Work Trends Changing for Older Adults

Not everyone wants to stop working at age 55. In fact more and more individuals are choosing to work longer. However, older adults seeking employment older face obstacles that those younger than them do not. AARP recently released a research report that was conducted by Aon Hewitt “ A Business Case for Workers Age 50+: A look at the Value of Experience 2015”.

Part one to this research began in 2005, before the great recession. Since that time AARP wanted to see if the trends were changing or staying the same. What they found is that the economy and the workforce are even stronger today for those over 55 than it was in 2005. Aon and his team discovered that the greatest advantage to older workers is their valuable life experience, professionalism, work ethic, lower turnover, and knowledge.

Looking for employment at any age can be unsettling, but never more so when the years have accumulated. An excellent source for looking for work looks online through job placement agencies. A growing number of career-oriented agencies cater specifically to those older workers. These agencies match those over 50 with employers looking to hire individuals with experience. Jobsover50.com is an example of a free web-based employment service dedicated to the 50+ job seeker.  Another exceptional resource is the Work & Retirement link on the AARP website. They publish lists of the best employers for seniors and articles on job searches.

Finding a job that you are passionate about leaves you feeling energized and engaged. This spills over to the rest of your life in positive ways. It is never too late to change a career or start again. Negative stereotypes about older adults are changing rapidly with the baby boomers entering in to the golden years. Like Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”