Blog Post: Baby Boomers there is a next career for you, once you know how...

Attention Baby Boomers!  If you are not ready to retire, believe you have good years ahead of you, don’t let the current job market conditions get you down.  How about a second career? No matter the motivation to get back to work, if you are ready, willing and able there is a next career for you. 

How can there be anything out there for you when you are competing with the younger generation?  They have an advantage in that they are current in today’s business world, savvy with technology, can accept an entry-level salary because there is a future for them because they have decades of service ahead.  Wow, how can baby boomers compete against that? 

Baby boomers that have years of success in their careers offer a great deal to employers.

¨         Business acumen, developed through years of experience, these are lessons learned not taught in colleges

¨         Stability in the job as most boomers are concerned about the success of the department/company and personal gain/promotion is not a large priority for the second career

¨         The benefit to the employer of being a mentor to the younger employees and act as a role model to younger employees.

These are only a few of the benefits the boomers bring to the labor force, so why do boomers have trouble finding a second career?

¨         You are competing with a younger workforce if you are using a traditional job search approach

¨         For the most part boomers are not attractive to recruiters

¨         The internet postings are designed to filter out profiles based on age, education and job history

¨         Age discrimination does exist although it is not overt

¨         Interviewing for a job with a 30/40 something could be intimidating, on both sides of the table

¨         A chronological résumé limits your chances in the traditional job search

¨         Employers that price shop will discount the value you bring

How do you get around these obstacles?

¨         Determine what you want to do in your second career

¨         Determine where you want to do it, industry

¨         Determine your value to the market

¨         Prepare your résumé, cover letters, and all of your marketing communications with the value you bring as the main message

¨         Plan a career search strategy that is outside of the traditional methods, this way you will not be competing with the masses.

There are jobs and positions in the job market the will enable the baby boomer generation to continue your career goals or begin a second career.  If you are interested in discovering how you can be a Baby Boomer with a second career please contact me Russ@mycareerstartshere.com or visit my website, www.mycareerstartshere.com for more details.  See you at the Jobing.com Career Expo August 12, 2008