Dear Abel & Sofi: Sending Out An S.O.S. For 70-Something Senior Seeking New Job
About Dear Abel and Sofi: While our Q&A Forum addresses 1,000+ public questions weekly, we wanted to give our small business owners an outlet to anonymously share the kinds of frustrations, fears and private struggles few people express openly. Father-daughter duo Abel and Sofi co-author the column, bringing diverse perspectives to both professional and personal problems. A serial entrepreneur and counselor, Abel, 65, is known for his empathy and his uncanny understanding of many issues. Co-owner of a salon, Sofi, 28, has a younger, more candid approach to life’s challenges. To submit your anonymous questions, click here.
Dear Abel & Sofi:
I'm going on 74 and still working full time -- or trying to… Currently, I’m a solopreneur.
But I’ve been looking for a full-time position with a good company for a while, and no one will hire me, in spite of my high office skills. So I turned to selling voluntary benefits, which very few people want in today's insanity.
And now I'm trying the seniors market -- all the Medicare-related products, etc. And the course for getting that license is brutal, but I'm doing it!
Problem: I don't have a dime left. I've been trying for 17 years (since my last company closed) to work at anything that pays (and I now have some physical limitations). I can't find anything lasting that has a salary. I'm open to your suggestions, or any possible solutions.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Sincerely, Drowning
ABEL: Dear Drowning, You are FAR from alone. Many workers over 65, even in this economy, are having a tough time either starting a new business from scratch – or going back to work in a “regular” office.
Traditional office jobs are fewer and farther between because more offices are virtual now, which actually could be good news for you, given any physical challenges. Tap the growing remote marketplace and try to find a full-time position working from home. Google “full-time, remote jobs” and review those sites.
The other obstacle you and millions of others face is age discrimination – a glaring issue that many media outlets don’t address nearly as often as they tackle other types of discrimination.
Hopefully, as our population ages, the media will focus more of its attention on age discrimination, encouraging legislators to find better, broader solutions for anyone affected by it. But for now, it’s still something older workers need to face head-on and handle in both creative and practical ways.
The good news is that we’re already seeing some positive changes occurring. AARP has a list of employers that prefer hiring mature workers – for their wisdom, loyalty, dependability, and mentoring skills. Here’s that list.
And, right here at Alignable, you should find many supporters, as several members toiled in the corporate world for decades before going out on their own. Or they’re part of a family-run business where they know, firsthand, how people of all ages contribute great value to an organization. Finally, several members seek referrals to other members who can take on projects or even fill formal, full-time jobs. Those posts land on our Forum a few times per week.
PLUS, as part of this column, we’ve already seen thousands of members offer really helpful advice and leads to others seeking help. Sometimes those offers are posted publicly or members send them to us privately. Either way, we’ll email you about any leads or contact information we receive and you can choose what to pursue. It’s my sincere hope that this post generates a great deal of Alignable magic for you.
All my best, Abel
SPECIAL NOTE TO OTHER MEMBERS – As always, please share your advice and support below. And if you have a job opportunity or project that requires a very talented and dedicated worker – please let us know! Post it below or send it to our private link which you can find here.
SOFI: Hi Drowning, Thanks for writing in about your situation. While age discrimination sucks, I have a few other ideas that might help you land a great gig.
For starters, I’d make sure your resume is up to date and is formatted in a modern, clean, and easy-to-read way. There are tons of free templates online to use. Make sure the points on your resume show that you’re a dependable worker, and list your key accomplishments. You mention having “high office skills.” If you can demonstrate how those skills led to tangible benefits, your resume will be even more impressive.
While you might think you’re not getting hired because of your age, it could just be the way you’re carrying yourself. Confidence is key. I can understand how you’re probably ready to give up, but you don’t want to seem defeated when you interview. Put your best foot forward, smile, and act like you know you could do an amazing job. Use your age to your advantage, telling interviewers that you know what it takes to run an office or handle any other job that fits your skills.
Shallow or not, people will probably have a first impression of you based on your appearance. Dress nicely and professionally, and wear classic clothing that looks modern. I wouldn’t wear your favorite dress from 15 years ago, no matter how becoming. If it looks old-fashioned, they’ll put you in the “too old” bucket, regardless of your qualifications.
When you’re searching for jobs, I’d focus less on the big brands and more on local, small businesses. Look at your mom and pop furniture store, or the local flooring place, or a paint store – find businesses nearby that are family-owned. Chances are good that they’re having a hard time finding someone they can trust to run the back office. If you walk in there and point to your experience and ability to work well under pressure, I bet they’ll hire you on the spot!
Lastly, 74 years old isn’t old! You are 74 years young! Any company that doesn’t want to hire you because you’re more mature than their current staffers isn’t the type of place you want to work.
Good luck and keep your chin up! We’re all rooting for you!
Cheers, Sofi
Comments (21-30)
I was sailing in the same boat few years back. I am real estate broker and this happened when real estate market had crashed. I was in my late 50's and no one would hire me because of age (they were claiming they were equal opportunity employers). I approached AARP. I was broke and had no money even for the training. They gave me scholarship and the training which was practically covered by scholarship money and I had to pay nothing. They helped me with job positions and job fair updates. Set up an appointment with them and see if they can help. Plus lot of self-employed people need virtual assistants, online jurors or updating social media status. This might give you some regular income. I don't whether this is helpful or not, but I tried my best.
Hey Drowning,
Checking out several of the other answers it appears you are getting all the good advice there is to get yourself hired. How about starting a new business?
I have an idea that I've been kicking around for awhile but haven't done anything with it yet: Start a senior-based website that offers services provided by seniors. Anything that you have to offer; accounting, clerking, deliveries, house-keeping, cooking, handy-man/woman, yard work, plumbing repair, carpentry, etc.
So my answer/suggestion: Start something that you can offer - part time, full time, whatever is needed.
Best of Luck,
Fred
My dear friend.
Age is just a number and defining yourself by your age in a negative manner is limiting your ability to share the wonderful wisdom and experience you have gained in your 74 years. You have much to offer the world, both in your profession and personally. You must believe in yourself first before anyone else will. There is no such thing as "trying"... there is only believing in your tremendous abilities and knowledge as you put yourself forward , introducing yourself to small business owners who will welcome what you have to bring to their business.
Grandma Moses started painting at 78 !! Share your talents with a world sadly in need of wisdom and maturity.
My best to you,
Leila aboohamad, M.A., MFT
eXp Realty LLC is hiring virtual jobs. Would you be interested in that? These are not real estate agent positions, but are staff positions. I can send you a link. Jock.
Dear Drowning: You mentioned having some physical limitations. My first thought is to own them and fix them to the best of your ability. For instance, if you need a cane or walker, use it. Once someone applied for a position who refused to use her cane as she moved about. I feared she would fall, and did not want her to become injured. If you need hearing aids, wear them, etc. Take pride in your responsible and sensible actions. That means a lot to me as an employer. MaryAnn
I'm 65 and working in a home based MLM with very little of the MLM horrible traits. I love my work and it is slow going and needs focus. If you believe in the senior marketplace, selling them products suited to them is a magnificent job. Something to be proud of. I'm not sure what you don't like about them. Go ahead and sell them burial insurance and then sell them my product to keep them alive longer! Either way, they win.
I am sure there are jobs available in corporate America somewhere, but I, for one, will refuse it. I lost my faith in that work model, and prefer a product I am thrilled to sell and take. And on my own. I'll never stop working, but I have found my happiness.
Bill
Sofi gives a lot of good advice. I particularly like that you should dress well, but dress now. What looked great 15 or 20 years ago can look dated. And stay on point in the interview. Listen carefulloy to the questions and ask for clarification if the question is not clear. Demonstrating that you are a good listener can go a long way. Avoid long, meandering anecdotes. Be crisp. Be now. Age does not dictate how with it you are. Your attitude does, and your behavior communicates it.
Hi Drowning,
I understand your frustration! I faced the same kind of challenge 10 years ago and it took me a couple of years to find an answer that worked for me. Once I let go of the fact that I wasn't getting responses to the hundreds of jobs I applied for I decided to focus on what I had done for 90% of my career, which is to work for myself. I read a book called "The Passion Test" (and there are dozens of similar books) to help me figure out what my new business should look like. That & talking to other entrepreneurs helped me figure out where I wanted to be geographically (I'm staying put, I love it here although the COL is very high), what I loved to do and was good at and then researched how to go about it and started from scratch. There are business models in my field that don't require any investment or start-up costs. I chose the one that worked for me and after several years I have a company that is doing well and I am enjoying every day. It is wonderful to get up and go to work and be paid to do the work you love! I think the most important thing that made this work is that I am passionate about the service we provide and I love every minute (well, almost every minute), it's still work, but work that I love that pays well. I am wary about the multitude of opportunities that pop up that sound too good to be true. All the best, Judy
Dear Drowning
You are looking at life wrong. You have learned from your solopreneur mistakes and you can become a fantastic experienced business coach showing potential students to avoid the mistakes you made and how to get ahead. You have very significant knowledge you have paid for with your grey hair and energy.
By developing your coaching and communication skills to the best level you can, you still have the potential to become a mega-successful entrepreneur by helping others. In addition, the personal gratification you will get from these activities will be both financially profitable and emotionally gratifying.
Hi Drowning. I'm sorry for your struggles. There is some great advice and support in this group! There are many opportunities for "non traditional" jobs these days. I am an independent stylist that sells custom men's clothing. The beauty is that it is my own business (I build my book of business and work the hours that I want to work), but I have an amazing home office team behind me that does a ton of marketing on my behalf and provides great training for me. There are other companies out there that offer similar opportunities. I wish you the best of luck finding what is right for you.