REDUNDANCY NEAR RETIREMENT AND OVERCOMING AGEISM

The idea of the 'job for life' has almost been obliterated due to today’s employment market. Retirement, whether it's forced, voluntary or a result of redundancy, can be the perfect opportunity to try something new and have a change of career.

Finding a suitable retirement job can be a full time job in itself. If you wish to continue working in later life there are a few different avenues you could try that should bring successful results.

There is a massive barrier that older professionals can face - overcoming ageism. Age has tended to blind potential employers from the range of skills and experience that these professionals can bring to an organisation.

New legislation has been passed over the last few years to help to combat discriminatory practices and open up doors for workers to carry on working past the usual retirement age.

Although these acts have been put into place, in some cases there are invisible barriers that some employers put up that you will need to overcome. There are many things you can do to get past this.

Coming to terms with unemployment

Facing unemployment later in life can be a daunting and incredibly stressful prospect but this is often the perfect time to consider changing careers and moving forward. Research has shown that older people who continue to work are healthier. Not only that but it is a great way of earning extra cash and a great way of keeping active in a wider social circle.

There is a whole world of employment opportunities for those that have reached retirement age or lost a job through redundancy. This could be a time to slow down or to move forward into a really rewarding and enjoyable job that you could have only ever dreamed of.

Transferable skills

• One of the problems older professionals face is pigeon holing themselves into a particular job title. However over your working life you will have obtained many skills that could be utilised in a whole host of other jobs too
• Sit down and write a new CV that focuses on your transferrable skills (Functional CV). You can use this CV to target your applications towards the roles you're interested in

Avoid being money oriented

• Be realistic. Employers know that skills and experience often come at a price so they will often choose younger and less experienced people with a view to train them up as opposed to spending more on a more experienced employee
• Be prepared to work for less money than you may have been used to and focus more on other aspects where you feel you can contribute
• Be clear in your own mind what you want to get out of the role
• Stress to the employer you are looking for more of a work life balance and money isn’t the most important thing

Taking control

Updating your CV is probably the first task for those looking for retirement jobs but this is also a great opportunity to step back and weigh up your options. Do not limit the job search to the same old work you have done before. Branch out and consider passing on your experience and knowledge via areas such as teaching or consulting. Search for jobs by keywords such as skills rather than job titles.

This could even be an ideal time to realise a dream of opening up a small business. Perhaps you could invest part of a redundancy payment or pension lump sum that the business can pay off in the long run.

Help options for older professionals

There are new employment initiatives in place that are designed for older works. Government agencies can advise on the financial benefits and grants available for those who perhaps wish to retrain. You can get further information on this from Job Centres. It's also worth investigating agencies that have been specifically set up for older workers such as Wise Owls and Forties People.

Good news

The good news is that a lot of employers are now actively looking to hire older workers and there are more part time jobs being created for them. Many employers do favour older workers for the experience they can bring to a work place and they are often viewed by many employers as being more reliable.

Get ahead

Do not just sit and wait for an opportunity to turn up in your inbox, go out there and make it happen. Below is a list of ways that can help you find a new role:

• Seek advice from employment agencies or colleagues
• Contact previous employers to enquire about part time work
• Search online job boards on sites such as Total Jobs, Monster, Jobsite etc
• Place your CV on online recruitment websites. When you place your CV on these job boards they can then be viewed by potential employers. These websites are completely free to use and are a great way of seeking out a high variety of retirement jobs as well
• Looking at retraining options (Visit Emagister for where to find relevant training courses)
• Assess finances and consider part time work or job sharing opportunities
• Take night classes to brush up on invaluable skills such as computer literacy
• Join business networking groups to open up new employment opportunities
• Research the practicality of opening up your own small business
• Think about teaching as an option. This is one of the best ways to pass on wisdom from experience and knowledge gained through your career. You do not always need a teach qualification. Some colleges do require people with business knowledge and skills that can be passed on to their students
• Volunteer at charitable organisations to provide a new challenge or build on a new skill set

TAKE AWAY POINTS:

• Previous employment skills are a serious plus point for older people looking for work. You might even want to highlight your transferrable skills depending on the job you're applying for
• Do not under estimate the power of the internet. It has become one of the most useful job search tools
• Be enthusiastic, show you are keen to learn
• Focus on what you can bring to an organisation and what you can get out of it personally

This article was written by the career coaching experts at Renovo.