Where to find that job? This just in!
There is nothing more daunting than trying to find a new job. And at 50 plus, it can be downright disheartening. The effort needed is many times greater than when you were looking in your twenties, thirties and, yes, even forties. So you need to think of yourself as a "job sleuth"...a sort of private investigator in the job market.
And how does that work? Well, first of all, you have to look at the big, big picture. What is going on in the North American and world economies? I always take a look at the picture the US Bureau of Labor reports on every month. So, for example, as reported on MSNBC , in February, a lot of new jobs were created. 243,000 in the US. Which is a heck of a lot higher than the 170,000 new jobs added in January. As I noted, back in November and December, it was time to get those resumes brushed up, because as companies start the year with new budgets, the first and 2nd quarters are going to be where they'll extend themselves to staff up and then watch for the rest of their year's earnings. So this is a good start. I'd expect to see this trend continue at least through April.
Now that we see jobs being added, the next thing I look for is what sectors are hiring and firing. Climbs were in construction companies, retailers, and financial services. Manufacturing jobs, however, are down, reflecting the automotive sector downsizing. The tried-and-trues, education, health are still going strong as well.
Just because your area of expertise is NOT in one of these sectors, take a look at any job site for any of these types of companies and you'll find jobs. A construction company needs managers, administrators, accountants, lawyers, graphic designers, etc. etc. Ditto for retailers and financial services. So take the time to sleuth around. When you take a look at employers on Gen Plus, you'll note that most of the company sites carry hundreds of positions (enter "national" as your keyword to see what I'm referring to) in many disciplines, so don't limit yourself to searching in what you believe is your niche. At 50-plus, you need to be creative in your job search. Read the news. Why not companies researching alternative fuel sources and anything that could be vaguely related to homeland security?
Let me know how you do.
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4 comments:
At that age, it is better to start a business. You are wiser, have more life experience, and probably just can't be bothered with the corporate life anymore :)
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There are certainly a lot of 50 plussers who have had it with corporate restrictions, lack of flexibility, and are starting their own businesses. You are quite right. And often, they do have the savvy and experience to make a wonderful go of it. From what I've seen in the past few years, there are also many, many 50 plussers who badly need to continue earning income and need an employer who is willing to hire them. Thank you for visiting! Hope you'll stop in again.
I like starting your own business, even if you are still working or looking for a traditional job. I started with Watkins three years ago and it has been a good experience. There are other companies, of course. Although I still work a traditional job it is fun to build my own, and I look forward to more and more flexibility, time and money as I get older.
Marie, you also make a great point. Life experience, as "the ultimate groupie" mentioned above, certainly adds a dimension to the challenge of building a business...you are both right. And, yes, it is fun.
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