Advice For Seniors Seeking Employment? DIY!

Boardroom meeting with Senior in attendance

Are you the most competitive person you know? How about being comfortable and proficient doing repetitive tasks?  Would you claim to be competent with computers? Able to multitask – navigating multiple programs while on the phone?…(and do you even want to?) Would you volunteer to “run through a wall to get things done?” And do you “love learning software on the fly?” In all probability, the answer to those questions is a resounding no. My advice to seniors seeking employment is do it yourself!

If DIY is not an aspiration, do you have the ability to multi-task multiple demands in an “environment of regular interruption?” And do you harbor a deep burning desire to evangelize a company culture? If you can answer yes to these qualifying questions, you might be the ideal candidate for our current job market.

However, if you’re today’s senior looking for work, do you feel your blood pressure rising just from reading today’s jarring and offensive employment ads?

Consider Do It Yourself Employment

Seniors seeking employment should consider DIY. Because in lieu of maturity, life experience, and dependability, today’s employers want something else. They seek candidates so motivated and hyped they would gladly run through a wall to get something done. We’ve all been there in our younger years, but we are so over that aggressive, competitive behavior.  And we don’t want to return to it for any corporation, where it’s incumbent to leave your dignity at the front door.

 40% of workers over 65 are now self-employed

One in four persons aged 65 to 70 is still working, up from 11% in 2000. And 40% of workers over 65 are now self-employed. In the US, the senior population still working in the mid-90s was 12%. In 2015/16, that percentage increased to 18%.

Seniors work for two reasons. Either they love working because it gives them purpose – or because they must. Delayed saving for retirement – or some late-in-life misfortune like the Great Recession or Gray Divorce has made working necessary.

We have different priorities as we age. Running through walls to get something done or working in an environment of constant interruption are not aspirational ones for seniors. In addition to being someone willing to run through that wall, you  also need a lot of technical know-how. Most current positions require a demonstrated proficiency with the Microsoft suite as well as for many CRM programs.

If your expertise has not been clerical, learning new software programs (on the fly) can be a challenge. And while the list of aptitudes requested is overwhelming – the compensation for all that know-how is oftentimes underwhelming. One advertisement wanting someone with a master’s Degree with bilingual ability offered a wage of $15-$18 per hour!  Why would anyone attend university for 6 years with the goal of earning $15/hour?

Ageism: A Reality For Seniors Seeking Employment

Female Senior doing paperwork

The definition of ageism is prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person’s age.

Senior employment seekers often have their resumes rejected after they supply the year they graduated from high school or university.

Is there some HR algorithm classifying seniors as resistant or incapable of learning new technology – subsequently disqualifying them? It doesn’t have to be this way.

Or are employers afraid of having to pay a salary commensurate to the skills seniors have acquired over their careers?

Ageism stereotyping and prejudice against older persons are common today whether your work is online or in a cubicle.My first encounter with ageism happened after I enrolled in an online marketing course. Individual coaching was offered if needed. I finally had to admit I was stuck on a technical issue and did require some one-on-one mentoring. When the “coach” called me, his very first question was: “How old are you?”  I took offense and responded that, in my view, my age was irrelevant.  “You will not qualify for coaching then” he reprimanded. “Good luck, Goodbye,” he said tersely and hung up. This online company should be forced to advertise that they will take your money, but if you need help, your age will disqualify you. Receiving mentoring (even if you pay for it because it was not free) was not available to this girl.

DIY Seniors. Become an entrepreneur. Consider self-employment. Be your own boss. Set your own schedule. Put your life experience to work for you and maintain your dignity at the same time.

There Is More to Life Than Unnecessary Stress

Rather than solely for economic reasons, encore careers are typically chosen for social impact and a sense of personal fulfillment. Seniors value positions in healthcare – helping others, participating in environmental causes, or working in public service. They recognize the merits of giving back and contributing to society. Making a difference and helping others is more important than running through corporate walls to boost shareholder profits.

Be Encouraged: There Are Numerous Options for DIY Employment

If you once worked as a professional, you could use that professional status and experience to find work again. Freelancing or consulting full or part-time as a nurse or a teacher might be your thing.  Consider this link for job opportunities as a retired or semi-retired senior:https://finmasters.com/make-money-in-retirement/

Other freelance employment possibilities might include:

• starting a social companion agency
• becoming a real estate agent
• working as a proofreader or freelance writer
• bookkeeping
• working as a cashier
• becoming a school bus driver
• working as a pharmacy technician
• housekeeping
• working as a customer service rep
• becoming an affiliate marketer or blogger. However, beware of the shiny object syndrome, where people promise a quick return. There is no such thing. Blogging and affiliate marketing take work, and success is not overnight.

Online Offers Many DIY Opportunities

There are a surprising number of savvy seniors out there who are already informed and looking to blogging or affiliate marketing as a means to provide passive retirement income.

Perhaps consider becoming an online publisher. Any investment you make in producing quality content can be a long-term investment for future passive income.

Maybe think about starting a “Fulfilled by Amazon Business.”  Online purchasing has become dominant and more than acceptable in retail. A McKinsey Report on US e-commerce penetration noted that 10 years of growth was achieved in just the last 3 months. This growth was no doubt accelerated by Covid-19 concerns.

So, never before has there been so much opportunity for self-employment offered online. Believe in yourself, seniors, educate yourself about the new technologies, and take your shot.

Assets like life experience, maturity, stability, psychology, and a history of accomplishment matter. Is it any wonder that 40% of workers over 65 are now self-employed? It’s become a necessity, both financially and psychologically.

Seniors seeking employment need to trust. We know who we are and how to pull the best from ourselves. There’s no necessity to run through any walls to prove anything to anyone. Our history of success has proven our capability of transitioning and putting that hard-won experience to work – for us.