Discouraging Statistics for the age 50+ Worker

I have been giving job search trainings for almost two years now.  Of the seven topics that I present, the most requested is Job Search for the Age 40+ Worker.  I have also noticed an increased number of people aged 50 and over attending any of the job search classes.  As seen in many of LinkedIn discussion groups, unemployment continues to be a  growing, emotional issue.  The stories that I have read are heartbreaking and so discouraging and many of these people are over the age of 40.  Their skill sets are remarkable and their willingness to get back to work is fierce.  They are also some of the most compassionate people that I have ever "met".

It is for these reasons that I wasn't surprised when I read the statistics in the recent Human Resources Executive Online newsletter.  The statistics correlate with my unscientific data.  What do you think? What suggestions do you have for the unemployed job seeker who is over the age of 50?

Blackbird Learning Associates

My company Blackbird Learning Associates was featured in the business section of The Courier News.  Take a look.

Jack Welch Job Predictions

Jack Welch, former CEO of GE was on CNBC's Squawk Box this morning.  He said that due to the increased healthcare regulations from the government, many organizations will have a need for three major positions in the Administration arena . They include benefits administrators, attorneys and financial professionals.

New York Times Series on the Older Unemployed Population. Stunning Statistics!

The New York Times has been following the plight of the age 55+ unemployed population in a series of articles. The statistics are disturbing.  A link to one of the articles can be found here. Once you open the link, you can easily find the other related articles.

More on Networking

Did you ever get a note with an attachment from someone who said, "I saw this and thought you might be interested." Maybe it was an article about your business interests or an article about your school or neighborhood.  Remember how it made you feel? Probably it made you feel pretty good.  This is an example of networking. Networking is not self centered, it's also about giving back something in return.

Here's an example.  One afternoon last year President Obama broke into the news and announced a creative stimulus plan for education.  He was sending a message about the importance of our community colleges and the hopes for all people to get a college education.  As I watched it I thought of a couple of people that I contract with at my local community college.  I knew that they might be interested in this news scoop.  I popped off an email to them letting them know what the President just announced and attached the link that was mentioned on the news. It was short and sweet and sent in two minutes. It let my contacts know that I was thinking of them and sending them something that I thought might be of interest. It was giving back.  Maybe they quickly thought of me when they saw the email, "Oh yeah, Nancy.  She is the job search trainer."

How many times have you heard or saw something that you thought may be of interest to one of your network contacts and done nothing?  Don't let that opportunity to give back pass you by.  I'm not saying to swamp someone with information, use your networking pay back wisely.  It may ultimately assist your job search.

The Formal Elevator Speech

Last week we talked about the informal elevator speech; the one that you can use with friends, family and acquaintances at an informal event such as a party, reunion, barbeque, etc.  Today we'll focus on constructing an elevator speech for professional events such as specialty meetings,  professional networking events, a chamber meeting, a focused lunch or dinner or other similar events. The same elements that are in your informal speech are in your formal speech including your name, industry, specialty, why you are the best, a call to action and a repeat of your name.  The speeches that I have included are short (15 - 30 seconds) and are appropriate for the round robin welcoming remarks during the introduction portions of a meeting.

This speech sample is particularly helpful for job search networking opportunities such as professional networking groups.

“My name is Catherine Jones and I am returning to the job market where for 10 years I specialized in writing and editing communications in the global pharmaceutical industry.  My work has been featured in the New York Medical Journal.  Tonight I am interested in networking with many of you in order to assist with my job search. Again, my name is Catherine Jones.”

Should you be attending a professional meeting, you should change the wording of your elevator speech to reflect the audience and topic.  This type of speech can be worded something like this:

“Hello! My name is Catherine Jones and I am delighted to be here this morning.  I represent ten years of writing and editing clinical trial publications for the ABC Company.  For three consecutive years my articles on microbes and cell division were featured in the New York Medical Journal. I am currently in the market for a similar position and would appreciate any contacts for my job search. I am Catherine Jones.”

There a number of Elevator Speech links on line that can help you create a personalized speech. Whether you use choose to use the internet or create your own, an Elevator Speech is a critical tool for networking success.  Once you have decided upon your wording, you should practice it until it you are comfortable with it, it is sincere and it becomes a natural part of your speech.

Networking and the Informal Elevator Speech

I think that personal networking is a learned skill that doesn’t discriminate between the extrovert and the introvert (although it might be a bit easier for those who are more of the “communicator” or right-brained types).  No matter what type you are, the successful networker makes use of certain tools and with practice, makes it look easy. What skills are needed?  A catchy elevator speech, good listening skills and the ability to give back are a few of the more critical skills. With practice (and I mean lots of practice) it gets easier.  Today we will look at the Elevator Speech.  In this blog we will dissect an informal networking discussion. This is the type of statement to make when a family member or friend asks you, “What’s New?” at a reunion, party, or other informal event.

 In future articles we’ll use the same example but in more formal situations.

The elevator speech has a couple of parts and job search experts may disagree on the order or components. A productive elevator speech contains your name, industry, your specialty, why you are the best and a call to action.  Some people add their name to the ending statement as well. Also, your elevator speech should also reflect the event you are attending and your audience. 

An informal Elevator Speech can be worded something like this, “As you may have heard, I am returning to the job market, specifically in writing and editing journals in the pharmaceutical industry. I have 10 years of experience and have even won several awards. Would you know anyone in the industry that I could call?”

It would be nice if you could state your case in one breath but with family or friends in an informal environment, it usually doesn’t work out that way. There will probably be breaks in this speech as your discussion partner asks questions.  It might look like this:

Friend: “Hey Jane, how have you been?”

You: “Hi Emily, I’ve been well.  As you may have heard, I am returning to the job market… “

Friend: “Yes, I heard that you were thinking about that.  It is so difficult these days to find a job though…”

You: “Tell me about it! After working for 10 years in the publishing industry, specifically on the pharmaceutical side, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get back in.  I thought that with my experience and editing awards, it wouldn’t be too difficult…”

Friend:  “So many people are struggling these days. I think everyone knows someone who has lost a job.”

You: “I hope it improves soon.  That’s why I am asking my friends and family if they know anyone in the publications or communications industries that I might network with. Do you have any contacts that I might call?

Friend: “Let me think about that for a bit. I can ask around.”

You: “That would be great… (And this is the hard part) how about we meet for coffee next week. I have a couple of business cards on me if you need my contact information. Emily, I really appreciate your help."

My Memory of September 11

Nine years ago today I was in Monmouth Medical Center looking out of my mother’s hospital room window at the sparkling ocean to the east and billows of smoke to the north. There was a boat not far from the shore line and I wondered if the driver of that boat knew what had just happened.


My mother was just given her own death sentence. The day before she had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in her colon and was told she had 6 to 18 months to live. We were devastated as we watched the events of 9-11 unfolding from her small hospital room television. As the towers imploded she said,”What I am going through is nothing compared to what is going on across the river.”

The hospital was cleared of all non-critical patients to make room for the victims of the terror attack. Those ambulances never arrived.

May God bless all the courageous souls that were lost that day and may God continue to bless our great country.

NJ Job Expo

I am attaching the link to a job fair in New Jersey.  It is from Job Prosper and will be held on October 17, 2010 from 11:00am - 5:00pm at the Renaissance Hotel in Elizabeth, NJ. Good luck!

Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks

When I was 25 years old I bought my first new car. It was a Toyota Celica and it was beautiful although I couldn't afford air conditioning or an automatic transmission. It had a manual transmission and since I didn't know how to operate a stick shift, my dad drove it home from the dealership. I bought it on a Saturday and I had to drive it to work the following Monday. What was I thinking? I spent the weekend practicing in the parking lot of Saint Michael's Church. The lot had a slight incline so I learned to change from first to second gear by going up and down that incline. Come Monday morning I drove from my home on the Jersey shore to Westchester County New York. I sailed through the toll booths in second gear, threw my quarter blindly and hoped it landed in the basket.

I thought about that time yesterday after purchasing a Blackberry. I wanted one for the convenience of scheduling and checking my business email while away from my office. When the salesman started throwing acronyms at me about the phone I challenged myself to get with the program. It took me 24 hours to figure out where my email contacts are and I mistakenly called my daughter as she was welcoming her group of first graders to their first day of school. Still, I am not going to let this uneasy bump in my learning curve get to me. I am still figuring it out and tonight plan to run over to Borders and pick up a copy of Blackberry’s for Dummies.

What's this have to do with the job search? Lots. Older (over 40) job seekers need to always stay on top of technology and be willing to learn about it even in their off time. Reading, classes, and practice are the keys to staying fresh in the business. This isn't hard for those who are technically savvy but it can be challenging for those of us who use the other side of our brains. Don't throw up your hands and say it is too difficult; don't let a position turn you off because you feel it might be too complicated. Stay fresh, stay optimistic and don't ever let yourself become untrainable. Like the pleasure I felt shifting gears on the Garden State Parkway all those years ago, it is just another obstacle conquered.

Labor Day

Labor Day is the first Monday in September where we honor working people. Whether you are laboriously searching for a job or currently working, may you have a spectacular Labor Day week-end.
I suggest that those looking for work take some time off to breath and step away from the arduous task of looking for work. Take a rest and come back on Tuesday feeling refreshed and energized.

More on Interviewing

The other day I wrote about some of the steps you can use to create a resume. Today I was thinking about using those same steps to help you prepare for your interview.
You know that two column chart I asked you to create? You can use that as your cheat sheet to prepare for your interview.
1. Look at the key words in the job requirements. (Column 1)
2. What did you do in your former job or life experience that relate to these? (Column 2)
3. New!! Develop specific, real-world examples of your accomplishments following the STAR Acronym - Situation, Task, Action, Results.

Let's look at an example open position for an administrative assistant. A partial description reads:
Effective organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and prioritize and keen attention to detail, written and oral communication - effective interpersonal skills, requires effective command of the English language. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.

Based upon the job requirements, you might prepare for these types of questions:

1. "The position requires that the employee be able to multi-task while working for several managers. Please give me an example of a task or situation where you had to prioritize your work due to the conflicting requirements. Take me through the steps you took and the results of these actions."

2. "Describe the most challenging report or written piece that you prepared. What aspects of the piece were challenging? Who was the audience? What was the outcome?"

3. " You mentioned that you are proficient in Microsoft PowerPoint. Explain the types of presentations that you created in your previous position. Who was your audience and how did you tailor the presentations to their needs?"

When you create a chart of the job requirements, your skills and competencies and your REAL LIFE application and accomplishments of these, you will be so much more confident in your ability to speak about them in an interview. The bottom line is to prepare so that you are confident, secure in your abilities and not blind-sided.