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Though some employers would prefer a younger
workforce, the older applicants still have a wide variety of career
choices to choose from.
Employers are starting to see the potential of older and
much-experienced applicants as can be seen by the statistics below:
q In Australia, Bureau of Statistics showed that between the period
of August of 1989 to that of August of 2003, the workforce aged
15-24 lost more than 380,000 jobs to older workers.
Aside from the fact that most of Australia's younger generation
became full-time students, employers favored the older applicants.
q In Netherlands on the other hand (by December of 2000), over
500,000 thousand of their employees are 55 years old and above. This
figure had been increasing steadily since 1995.
To have a head start from the younger applicants, one has to take
into consideration the following:
1. In writing one's resume, put more weight in highlighting the
accomplishments without necessarily bragging about it.
One could have these lists of accomplishments and previous posts
held work for one's advantage over younger applicants who may not
even have any experience on the same field.
An individual's employment history receives as much scrutiny as the
applicant itself. While employers tend to look for gaps or lapses of
time when the applicant has been unemployed, they also tend to focus
on the length of service one had rendered for their previous
employers.
Frequent change of work (usually within very short time frames) can
be alarming for prospective employers.
2. Read and enroll in programs that will refresh your knowledge on
certain fields especially if engaged in professional sectors. This
will keep you individual abreast of the latest trend in such fields.
3. Search the Internet for vacancies. A lot of agencies place ads on
the net that advertises help for senior citizens in looking for
jobs. Various search engines made easier and specific (can choose
the following categories: career, location and field of interest)
are also available.
Jobs that do not usually look into the age of the applicant are the
following:
1. Professional work that are into specialization. For applicants in
the medical field (i.e. Doctors) experience is the basic determinant
of being hired.
2. Lectures or speaking engagements. Speakers that are invited to
discuss certain topics do not really have an age requirement.
Rather, qualification focuses more on first hand knowledge and
experience.
3. Writers. Writing novels, plays or children's books are one of
those professions whose only requirement is good writing skills.
Also, one can do the job at the comfort of their own homes, a plus
factor for those in their advanced years.
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