Midlife Career ChangeMIDLIFE CAREER CHANGE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR OLDER WORKERS IS COMPELLINGMidlife career change means many workers leaving jobs before state pension age have little option about the timing of retirement. Those in professional and managerial jobs after 50 tend to enjoy greater choice and control over how and when they leave the workforce than those in less privileged occupations. This may be a fact but, midlife career change is a real possibility, not just for over age workers, but for most people. Some even view it actively as a considered career option when they wish to down-shift to other jobs after 50 for instance. Are you over 50 and looking for a job? But with age prejudice and ageism affecting both junior and senior workers, it is the oldest who are typically hardest hit. There are so many different options for working how do you know which ones are likely to be best for you? Here are some things to consider. What about Writing as a Career? Take a look at Writing As a Career and find out how you can succeed as a writer. You could also look at how to make money online without having to sell, as a way forward in your career or join the growing number of people who work at jobs at home. Have You Thought About Charity Jobs? Give Something Back We have lots of links to job finding services on our find a job page plus links to job search engines for midlife career change you may not have found yet! Over 50 and Changing Careers? You'd Better Have a PlanLike it or not, if you're over 50 and changing careers, you're going to face some challenges that younger workers aren't accustomed to. There's an unspoken bias out there against older workers - at least in many companies - and unless you plan ahead and are prepared to meet that bias head on, you could be in for a long and frustrating job search.For many employers, "older" workers mean trouble. The perception is that workers over 50 will have more health problems, will miss more work days, will be more forgetful and make more mistakes on the job, and will cost more to insure. There's also the belief that an employer will have to pay an older worker more, and that they'll get less for their investment when the worker retires or moves on. And perhaps the worst bias that older job seekers have to face is the idea that they're "dinosaurs," or some kind of museum relic that's out of touch with the needs of modern business. And what's surprising is that many of the employers who feel this way are over 50 themselves! Now an employer isn't going to come out and tell you that you're too old for the job - that kind of discrimination is illegal, after all. You're more likely to hear something like "You're overqualified for the position," or "We're looking for an entry-level worker to fill this post." And this comes at a time when people are living longer, more productive lives than ever before. A man or woman in good health today can expect to live to be 76 years old. And with the elimination of pension plans in most corporations, and the fall back of the stock market in recent years, many employees will have to work well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65. So what are older job seekers supposed to do? Well first off, you need to acknowledge the challenge but don't let it discourage you. Many companies are hiring workers over 50, and some of them actually prefer "mature" employees because of their experience and dependability. So you can still make a midlife career change and find a job, but it will probably take a little longer than you were expecting. And many older workers are skipping the job search all together in favor of starting their own businesses or moving into freelancing opportunities. Some are turning long-time hobbies into full-time businesses. In fact, a lot of these folks see a career change late in life as an opportunity to explore their passions and do things they've always wanted to do. No matter which path you choose to take, you'll need to sit down and formulate a plan of action. If you decide that you want to seek a new job instead of starting your own business, here are some tips to help you get started: -- Look for openings at smaller companies. Smaller firms tend to be more open to hiring older workers, and your experience may be more valuable here than in a larger corporation. -- Network. This is just as important for older job-seekers as it is for younger ones. Spread the word that you're looking to change jobs or careers. Tell family and friends. And search on the Internet for companies in your area that look promising. -- Use your resume to your advantage. If you have college degrees, list them, but don't give the date when they were awarded. You only need to go back 15 or 20 years when listing past jobs, and it's best to only include experience that pertains to the job you're seeking. -- Be positive during your interview. Highlight your experience and positive attributes. Be sure to tell the interviewer about your past accomplishments. Project an air of youthfulness, and make it clear that you intend to work for the company for a long time: it is a midlife career change. And most of all, don't get discouraged. Just remember that Colonel Sanders didn't launch his fried chicken empire until he was 65 years old, and George Burns re-invented himself as a movie actor at age 80. There are lots of opportunities for older workers, you just have to stay positive and keep trying. Kent Johnson - author, publisher, career coach. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Johnson
Age Prejudice & AgeismAgeism is now so rife in the British workplace that CIPD recently announced that people have only five years in their entire working lives between the ages of 35 and 40 during which they are not thought to be either too old or too young for a job, never mind for jobs over 50 or midlife career change.And while age prejudice affects both junior and senior workers, it is the oldest who are typically hardest hit when it comes to midlife career change. According to Age Concern, many employers automatically assume that older workers lack dynamism and are unable to be retrained, which is why a third of workers over the age of 50 currently find themselves outside of full-time employment seeking new ways to midlife career change. However the truth of the matter is this: younger people in their 20s are up to three times as likely to take a day off through sickness as their colleagues who are aged 50-plus, according to research undertaken by superstore Asda. 42 per cent of those people surveyed explained that they "pulled a sickie" as a result of unhappiness rather than hangovers. People splitting up with boyfriend / girlfriend; pet death and servicing the boiler were also cited as reasons to phone in 'sick'. In a further blow to ageist attitudes, one of the key strengths of older workers is that they also proved less likely to take time off with a cold or flu. Workers aged 60-plus were least likely to take a day off sick. Presented in the right way, for jobs over 50, you can be an asset. Anti Age Discrimination LawsIn October 2006, a new European Union law will secure basic working rights for older workers. Until then, however, employers will remain legally entitled to make people redundant for being too old, or to otherwise discriminate purely on the grounds of age. It is a sad fact that ageism and age discrimination will continue, albeit wrapped up as some other (spurious) reason for the discrimination, so older workers will have to be on the lookout. But far from becoming defensive about your age, look on it as an accumulation of experience and wisdom.High on the list of your key strengths and accumulated wisdom is likely to be the ability to deal with adversity and deal with difficult people. In other words don't let the b******s grind you down! Critics argue that any legislation is long overdue and that employers need to ditch any prejudice over age sooner rather than later. Increased life expectancy coupled with poor fund performance or mismanagement and the recent fall in the value of equities means the UK is already facing a pensions shortfall of almost £30 billion. This shortage of funds means many of todays over 50s let alone their younger counterparts are going to have to remain in work for longer than planned in order to fund their retirement. So what does all this mean for midlife career change? Over the next decade and beyond, not only will older workers be in growing demand, they will increasingly be in need of the work. And this is going to require a major shift in attitudes from employers and employees alike. One of the major challenges facing more mature workers is that after years of discrimination and negative conditioning their confidence and self-belief can suffer. You must take control of your own attitude and reverse this conditioning. Midlife career change , then can be an option for most people, but means you will have to work at it more than younger up-and-coming applicants. You must make more of your network of contacts, along with their contacts. People who know you directly or from a recommendation are more likely to consider your abilities and competence, than simply your age. Although your skills and experience may be much greater than the person who interviews you, you will be perceived as more of an asset than a threat if you acknowledge their superior position; show how you will support them and help them to further their career. In other words by being the strong underpinning to their career growth, their own self-interest is served. Have confidence in yourself but don't oversell or continually talk about how you used to do things; ask how your new firm approaches it's tasks, then show that you are keen to contribute and support, NOT takeover and lead. Not yet anyway! You can learn everything you need to know in order to make a successful midlife career change by referring to the material on this site. Find out how to describe your key strengths, to write covering letters and prepare Your CV; and how to prepare for interview questions.
You've already seen what I can do if you have looked around this site, so if you want a truly personalized CV, written by me, which combines all of the impact and interview-winning features created from your own information, then we can do it for you quickly, for just £49.00 inc. VAT Just go to CV Writing Services to get your new CV within 48 hours. You are here: Midlife Career Change Continue to learn more about how to Find Hidden Jobs or you can return to the Career Change page. Return to Your Career Change Home Page.
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