Online Interview...the New Book Tour Concept

Looking for something to do on Wednesday...around 11 PST or 2 EST? Then you might want to take part in the new form of online book touring -- the online interview. Yours truly will be interviewing Gail Rentsch, author of Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time, live and online through my very popular and active group on Eons, Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus. To observe, simply head over to the group at: http://www.eons.com/groups/group/careers-for-boomers-and-50-plus

If you want to want to take part in the interactive component and ask a few of your own questions, make sure to head over to Eons in advance and sign up as a member (you can only post messages and replies, or to join groups if you are an Eons member.)

Gail's book take a candid, fact-filled look at the challenging transitions women face in their 50's and 60's and how that translates into real life. This promises to be a fun and lively exchange, so don't miss it.

So, how will it work online?

When you head over to the group on Wednesday., you'll see a message with the title "Janet (Gen Plus) interviews Gail (Smart Women) HERE!" You'll see my questions and Gail's responses within THAT message stream. At the same time, you can post your own question to Gail by starting a new message and she'll respond in real time, or if you are shy, just send me a "private message" and I'll ask your question for you through my message stream. We've only got a tight 30 minutes with Gail on her busy book tour schedule, but don't worry -- if you have questions that don't get answered in time, Gail will come back and answer them later that day.

What if I can't join you?

If you can't join us live, but have questions about your own transition that you'd like to have answered, feel free to send me your questions in advance (through private message on Eons or at wspiegel@genplususa.com ) and I'll do my best to get them included in our discussion.Should be fun! Looking forward to having you join us. Great book, great author, great group. Nuff said. Hope to see you on Wednesday at 11 PST, 2pm EST.

So Much to Share...So Little Time!

I've got some book reviews coming your way, but in case you want to get a head start on your mid-summer line up, here's one for the boys...


Bob Morris' ASSISTED LOVING True Tales of Double Dating With My Dad (HarperCollins June 2008)

What would you do if your eighty-year-old father dragged you into his hell-bent hunt for new love? Bob Morris, a seriously single son, tells you all about it in this warm, witty, and wacky chronicle of a year of dating dangerously.

This father-son memoir has received some wonderful reviews:

"But it's the journey, not the destination, so the saying goes, and in pursuit of romance, this father and son get a second chance at finding each other; theirs is the resounding love affair at the center of the book... And by way of good manners, let me thank you, Bob Morris, for your heartfelt contribution to the canon of father-son memoir; an expression of civility, a grace note unto itself."- Dinah Lenney, for the LA Times

"Never losing sight of the complex relationship between aging parents and adult children… the inspirational memoir captures all the needed laughs and emotions that go with love and life in the waning years of parent-child bonding.."- Publishers Weekly

You can check out Bob's website at www.assistedloving.com for videos of him and his dad!

AND one for the gals...

How do women retire nowadays? Well according to this book, they don't!

What will you do when you retire? Wave that “red flag” question in front of a woman who fought for any scrap of work success she now claims, and then watch anticipation angst kick in as she thinks about the “what next” stage of her life – the one that comes after her kids are grown, her career has plateau-ed, her spouse is getting antsy, and her friends are primarily work-related.

The Transition Network (TTN), a nation-wide community of women who are re-imagining retirement, have written Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time to help women deal with the "what next" question.

Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free is a blueprint for women redefining retirement. It's a practical guide showing how to choose what to do next, whether it's pursuing a new career, volunteering, or becoming an entrepreneur. This book shows you how to create your own whole new set of life choices.

Praise for Smart Women Don't Retire - They Break Free

"This book compiles concrete evidence that the angst of friends and colleagues is, in fact, part of a flood of concern across the nation. The good news is, we are not alone. The better news is, there are some answers here, or at least signposts that point the way to new possibilities." —Lynn Sherr, Correspondent, ABC TV

“In the next decade a huge number of women will be making a work-related transition from a lifetime career to whatever comes next . . . This book provides a valuable orientation to this process; it is rich in practical advice and inspiration.” —Jennie Chin Hansen, President, AARP
“Every woman 50+ should read this book . . . regardless of where they are on their retirement journey!” —Jeri Sedlar, coauthor of Don’t Retire, REWIRE! senior advisor to the Conference Board on the Mature Workforce

More Information: http://www.thetransitionnetwork.org/
http://www.smartwomendontretire.com/

A great re-brand

Nothing like an excellent re-brand to get my attention. As you may know from my earlier posts, we suffered a family tragedy. It is really hard to function in the normal day-to-day sense as your mind tries to comprehend and process the information, emotions and necessities of moving forward.

In the spirit of moving forward, one of the unavoidable facts of life for a 40/50/60-something woman is that your hair grays. It doesn't matter that I didn't want to pay any focus to my graying roots, but they seemed to take on a life of their own and screamed for a quick home dye-job. So, in an effort at a return to normalcy, I tackled my hair. For those of you with graying tresses, you'll understand what I mean by tackled.

Gray is stubborn. Gray is coarse. Gray would prefer to remain gray. And I would prefer that it beats a hasty retreat. If you have ever home-dyed, then you, like me, will also have tried just about every brand there is on the market. Feria, Preference, Nutrisse, Nice'n'Easy...and on and on. And, if your gray is like mine, within days of torturing your hair, the gray brazenly peeks through, daring you to last three weeks until your next dye job.

I was very curious when Clairol came out with Gray Solutions and promises of 100% gray coverage (and skeptical, of course), but I decided to try it. The product was very good. My coverage was solid. The gray didn't peek through. But the packaging and the experience of the product? Not as good. The packaging looked old. What can I say? I realize I'm covering the gray, but I'm an almost 50-something. I'm not yet my mom's age of 72. But the packaging made me feel old. The pre-treatment worked, but made me look like some sort of a drowned rat after application. Good end result, but not a feel-good experience. It worked, so this became my reluctant brand of choice.

So imagine my surprise when I opened the package to start the process just the other day. I'd noticed the exterior branding had changed a bit -- skewed to a bit younger demographic -- but the entire interior packaging had been reinvented. Instead of boring foil packets, the packaging had changed to a gorgeous new age blue (think paint job on all the new car models now). The pre-treatment gloppy paste had been reformulated to a lighter gel that could be used all over the head rather than just the ends (easier usage) and the conditioner had been lightened up. Oh joy, oh bliss...I WAS the TARGET MARKET. They had rebranded for ME! So now, a great product, intended to cover the gray, had been rejuvenated (literally).

Why all the waxing on hair dye? Because it was a perfect example of taking a great product (like you, the 50 plus jobseeker) and finding a way to re-package, re-tool, chunk, and retrofit your external presentation in a way that the buyer (HR recruiter) would find not only your product solid (your skill set), but how you were packaged (how you'd fit into a younger company culture, for example) and what you brought to the mix.

So my hair may have great coverage, but the re-brand reinvigorated me. Good job, Clairol. Good job.

PS. Incidentally, I have not been solicited by Clairol or paid by them to review their product. But it sure would be nice to get a lifetime supply of the product...my hair will only get grayer.

Over 50 and Want a Job with NASA? Yes...THAT NASA!

#1 -- Login to your Gen Plus account http://genplususa.com/login.aspx
#2 -- Search for jobs and look for keyword "NASA"
#3 -- Apply to the coolest job opportunity for all -- INCLUDING Boomers, 50 Plussers and retirees...

Huh? That's right. Our good friends at Kelly Services have passed along a spectacular opportunity and I'm spreading the word. Here is the job posting:

NASA (yes, that NASA, the National Association of Space and Aeronautics) is looking for a few good people for an amazing job opportunity! Are you up to the challenge? Kelly Services®, in partnership with NASA Space Camp®, is now recruiting camp counselors! This is a long-term opportunity to work on the NASA campus and be a part of Space Camp, Space Academy®, and the Aviation Challenge®.

What you’ll do as a camp counselor:

• You’ll be supervising, motivating, and teaching young people (ages 9 – 18) as well as adults in a highly educational, exciting, and fun-filled camp environment!
• You’ll lead a team of trainees through their weeklong camp experience.
• When assigned to the simulations area, you will train the students in Space Shuttle mission simulators or jet fighter operations. What you’ll get out of it (aside from a really cool job):
• Enhance your teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Receive valuable experience in the areas of education, space science, and military science toward a future teaching, engineering, science, or military/aviation career. • Free room and board (dorm style) for out-of-town counselors.
• $8 – $9/hour bi-weekly pay with direct deposit.
• Supplemental insurance is available with prescription discount card.
• Intensive paid training and NASA Space History lessons.
• Paid time off.
• Free meals.

What you’ll need to apply:

• Be available beginning in January/February through August (preferred).
• Completion of 30 college credit hours (as a minimum) in any major! Or if you have related life experience (e.g., being in the military), that will work too!
• A real desire to work with trainees ranging from ages 9 – 50 and over.
• You must be at least 20 years of age. Retirees are also welcome!
• Some experience working with children or young adults.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Your most recent school transcript. [ed. note: your most recent may be from 1962...but that is OK!]
• An interest in space and aviation, and the ability to learn fast and retain information.
• Successful completion of four-week counselor training program (provided by NASA), and completion of required testing.
• Must be able to walk long distances.
• Must be able to handle the demands and rigors of long days and responsibility"

This is a GREAT opportunity. If you currently have NO job, or are looking for a meaningful change, are looking to have an incredible career experience, give back to others, save a bit of money AND have one of the coolest job histories ever, don't delay and apply today. Your life experience has a great deal of value. Go for it. And let me know if you become a NASA counsellor. I'll want to shout it out to the world!

What do Halloween, Love Search and Job Search All Have in Common?

Boo! They are all scary. So it seems most appropriate to make some parallels between a search for "Mr. or Mrs. Right" and the search for "The Ultimate Job" on this scariest day of the year...Halloween!

On one of my other blogs, Love for Boomers and 50 Plus, I posted on online dating and the sheer terror that many of us feel putting ourselves on the market for love.

"One of my ventures, Gen Plus Singles, is an online dating service, niched to 50 plus. Interestingly, women (who, incidentally, men are TRYING to find) will happily put up their profiles and browse amongst the men, but are incredibly tentative about actually signing up so they can email a fella. Men, on the other hand, are bold. They know what they want, they see it, they sign up, they email. If the woman doesn't write back, they move on to the next woman. So I always wonder, what is it about women (and, yes, I'm one) that makes us so fearful of putting OUR best foot forward? "

Well this got me thinking about the parallels between online dating and job search. About 1/2 of all jobseekers search for work online. (I wonder if 1/2 of loveseekers also search online.) And just as with online dating, it can often be a numbers game. The more resumes you send out, the more jobs you apply for, the better the odds of getting a call. Just as great jobs attract hundreds of resumes, great online profiles also attract many interested potential daters.

So, from my own experience, here is my approach to becoming less fearful in both online dating and online job search.

1) Have a great resume. Just as your online dating profile needs a good photo, a great smile and some compelling description of who you are, your resume needs to function as a good photo, great smile and a compelling description of your career accomplishments.

2) No one wants a fuddy-duddy. Take a look at online dating profiles. Haircut from the '80's? Pass. Glasses from the '70's? Pass. If your resume is simply an updated version of your jobs since 1982, then you are on the wrong track. The new format includes:

• punchy, active, dynamic descriptors
• results of accomplishments (not just responsibilities)
• impactful action words
• bullet points

3) You need quantity to get quality. If you only email once potential love match, your odds of getting a reply are very, very low. If you email 25 interesting candidates, someone will likely write you back and you may end up on a date!

Ditto for job search. If you are on a targeted job search (i.e. you need a new job...now), then you must apply for as many jobs as fit your talents. Look above the box, under the box, beside the box...but look out of the box. Just as you can't really tell the quality of the person from a picture, you can't tell a company from its job description. If you think there might be a fit?....well....there might be.

Again, from my previous post:

"Anytime I've online dated, the only true successes I've had is when I've paid for a membership, searched for the men I liked, and then emailed and emailed until I heard back from the ones I was interested in. Just as men prefer to choose, I prefer to choose. So, if you've been sitting on the fence (and this is for the men, too!), getting bored on your Saturday nights, take a gamble. Put your money where your mouth is, and start emailing. You won't know if you don't try. "

The scariest part of job search or love search is getting started. So get cracking. Fix up your profiles, show the world the best of yourself and say "Boo!" to the ghosts of Halloween!

Pure Prevention, Breast Cancer Fund and Luna Bar -- a Powerful Combination

What do you get when you bring together some of the best and brightest bloggers for a web news conference with a couple of powerful, grass roots movers and shakers?

An hour of exciting, dynamic conversation supported by a wealth of experience and expertise. That is what happened earlier this week when top notch moderator Cindy Samuels brought together a group of influential bloggers to conference with Breast Cancer Fund’s Executive Director Jeanne Rizzo, RN, a nationally acknowledged leader in the field, and environmental health expert Dr. Janet Gray, editor of the Breast Cancer Fund’s newest State of the Evidence report and Professor of Psychology and Director of the Program in Science, Technology and Society at Vassar College. The Breast Cancer Fund published the landmark report State of the Evidence: What is the Connection between the Environment and Breast Cancer?, a ground-breaking report now in its fourth edition.

Pure Prevention is a joint effort of LUNA Bar and the Breast Cancer Fund, focused on bringing awareness and education about cancer prevention and treatment to women and men who want to (and need to) understand more about how what they eat, do and experience in their daily environment impacts their health and more importantly, the health of their children.

To listen to the full interview, visit the web podcast of the live conference (and you'll hear some of the questions and answers that specifically are directed to the 50 plus market.)

Here are a few areas that engendered LOTS of discussion -- environmental factors that are causing our young women to enter puberty at earlier ages than ever before; the types of environmental factors that ingested over a lifetime are causes for concern for the 50 plusser; discussions on the pill and Hormone Replacement Therapy on breast cancer; cosmetic ingredients and the type of advocacy role the Breast Cancer Fund undertakes...and much, much more.

This is an eye-opening, exciting discussion. I urge you to take a listen and also to visit and pass along the Pure Prevention website to others. An exceptional resource and one that we all need to support. Hats off to LUNA Bar and The Breast Cancer Fund for putting together a fantastic program.

How Many Villages Does it Really Take?

Due to some requests over the past year, I'm putting together a Town Hall meeting in Los Angeles, CA in the next couple of months. An interesting concept (more on this later) and some exciting experts are planning on joining us to share their thoughts and concerns about employment challenges for 50 plus.

I'm soliciting a venue that will enable us to have a "no charge" or nominal charge event, however, food or drinks will be on you.

If you are like me, you are always hungry and always in search of interesting, thought-provoking conversation. So, please let me know if this interests you by adding your comment to this post or emailing me directly at wspiegel@genplususa.com

I've already started a wait list and will let you know date(s) and time as soon as they are set in stone. But, there will only be about 20 - 25 spaces available, so reservations are first-come, first-served.

If you are interested in participating in a Town Hall in another city or acting as host, please let me know and if there seems to be a compelling interest...you may see an event pop up a city near you, too!

An exciting day for jobseekers!

Due to some of the media excitement over Gen Plus in the past week, traffic has been very busy on both this blog and the Gen Plus job board. Our good friends at Kelly Services are also busy getting up job postings from across the country, like this one, with hopes of making some good matches with our 50 plus jobseekers.

If you have not yet signed up for your free membership, head on over to the login page and get your resume posted.

If you are an employer, please sign up for YOUR free membership and get your jobs posted asap. We've got lots of hungry, dedicated 50 plussers looking to work for you.

Wall Street Journal may want to hear your story...

The Wall Street Journal is writing a story (will publish early next week) on careers and jobs for those over 50. The writer is looking for a few interesting stories of success. If you feel that your job search, current career, new job, existing job make for a good story of what life is like in the workforce after 50, please email me directly at wspiegel@genplususa.com and I'll be happy to forward your contact info to the journalist.

Where the jobs are? Looking at some signs for 50 plus.

The US department of Labor just released the latest unemployment figures -- holding at about 4.6%. Not much to look at in the big picture, but I like to look at the report and see if there are any continuing/ongoing/new trends. I've linked to the report above for anyone who would like to read it directly.

Here are the points of interest for Gen Plussers. Of this 4.6% of unemployed, 1.3 million have been unemployed 27 weeks or longer. There are almost 370,000 discouraged workers in July. Discouraged workers are defined as those not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them. This reflects posts and comments on my Careers group on Eons, emails I receive, and other general comments on this blog.

Healthcare continues to climb as a major industry with job openings -- over the year, health care employment has expanded by 377,000 and the trend continues to climb.

Not reflected in this report, but, sadly, breaking our hearts at the same time, the tragedy in Minnesota, brought a huge spotlight on American bridge infrastructure.

Reflecting that, at Gen Plus, we're seeing employers show an increased interest in finding engineers and those with communications experience and healthcare/allied health disciplines.

Billions of dollars may have to be spent on shoring up our infrastructure -- from engineering to healthcare -- and the money will be an issue, but the bigger issue is where will the skilled people-power come from? It is going to have to come from our demographic. The experience that is going to be needed is not currently available in sufficient numbers in the younger workforce.

I've been commenting on several industries for several months and this continues to give support to needs in engineering, transportation (rail, road and air infrastructures are all aging as well), healthcare and communication (field, technical, corporate).

If you have any expertise or skill in areas that could be helpful to these industries, now is the time to rework your resume to highlight those specific skills and get yourself posted -- on Gen Plus and on other free job boards.

"Same-store" in job search for Boomers and 50 plussers?

In profit-driven, growth-focused corporate America, there are a few concepts that bring shivers of excitement to CEOs -- new business (acquisition), growth of existing business (retention) and the growth that new and old deliver. You may have heard the term "same-store" -- that refers to existing business.

In job search, especially at 50 plus, there is a certain corporate America bias to hiring the older worker. I like to think of it as an interpretation of the visual representation of the job seeker. Huh? Eh? What do I mean? Simple -- in hiring, the book IS judged by the cover. If you are a Gen Plusser -- a boomer or 50 plusser -- you are visibly older than a Gen Xer and Gen Yer. Looking older, creates a subliminal suggestion to the recruiter (especially in BIG business), that your contribution to the operation will fall in the category of "same-store". That means you'll add value only as running business as usual -- NOT bringing in the fresh blood and growth perception of acquisition (or a YOUNGER hire.)

Your strategy (and you need to have a strategic approach) must take into account your age and your approach MUST bring your "value-added" to the table. How will you add profitability to the company? What skill set do you offer that will bring fresh ideas and growth to the company's revenue (and/or bottom line?) How internet/web-savvy are you? What is your knowledge of the industry you are looking to work in? How can you take past successes and translate them into the new online relationship building market world? How do you break down new doors? Or ask for business, streamline procedures and expenses, make an operation more viable?

This contribution needs to be apparent in your resume, your cover letter, your "look", your approach, your conversation -- essentially, your personal brand. It does not matter if you are applying to big business or small business -- your value-added is key to overcoming your visible age.

If you aren't clear on how to brand yourself, there are a ton of branding articles in my Job search categories in the right sidebar. Here are a couple of links to some valuable articles. Let me know what YOU are doing to refresh and rebrand your own "book cover."

Education -- teachers in great demand!

In addition to running Gen Plus, I own/manage/moderate a group on Eons, Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus with over 825 members. One of the group members posted an interesting comment today, regarding teaching, that I want to share with this readership.

Substitute Teaching

"Good morning everyone...(you can always tell someone has been out of work for a while when their greeting is 'good morning' at 11:40AM.) I have seen many postings here that they have been through the wringer for more than a year - some, multiple years. At least a fair share have at least a bachelors' degree. I am looking at some independent contractor work - long story and perhaps/perhaps not going to pan out....but in the interim::::I am getting paperwork together to sign up for substitute teaching. Many school districts have a severe shortage of available subs. In the area I am living in, people signed up to sub tell me that they get called EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY DAY!!!So, thought I'd pass this along; a friend from church, who is full time, fully credentialed teacher, tells me that the districts are DESPERATE and have resorted to using minimally qualified people, so if your degree is old, knowledge waning, it appears you still have a shot at it. My friend also tells me that all the lesson plans are generally set up in advance for months at a time, so you are set to go - right through the door and earning a daily rate......GOOD LUCK FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DECIDE TO ATTEMPT THIS ROUTE... I will also keep you posted on my situation in re subbing... "

CHK

I've been hearing more and more about the real need for teachers, so check what the credentialing criteria is in your state...if you are in dire need of income, there may be students in dire need of your knowledge.

The value of understanding job boards

When you are looking for a job, you have to use a multi-pronged approach -- posting resumes, applying to jobs online, networking, setting your sites on specific companies and approaching them directly -- in other words, leaving no stone unturned, especially when facing the invisible wall at 50 plus.

It can be very difficult to identify with keywords OR with general search terms the types of jobs that match up with your skill set. I've received many emails from readers who can't decipher what job titles represent in today's marketplace. There are general job boards (like Monster, Careerbuilder, Craig's List), niched boards (like Dice, Gen Plus), and job feeders (like Indeed, Jobster, or Simply Hired) that gather online job postings from many boards and make them searchable in one place.

So, how to figure out where to spend your search efforts? I decided to do a bit of research in one place that I knew HR professionals frequented -- Linked In, a social network focused on employment.

Social networks (think My Space, Eons) are very interesting and ones that are focused on employment, of great interest to me. Sites like Linked In, have a fantastic forum (Answers) for asking and receiving information. As well, many Human Resource professionals and recruiters used Linked In as a means to broaden their own recruiting networks. What I found particularly interesting was their take on what each type of job board offered them.

Here, in a nutshell, is a very generalized industry opinion (from both jobseekers and recruiters) on the unique characteristics of the different job boards available to jobseekers and employers.

The most talked about boards are: Monster, Careerbuilder, Dice, Hotjobs, Net-Temps, Craigslist, Indeed, Simply Hired, together with internet sourcing to find candidates and social network boards (like Linked In) to make connections and get the word out. This is an interesting mix, because most of them are general boards and a couple are niche boards.

Monster is a solid general board but doesn't offer as much detail on candidate searches as some recruiters would prefer. Careerbuilder seems to be seen as better for engineering, manufacturing and clerical positions. Both have strong marketing campaigns and solid general databases (posted resumes and job postings). A few jobseekers have mentioned the irritating commission-only solicitation they get from both sites from insurance and financial planning companies, as well as by spam scammers through email.

DICE is much talked about -- it is technical niche board focused on IT positions. There is generally a great need for web-skilled staffing across the US and Canada and a marked shortage of qualified candidates. Tough for Gen Plussers, who may not have the skill set, but there is a lot of need in this market.

HotJobs is further down the list and seems to be a good backup board to search for resumes, although recruiters seem to prefer the search abilities on other boards. Jobseekers generally like Yahoo HotJobs.

Net-Temps is getting some talk, and Craig's List is still a strong hook for posting positions.

So, look for niche boards, check job postings, connect through social networking sites and make sure your resume is up -- on every board you can post on at no charge.

Presidential Candidates...Where do YOU Stand on 50 Plus?

I run an online group on Eons.com, the Jeff Taylor (of Monster.com fame) creation for those 50 to 100 years old. The group, called "Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus" has a large, fairly active membership (you are welcome to join,) and I'm always interested in trends or through-themes. One of the biggest red flags waving right now in topics and comments in the group is the apparent age discrimination that is stopping qualified 50 plussers from finding gainful employment. I think we are in an interesting moment that is about to become a pivotal moment.

Within a short few months, the die will be cast for our presidential hopefuls. So who will be our next president? Who is hoping for our 78 million votes (yes, there are about 78 million boomers)? Will it be Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards or even possibly Al Gore? What about John McCain, Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee?

We're a strong demographic and issues that affect us are front and center...for us. Medical programs and soaring medical costs in an overly bureaucratic (read "unhelpful") insurance system, threats of social security shortfalls, challenging employment issues including age discrimination in the workplace...and what ever happened with the resolutions that came out of the White House Conference on Aging?

Make sure that your voices are heard. Your vote will count. To learn more about each of the candidates under consideration, click on this link for profiles on each one (thanks to the Washington Post for this).

There is a powerful time ahead for our demographic. I'm not political by nature, but it would be nice if some of these candidates were listening. Make sure you are certain where each of these candidates stands on the issues that affect you, at 50 plus.

Oh no...not a...glitch? Here's a top 20 list to make it up to you!

If you have been having trouble in the past few days finding job listings on Gen Plus by doing a keyword search that is because we...have...a...glitch! Oh no. Nothing worse when you run a web-based company than to have a glitch. Your keyword searches are probably giving you...NO jobs. We should have this sorted out by Monday or Tuesday, but in the meantime, regardless of what state you live in, type National, in the keyword section, or better yet, choose "National" instead of state and then you can search each listing for your particular community.

Thank you to those of you who have brought this to my attention. We're working on getting the fix in as fast as possible. In the meantime, head over to my very honorable competitor, Retirement Jobs, who have a very good assortment of job listings, or to my personal fave, Indeed (not niched, but very user-friendly), and we should be back up to speed in the next couple of days.

If you have NOT listed yourselves with the big search firms, such as Robert Half or Korn Ferry, here is a list of the top ones from Vault.com. Get your resumes in with them for top tier jobs. They are starting to feel the crunch from the other side.

Korn/Ferry International
Heidrick & Struggles
A. T. Kearney
Spencer Stuart
Russell Reynolds Associates
Christian & Timbers
TMP Worldwide
Egon Zehnder
Michael Page International
Solomon-Page Group
Ray & Berndtson
Management Recruiters International
Norman Broadbent International
The Witney Group
Robert Half International
Allen & Associates
J. B. Hunt Executive Search
Boyden
Battalia Winston International
Amrop International


Wendy

Gelson's, Magic and 50 Plus

I witnessed a little bit of magic the other day. I had stopped into Gelson's, a higher-end food chain (kind of a Nordstrom's but for groceries) to pick up a bite for supper. Gelson's is a fantastic grocer for a few reasons. Great produce, great deli and take-out section, exceptional customer service. Prices are a bit high, but when you really want something special for dinner or guests and excellent customer service, it is a great place to go.

So, I picked up my sushi selection and went to the checkout line. There were two people working the bagging section. An older woman (late 50's) and a young, young man. The woman was teaching the young man how to bag properly. But it wasn't about the bagging. It was about the meeting and greeting of the client. Honestly, have you ever given much thought to how the bagger speaks to you? Well, this store does. And in this case, a more mature worker was training the new worker.

"Say hello to the customer. And ask what type of bag she prefers," said the trainer.

"Hello. Paper or plastic?" he intoned.

"No, dear. Not like that. I want you to greet the customer. Say hello. Then pause. Give them time to meet your eyes. Smile. Then ask 'Paper or plastic?'. Two sentences. Hello. Pause. Paper or plastic. See? That way you show the customer you care."

"OK."

"Try it again."

"Hello." Pause. Smiles at me. "Paper or plastic?"

"Plastic please," I smile back at him.

He bags my small purchase.

"Do you see she has sushi?" the trainer asks.

"Uh-hunh," he replies.

"See if she's prefer a 'cold' bag to keep it fresh."

"Would you like a 'cold' bag?"

"That would be great," I replied with a big grin. "Thanks."

He gave me the bag. "Have a nice day."

"Thanks, you, too!"

The trainer gave him a big smile. "Good job. Now head over to this next register..."

The training continued. In that 60 or 70 seconds, that young man learned more about good customer service and how a good manager trains, than most people would learn in a year. That is the value of hiring 50 plus. THAT is the value.

Oh, and the sushi was spectacular.

Too old to work, my foot!!

I run a group on eons called Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus. This is one of the posts this week, from Maddi which you can also find under the Ask Wendy label.

"Please allow me to vent here for a minute. Do employers not know we have bills to pay too? Do employers not know we are one of the best groups to hire from? ( we = baby-boomers.)
I'm just a high school grad, no college... but I've work in jobs that most don't want... nursing homes, fast-food, etc. I've not worked in about 3 yr's.... I have been looking for 3 yr's!, ( 1 yr solid, other 2 off and on.) and kept track of where I go, and when I went around to check on the apps.
Seems all anybody want's now are the kids. Are there any home-based jobs out there... legit.
Signed.... Too old work, too young to retire. (Maddi)"


Hi Maddi,

Because I've been writing for a long time, I get approached often by home-based business operators looking to tap into our demographic. So far, I've not come across one that I'd be able to attach my name to. The one career opportunity that does seem to come up more often is working as a caregiver. That is not a home-based business, but you do have more freedom than a straight 9 - 5'er. If anyone knows of home-based businesses they can recommend...we'd love to hear from you! Add your comments here or on the eons group and I'll make sure to get the word out.

Wendy

Call for Participants

Kathy Caprino in Westport, Connecticut, has asked us to spread the word. If you are a 35 - 55 year old woman, in a professional transition and want to speak out, read on. Please contact Kathy directly with any questions on this study. Her coordinates are at the bottom of this post.

Announcing a New National In-Depth Research Study:

Women Amidst and After Professional Crisis:
Finding New Meaning in Life and Work

In association with The Esteemed Woman Foundation

Are you a 35 to 55 year-old woman currently in a professional transition? Or have you navigated through professional crisis or transition in successful ways? Do you know of any women who are/have? If so, I'd love to hear from you!
Kathy Caprino, M.A., marriage and family therapist, personal and professional coach, and co-founder of Living in Harmony—The Center for Emotional Health, in association with The Esteemed Woman Foundation, is conducting a national in-depth research study with professional women age 35 to 55 who are currently experiencing, or have successfully transitioned beyond, a professional crisis or major turning point in their careers.

This study looks at women who have spent at least 10 years developing their mid- to high-level careers that by all standards would be considered “successful;” yet they’ve awakened to a crisis of meaning regarding their work and its role in their lives. Mid-life women who are re-assessing their careers in relation to issues around: the contribution they are making, meaningfulness, satisfaction, fulfillment, balancing personal and professional lives, and integrating newly-emerging longings, priorities, values, and needs, are all invited to participate.

The study’s target audience will resonate with the statement:
“I am a professional woman who wishes to work, but how I am working, and what I am working on is no longer working for me.”

The goal of this study is to collect and disseminate data on a wide range of psychological, cultural, and social constructs that will expand our current understanding of what contributes to these types of crises, how these crises differ in various cultures, and new alternatives, options, and approaches to navigate through them successfully.

If you believe you fit the above criteria and are interested in participating in this study (anonymously if you wish), or for more information, please contact Kathy Caprino at 203-226-6210, ext 3 or email her at caprinocoaching@yahoo.com.

For more information, please contact:Kathy Caprino, M.A.
Living in Harmony – The Center for Emotional Health
164 Kings Highway North
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 226-6210, ext. 3
Email: caprinocoaching@yahoo.com
Websites:
http://www.kathycaprino.com/
http://www.livinginharmonycenter.com/

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.

Fifty and Furthermore

Thank goodness subscription distribution seems to be working again!

I've been waiting all week just to send out an article from the great site, www.fiftyandfurthermore.com. Dr. Dorree Lynn has amassed a group of "sages", those who are boomer plus with, frankly, some great stories to tell. Here is one I particularly like...by Mary Liston Liepold, Ph.D., -- wife, mother, activist, lifelong reader, editor, and writer.

She expresses (with resonance for all the 50 plussers out there...) the fears and joys of a 50 plusser (actually just turned 60, so she is one of the group of first Boomers turning 60 this year) attacking a new job! Enjoy. Click here for the full article.

"I work for love, not for money. No, we’re not fabulously wealthy; it’s just that by the time I went to work for wages, after 15 years as a family day care provider, I knew people would pay me to do something I loved, and I wasn’t about to settle for less. I spent 20 years at four different nonprofits – almost 15 at the last one – and they were all good years.

Then came the day, about six months after my 60 th birthday, when I realized that I wasn’t loving my job anymore. The conventional wisdom is that it’s tough to find a new job when you’re 60, so I put out the first feelers a bit tentatively – and scored a call for an interview on every one. The ego boost was exhilarating..."