that she paid off her home, now she worries about food and property tax. She told me, "They are just not hiring older people, they want the new and younger graduates who have no experience and can pay them less." 

I hear these stories over and over again.  I call it "being pushed out of the market syndrome"  There are 78 million baby boomers, born from 1946 to 1964 and most plan on or have been forced to retire late.

The situation gets more complicated:  For instance, f you send a blind resume' online, you "look desperate for a job vs. choosing a good career" By sending your resume' you can become "blacklisted" and will never have a chance on being considered for that company.  Employers document applicant behavior, decide what resumes to review and which ones to ignore....permanently.  Although, they might not admit it....to you.

Here are some typical "blacklisting" processes:

Resumes' If you send resumes for various jobs to the same company throughout the years and your job background does not match up, back to seven years, they can flag you and reject your application.

Needs - If you send resumes' and they regularly do not meet the company needs, you may get flagged.

Submissions -  If you apply to different roles at once, and non related roles - you will be seen as a desperate job seeker and be thrown out of the pile all together.

Profiling:

LinkedIn - They will compare your resume' to your profile on LinkedIn, if they don't match they will think that you are not telling the truth.

Behavior - They will look you up on Google, Twitter or Facebook.  If you have drunken photos online or other negative engagements that are not aligned with the company...you will get blacklisted.

So, you try for that job, and feel that you are capable of doing multiple positions if you apply for those positions that you qualify for and would not mind, they will view your excitement in the wrong way.

If you have been looking for a job for over a year - that is a red flag.  The HR thinks that there is something wrong if you cannot find a job in that time period. The reality is that I have heard it all, from being over experienced, to not being able to pay enough, to the applicant getting bored, to not knowing enough.  I have heard the person does not fit the company culture, we need to hire younger people to train them into managers, older people are too slow, they do not catch up fast enough, they are behind the times, how will the colleagues feel working with a "mom".



This article is not intended to get you depressed, but to help you to better understand the mindset of those who are doing the hiring.  The trick is to find a company that does not work this way instead of wasting your time looking at the wrong places.  The trick is not to act desperate (although many of us are), we have to play the game in order to gain positive results. The article is also intended to give you some heads up, that you are not alone and what you may have had the "feeling" that this was going on, is real, your feeling is right-on.

Just take the reality, work with it and don't give up!
If you are over 40 and have any tips, please share them with us!

Ideas for Sustainability in a Tough Market: For Displaced Homemakers

Susan Brannon
1 September 2011

Today, job hunting is not easy, and the way to search for jobs has changed in the last decade.  The economy is not good and businesses are cutting back, offering early retirement packages or cutting hours.  If you are a displaced homemaker, job hunting is that much harder for you.  It is against the law to discriminate over age and sex or religion, but after speaking "honestly" with many recruiters, HR folks, and company managers, the bottom line is that they want to hire younger people, "people with more energy", "quick learners", and someone who "fits the corporate culture".

It is a sad day when managers fall into the corporate mindset, and the corporations loose their moral responsibilities to society. It is all about making a profit, and rightly so.  If I owned a company, I would need to make a profit but my question is; how much and at what expense?  If you are "older" meaning over 40 you will find that for some reason, no one will take you seriously with your job hunting and your creative abilities.  It takes an average of six months for a person to find a job these days, but if you are older, the time can take much longer.  Some folks have been looking for a job for over a year. Times have changed and we need to find the loopholes, to get us through these changes and rise above the new generation of the corporate mindset.

I have spoken with a number of "older" job hunters who are frustrated with how society today seems to put them into a specific mold, a babysitter, a nanny, or someone who just moves too slow. They ask me,  "What happened to wisdom, life experience and vital input an older person can give to a company?"  not to mention stability, and commitment.  In the end, they all try to be creative and invent their own jobs using the talents that they have and developing them into a marketable product.  That is not easy, and sometimes can be quite expensive.

If you decide to put your creative energies to work, then I would suggest:

•   A product or service that meets the needs of the times.  Do to our economic down-slide, the middle class is spending less money and the poor are not spending any money except on basic needs. 
• It is important to look at where the market is.  I have been speaking with many business owners, and managers and 100 percent told me that the people who are spending money, are spending it in a different way than before.

For example, most folks would buy a lot of something that is quite not as good quality for instance, furniture; people used to feel that when they changed their styles and taste, they could just throw out the old and give it away later then buy the new. Now, people are buying less items, but spending more on better quality products.  They purchase that piece of furniture that they can last a lifetime and give to their grandchildren.  This is quite the opposite than it has been for the past 20 years.

• The spending trends, are turning back similar to how our grandparents used their money. They buy less but are willing to spend more on a few items that will last a lifetime.

The wealthy are still spending money on nannies, housecleaning, and dog walkers.  The middle class, has cut back on these luxuries so:

• your target would either be the wealthy, or creating quality products that will last a lifetime.  It is important to find the "niche" of needs in our society in order to generate an income.  Look around your community and find out where that "hole" is.

• Another large market are the baby boomers.  There are 78 million born from 1946 to 1964 and most plan on retiring late.  Try to think about what product or service you can offer them.  
• Can you start a care giver company, by hiring others like you to serve and assist others that are just a bit older?  
• Can you offer shopping services, 
• driving services, or 
• companion services to take to lunch and just chat?  
• Think of these items as ways that assist the families, giving them relief that someone is helping to relieve some of the stress from the caregivers.

Another market is children.  

• Grandparents and parents love buying items for their children.  
• Can you create a service to film the growing child, or 
• create safe and creative learning toys?  
• Maybe you can offer tutoring services, hiring others like yourself to provide one on one tutoring. Busy parents do not have a lot of time to help the kids after school with their school work. 

You can start 

• by volunteering in the schools as a reader or a career counsler.  Get to know the people and let them get to know you.  You can develop a network of people that just might be looking for someone to tutor their children!

These days, you have two choices;  1) look for a job with a company or 2) create your own job that fills a need in these changing times. Good Luck!

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Alicia Munnell - Former Member of the President's Council of Economic Ad...

Dr. Carl Van Horn, professor of public policy at Rutgers University

Mark Chase www OverFiftyandOutofWork com

Looking for a job is tough when you're over 50

I'm looking for a job - Matt McGinn

Feedback and Postings For Job Hunting Part Two

Susan Brannon
6 September 2011
Post Six

    Old timers

    My experience with people whom I've met in these fields fall primarily into 2 categories: youngins who went to school for their professions and have been at it 10 years or less OR oldies who were the early birds and stayed in the professions as these fields matured... these 55 and ups are looking to retire. That doesn't mean these fields are looking to replace the oldies with new start oldies with more health problems (thus more likely absences and less dependable) than the new college grads they can get for cheap who can work harder, faster, learn quicker and adapt faster than the oldies. I'm 59 and I'm told I look 15 years younger and except for regular daily back aches (due to osteoarthritis), I'm as fit as a 40 year old. I surmise most 60 year olds look their age. But I realize my time has past and employers prefer to hire the youngins with time to put in for the training they receive. And don't talk about your age - it's not a question they can ask during the hiring process. Instead, dye your hair, put on some face tightening lotion, moisturize your hands, wear appropriate job interview clothes - but more contemporary styling to emphasize youthfulness, and get plenty of sleep and drink your GERITOL before the job interviews. Acting youthful and energetic takes the focus off age... as in most things in life, it's the perception that mostly counts. Now, once you get hired is a different thing... can you keep up with them youngins? Or will you feel out of place and act like an ol' fart who the youngins will want to get rid of, or make your life difficult, raise your BP and give you a heart attack?

Post Six
    over 55

    It was my understanding that age discrimination was agenst the law. But it looks like most companies pratice it on a regular basis. We need a place that looks into this pratice as it eats at the root of our society. With baby boomers hitting this age if they are left out of the work force all boomers will become a true burdin on our country. From my experence I have found the older workers are more decitated to their jobs and already have all the knoledge needed to do the jobs with out companies having to do all sorts of training. We need help!

Post Seven

    20 Hot Jobs?

    Emily's definition of "hot" needs work. There is a serious shortage of veterinarians, but it is harder to get into 1 of the 26 veterinary medical schools than into regular medical school due to so few openings. You cannot practice veterinary medicine without a license. To get a job as a veterinary assistant at nearly minimum wage you need a veterinary technician (nurse) 2-year degree. So if you plan to do something "veterinary" go to a 10 week dog groomer class and work for tips.

    Likewise "pharmacist", "registered nurse" "environmental scientist" "geoscientist" require specialized advanced degrees, as do "urveyors, cartographers, and photogrammetrists" and "post-secondary teachers" meaning college professors.

    The artlcle should be titled "Go back to college for 2-4 years for a new degree to get 50% of the jobs that will hire older workers, or expect to make minimum wage as a ticket clerk or usher in a stadium part-time."
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