More retirees are hunting for jobs in bad economy

CHICAGO -- —  It sounds like an oxymoron, but working in retirement is fast becoming the norm for many older Americans -- forced by dwindling financial resources and a recessionary economy to stay in or return to the job market.

Longer life spans and a desire to remain productive and connected already had begun pushing the number of older workers higher.

Now the financial crisis is accelerating interest in working later, with career sites and organizations for seniors and older workers reporting a surge in job-hunting efforts.

Marian Austin of Alfred, Maine, is among those who need to work again just to make ends meet in retirement. In this economy, her late former husband’s Social Security isn’t nearly enough.

“It’s been difficult,” said Austin, 63, a former gift shop owner and retail manager who retired two years ago. “I don’t know how I will pay for fuel oil for heating. I can’t walk into a grocery store and buy what I want. I don’t look forward to Christmas because I can’t buy gifts this year.”

AARP, the nation’s largest advocacy group for older Americans, saw dramatic evidence of the trend in September when more than 2,000 people attended its annual job fair in Washington, D.C., more than double the previous year’s attendance.

The job seekers included many who had been recently laid off and retirees worried about the economy and the pressure on their limited resources.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in the sense of urgency in terms of jobs,” said Deborah Russell, AARP’s director of workforce issues.

A market for retirement jobs essentially emerged a decade or so ago.

Now postings for those at or approaching retirement age are an important and growing phenomenon in the labor market, as evidenced by online job boards that include RetirementJobs.com, Retiree Workforce.com and Seniors4 Hire.org, which cater not just to retirees but anyone 50 and older.

Demand for such resources is only likely to grow with the graying of the workforce expected to continue. Workers age 65 and older are expected to account for 6.1% of the labor force by 2016, up sharply from 3.6% in 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“For decades we’ve been making it easier for people to get out of the labor market,” said Marc Freedman, chief executive of Civic Ventures, which focuses on helping older baby boomers launch second careers that involve social contribution. “Now there’s a growing need in the opposite direction.”

Despite the increased opportunities, seniors may find the job market for them is as tight as for everyone else in a struggling economy.

Going back to work part time should help Austin get by, but getting hired for a worthwhile job in retail, merchandising or working with disabled people is proving tough. She wonders whether age discrimination is a factor.

“A lot of these folks who are hiring are in their 20s or 30s and they think people in their 60s are ancient,” she said. “If it comes down between you, with a lot of experience, and a younger person, I feel they’re going to go with the younger person.”

One concern is that, despite their strengths, older workers often are perceived as resistant to training, averse to answering to younger bosses or lacking in computer skills, according to AARP’s Russell. Seniors need to assess their skills and seek out job-searching tips, particularly if they haven’t gone through the process in recent years, she said.

“The job market has changed,” Russell said. “Employers are accepting job applications online, they expect to see your resume online. Interviewing has changed, so it’s important to keep up.”

AARP has a program that helps age 50-plus workers with job opportunities -- its National Employer Team, which connects job seekers with a variety of possibilities.

RetirementJobs, which lists more than 30,000 jobs across all 50 states, has seen a surge of retirees come to its site since the economy soured, with traffic doubling to 400,000 visitors a month between July and September.

“About four to six months ago we started seeing a significant new group of people, already retired, who needed to return to work,” said Bob Skladany, chief career counselor at RetirementJobs and an advisor to AARP on work-related issues.

On top of that, he said, the wave of layoffs this fall has been bringing in job seekers in their early 50s.

The good news is that plenty of jobs are available for the 50-and-up workforce, Skladany said. Sectors that are hiring in significant numbers include healthcare and home healthcare, retail and hospitality. Customer service openings of all kinds exist, he said.

On the plus side, mature workers appeal to many employers because they are seen as hard-working and more dependable and loyal than younger peers.

That makes it much more common for companies to now hire people up to their mid-60s, said Bob Hoberman, a partner at Holmdel, N.J.-based RW Consulting Group, which operates RetireeWorkforce.com.

Still, getting hired by a new firm at 65 or older can be challenging, he said.

Employers may not want to hire older workers because of health concerns or other issues.

“I think companies certainly are looking to retain their own people over 65, and it’s not going to be unusual at all for people to work till age 70,” Hoberman said. “But whether they’re as willing to hire someone over 65 from the outside remains to be determined.”

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Where to find help online

Looking for work in an economic downturn can be challenging, but it’s easier today than it used to be -- and that may hold truest of all for the retired set. Those who are in or near retirement and are looking for work can find online resources that may prove invaluable as the ongoing financial crisis drives many back to the workplace or keeps them there longer. Older workers steer clear of mainstream job-search websites such as HotJobs and Monster because they think their chances are better when their maturity is specifically targeted, said Scott Wingerter, chief operating officer for RetireeWorkforce.com, a job board for retired workers. “Mature workers won’t generally apply for positions [advertised] for the general population -- they fear age discrimination,” he said. “So they come to boards like ours.”

Here are some online resources for retirees or anyone 50 or older looking for part-time or full-time work.

* RetirementJobs.com has more than 30,000 listings from companies specifically seeking candidates older than 50. RetirementJobs also partners with AARP.

* RetireeWorkforce.com also focuses on the 50-plus job candidate. The website gets about 200,000 visitors a month, doubled from a year ago and up sharply during the financial crisis.

* RetiredBrains.com is a resource for seniors, retirees and those about to retire who are looking to find jobs, volunteer opportunities, educational resources and retirement information.

* Retirement-Jobs-Online.com offers advice about online retirement jobs, helping retirees evaluate ways to use the Internet to find work.

* AARP offers a job search engine, at https://jobs.aarp.org, and a National Employer Team, at www.aarp.org/employerteam, which lists employers that are recruiting older workers. Most are corporations, but the website also cites three government agencies: the Internal Revenue Service, Peace Corps and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Relief.

* Aging Workforce News, at www.agingworkforcenews.com/ aginglinks.html, is not a job board but provides a useful collection of work-related links.

* BoomerCareer.com is a collection of career articles and resources targeting baby boomers. Visitors can search job listings and post their resumes.

* Encore.org provides news, resources and connections for individuals and organizations establishing “encore careers” designed to combine social contribution, personal meaning and financial security. Many of the jobs posted are in education, healthcare and human services.

* ExperienceWorks.org helps low-income seniors get training to find jobs in their communities.

* QuintessentialCareers.com has a comprehensive listing of job and career resources for older job seekers.

* SeniorHelpers.com, which has offices in 230 U.S. cities, hires many older workers to provide in-home personal and companion care for seniors. Caregivers’ services include help with housework, meal preparation, errands, transportation, medication reminders and Alzheimer’s care. The pay is $8 to $12 per hour; most work an average of about 20 hours per week.

* SeniorJobBank.org is a site where older job seekers can search by category, industry or location, post resumes and register for a job-search agent.

* Seniors4Hire.org is another online career center and job bank with openings posted by businesses actively recruiting the 50-and-older population. The website also includes career resources and articles for older workers.

* WiserWorker.com enables baby boomers and older workers to search for job listings by keyword or location and provides career articles and resources plus listings of job fairs across the nation.

* YourEncore.com seeks to match retired engineers and scientists with companies looking to meet a capacity surge or fill a short-term need. Clients include Fortune 500 firms such as Boeing Co., Eli Lilly & Co. and Procter & Gamble Co., and the retirees sometimes are brought in as temporary mentors for new hires.

Source: The Associated Press