The unemployment rate of 9.1% seems pretty bad psychologically, especially for Americans that can remember the myth of unemployment rates of 2-3% a decade or so ago. But the unemployment rate flattens out some really horrific numbers: For African-American men between 20-30, the rate is about 18%, for example. And all these numbers get somewhat massaged by redefining who is not ‘really’ looking for a job.
The unemployment rate for Americans over 50 has more than tripled during the Great Recession, leading some analysts to define the ‘grey wall’ or ‘grey ceiling’ stopping opportunities for advancement, much less re-employment. Via the AARP website, Chris Gardner offers some sage advice for older workers needing to get back to work. Older workers, he argues, have most everything employers need, but those older workers might not have the networks to get them back in the game.
Full disclosure: the Chris Gardner who wrote the advice is no relation (alas), and he is the subject of the feel-good bio-pic “The Pursuit of Happiness.” I do not look like Will Smith either (alas!).
Networking is critical. Social networking might be the missing piece in an older employees portfolio, though, and Chris pushes his readers to get online. Social networks do not replace meetings, handshakes, and face time, but they keep job-seekers aware of big names and swelling trends in their fields. Blogging on one’s field can also establish a track record of productivity even during unemployment. Such online activities, we would only add, send a signal to any young Turks who might be interviewing you that you are engaged in the latest communications technologies too.
Chris Gardner includes four other fine points about how to nail the interview and how to keep yourself valuable to your company, even if your first position is temporary or contractual. His advice could be beneficial to anyone looking for their next job in a tough buyers’/employers’ market. Please check it out.
