How to Find Jobs Late in Life

Many people nearing retirement age will need to keep working until they are in their 60s or 70s in order to have enough money to support themselves and their families.  However, sometimes people lose their jobs in their 50s, or they work in physically demanding jobs and know their bodies will not be able to take the punishment much longer.  What can people do when they need to change jobs late in life?

The good news is that it is quite possible to find new careers or less physically demanding jobs as you age. My husband and I have known a number of people who have started new careers in their later years.  For those who are having difficulty finding a new job on their own, there are many special programs to help them.

How to Find an Job After 50

Whether you are looking for a new job because you are no longer physically able to handle your current one, or because you were fired or laid off, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, you may believe you are getting too old to find another career.  Some people talk themselves into the idea that no one will hire them after they have reached a certain age. However, you may be pleasantly surprised to know there are more opportunities than you realize, if you know where to find them.  Below is a list of organizations which could make your job search a little easier.

 

Jooble.org - This is a job search engine created for a single purpose: To help you find the job of your dreams! When you perform a search with Jooble, you'll get links to job postings from more than 22,305 different job sites throughout the USA that are the most relevant to your search terms. Jooble is created to save you time and energy, enabling you to find your desired job from a single query. Jooble's operation features work in the same way as any other search engine operates. Jooble does not compile all the information in its own database, but searches it out and does this much better other search engine you might use to hunt for jobs.

BankWork$ - This is a free training program which teaches people of all ages how to become bank tellers and customer-service reps.  They will also help you polish your resume and find a job.  

 
Department of Labor Job Centers - The Department of Labor operates over 2,000 American Job Centers which are committed to helping workers of all ages who either want to be re-trained or find a new job.  These centers are also called CareerOneStop.

 
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) - Although the Department of Labor program mentioned above is for people of all ages, SCSEP is specifically for unemployed people ages 55 and older who have low household incomes.  The program participants are paid the minimum wage while they get experience working for nonprofits and public institutions.  SCSEP is affiliated with the National Council on Aging (NCOA).  You can get more information on the NCOA website at https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/matureworkers/scsep/ 

AARP Back to Work 50+ - This AARP program works with community colleges, nonprofit partners and workforce boards to help people over the age of 55 who do not qualify for SCSEP because their household income is too high.  You can call (855) 850-2525 for more information about the program.

Where Else Can You Find Help Getting a New Job?

If you have explored the above organizations, but are interested in seeing what other options are available in your community, here are a few additional ideas to help you find a new career, even if you are 55 or older.

Attend job fairs in your community - They may lead you to jobs you never considered ... either full or part-time, permanent or temporary. A wide variety of jobs can often be found at these local events.

Apply to your local community college - Local colleges frequently offer training programs and job placement assistance with businesses in the community.  Many of them offer training which meets the specific needs of factories, industries and businesses in your town.

Contact local unions and trade associations about job opportunities - At the very least, these organizations can often put you in touch with job training and apprenticeship programs.

Visit your neighborhood senior center - Senior centers not only hire senior citizens themselves, but they often know of job opportunities for retirees in your area.

 

You may also want to read "The 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster." It contains many resources to help you. 

Most important, do not give up your job search.  There are opportunities available, even for people in their 60s and 70s. Go to local retail stores and other businesses and politely ask to fill out an application, just as you did when you were younger.  Look for help-wanted ads in the newspaper and online. You need to keep searching until you find the opportunity which is right for you.  Remember, you have a lifetime of skills and experience to offer a prospective employer.

If you are interested in learning more about financial planning for retirement, where to retire, common medial issues, changing family relationships after retirement and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

 

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Best Employers for Workers Over 50

Cornell University
(photo from Wikipedia.com/commons)

Many good, reliable employees in their 50's and 60's find themselves in the uncomfortable position of looking for a new job.  Other older workers may have jobs, but feel they have been marginalized as they aged.  They crave new job prospects where they will be appreciated for the experience and knowledge they have to offer.

Once a year, AARP comes out with its list of the top employers of workers who are over age 50. Some of these companies offer health insurance for part-time employees.  Others offer on-site fitness classes.  One offers bonuses for employees in the form of gift cards.  All of them are considered good places for senior citizens to work.  Depending on where you live, you may be interested in seeing if one of these employers is right for you.

Best Employers for Workers Over 50 

Scripps Health in San Diego, California
Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland
First Horizon National Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee
West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia
YMCA of Greater Rochester in Rochester, New York
Atlantic Health System in Morristown, New Jersey
Mercy Health System in Janesville, Wisconsin
Bon Secours Richmond Health System in Richmond, Virginia
The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California

Since a large percentage of Baby Boomers are going to have to work until their late 60's or longer, there are many benefits to knowing the best employers in your community who are willing to extend job opportunities to older employees.

If you do not live near any of the employers on the above list, you should talk to your friends or contact the local senior center and ask about job fairs in your area.  In addition, you may want to contact retirement communities and nursing homes in your area.  Many of them are willing to hire older workers to help in their offices and reception areas. 

Just because you are no longer young, does not mean that you are no longer able to be a valuable employee.  In fact, as our society ages, the need for older employees will be even greater!

If you are looking for additional retirement information, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of this page to find links to hundreds of additional articles about where to retire, work at home suggestions, financial planning and more.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com