Searching for employment in today's economy is a tough slog.
Job hunting, no matter what your age or demographic is difficult, and the challenges associated with each variable are different.
Young workers or job searchers, often apply en masse to fast-food establishments, department stores, or grocery stores only to find a cold sterile response for their efforts.
ìWe only hire people with experience.î
But how do 16-year-olds get experience if no one will hire them?
ìFill out the form online, and our human resource officer (in Toronto) will get back to you.î
What happens if the job you are applying for is only eight to 12 hours a week? Is your attitude towards angry customers really a major factor in shelf stocking?
College age/graduates or late 20-ish wannabe employees face another dilemma.
What happens if you do not fit the profile in mind for the ënext' employee because you took a year off to travel, or during school you realized that taking economics was not your ideal situation but switching to tourism was?
Middle-aged workers, 30 plus and older are at another crossroads. By this point, you are supposed to have set your career, and are working up the ladder in a given company. Changing streams at this point is not difficult, but it comes with a cost.
Like the college grad, a question often asked is where do you see yourself in five years, 10 years, or beyond.
The question is valid but with workers today changing employers up to 15 times in a life it can often push your file into the reject bin. Answering, working at another company in purchasing when you are applying for a job with a competitor does not work, though it may be true. Saying ìin Tahitiî will get a laugh, and sometimes help you avoid the question but often while looking for the dream job we have to go through a slew of less than perfect situations.
Once you reach your 40s, 50s, and 60s, another factor rears its head.
ìYou can probably run this company, why would I hire you?
ìI can't afford you.
ìWhy would I hire you when I can hire a worker in their 20s who I can train?î
The reality is that people need to work, and workers with experience who have gone through tough years are often more reliable than younger applicants.
From the high side of 40, I would like to offer the following observations.
* Discrimination exists -- age, education, religious, and cultural factors play a role in opening a door to employment.
* Not getting a phone call or email back from a prospective employer is not personal. They are cold, and centralized. It is just policy.
* Rates of pay do not reflect experience but rather predetermined budgets. A low wage does not reflect on poor job performance.
* Intangible benefits such as a good work environment, training, and appreciation are worth more than money.
* A good attitude will always carry you through a slump.
* Your dream job will more likely look like your interests and aptitudes rather than your dream income.
Money does not guarantee happiness.
