October 22, 2016 |
Welcome back to the job board Generation X.
You’ve been working hard tirelessly for several decades now.
But, you’re ready for something new, fresh, and exciting.
You’re competing against the millennials, and all of their tech-savvy skills for the latest jobs in Northern California, and that can certainly hold you back from trying to explore new career opportunities.
California’s economy is still recovering too, which means the competition is fierce for open positions.
None of these reasons have to hold you back, though.
If you are ready to take the leap and make a dramatic career change in your 50s, you can do it painlessly.
After all, the idea of retiring in the next decade isn’t anything crossing your mind. Instead, you’re ready to tackle the workforce and show those millennials what you got.
If you’re still planning on working for a while, you’re not alone. According to the 2013 Employee Benefit Research Institute Retirement Survey, 36 percent of workers are expected to wait until after age 65 to retire and seven percent had said they didn’t plan to retire at all.
Whether you are looking for a new full-time job, part-time gig, or you just want temporary employment to help pass the time and pay the bills, you have plenty of employers out there willing to take you on.
To stay competitive and land the jobs you want (with fair pay to boot), you will need to do a little work, but it will pay off in the end.
Do you know what you have that new workers don’t?
Your past successes under your belt.
You’ve been in the workforce for decades, and you’ve likely racked up some experience worth bragging about at an interview. Now is the time to talk about your successes, flaunt your abilities, and show employers what you can provide them with your years of expertise.
According to Business News Daily, you are more likely to have a network of connections than younger generations too, which adds value to your resume.
According to Learn How to Become, teachers and nurses are one of the fastest growing occupations for older workers and will continue to become so in the future. They also go on to say that 55 percent of RNs are older than 50, and 47.7 percent of MDs are older than 50. Showing that healthcare has a dominate aging workforce.
While you may be in your 50s, you don’t need to let physical ailments or natural aging be the reason you cannot change careers.
Instead, maintain your physical and mental health. That means eating right, visiting the doctor regularly, and staying active.
Employers will expect you to be up-to-date with the latest technology. That includes knowing what Google is and how to use it.
The best way to exhibit your tech-savvy skills is by getting on social media sites, such as LinkedIn. You will want to stay active on there and join old alumni groups and other professional organizations that match up with your skills.
Older workers are more reliable, but they also are notorious for being stuck in their old ways compared to younger workers.
According to AARP, older workers are perceived as those that are not as creative or willing to think out of the box, but in reality, older workers are better when it comes to organization, problem-solving, and other professional skills.
As long as you show that you are open and willing to accept change, and you have a creative side, employers will scoop you up.
Another common misconception about the older workforce is that they aren’t as motivated.
Generation X workers have a bad reputation for being set in their career and don’t have anything to prove or gain. In a study titled Evaluating Six Common Stereotypes About Older Workers With Meta-Analytical Data by Thomas W.H. Ng and Daniel C. Feldman, it was found that older workers are motivated. But, they aren’t as into career development.
You will need to counter this misconception by showing your willingness to tackle company training programs and continuing education. While you may know plenty about the industry, you still should seem as though you are motivated to continue learning and furthering your expertise in that field.
Sometimes you just need the right resources to help you find the right position out there. With the job market in Northern California highly competitive, you need to be exposed to opportunities for temporary, part-time, and full-time work.
A staffing company may be the solution, especially for older workers who are looking for a rapid career change.
You can be paired with companies seeking employees just like you, and exposed to new training opportunities that make you competitive in new job industries.
Bottom line, by getting creative and doing a little work, a Generation X worker that is motivated can make the change.
Make a great first impression at your next job interview.
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