Where do older jobseekers find work?
Diversity of Employment Opportunities for the 50+ Community
Older job seekers often find work through a variety of channels tailored to their unique skills and experiences.
Here are some effective avenues:
1. Networking:
- Leveraging professional and personal networks for job leads.
- Attending industry events and local job fairs.
2. Online Job Boards:
- Platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.
- Specialized sites like RetirementJobs.com, AARP Job Board, and Workforce50.com.
3. Staffing Agencies:
- Agencies that specialize in placing older workers, such as Senior Employment Centers.
4. Local Workforce Development Boards:
- Programs and services tailored to mature workers, offering job training and placement assistance.
- Example: Like our NCWorks Career Center in Asheville, NC.
5. Volunteer and Part-Time Opportunities:
- Nonprofits and community organizations often value the experience of older workers.
- Volunteering can lead to paid positions and help build relevant experience.
6. Freelancing and Consulting:
- Utilizing decades of expertise to offer consulting services or freelance work in their field.
- Platforms like Upwork and Freelancer.com.
7. Educational Institutions:
- Positions in education, including teaching or administrative roles at colleges and universities.
- Community colleges often have programs for experienced professionals to teach or mentor.
8. Age-Friendly Employers:
- Companies with policies that support hiring older workers, such as flexible working hours and anti-age discrimination policies.
9. Government Programs:
- Programs like the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) offer training and job placement for older adults.
10. Small Business Development:
- Some older job seekers choose to start their own businesses or pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, leveraging their extensive experience and networks.
- NC Small Business Centers, including those at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Blue Ridge Community College.
These channels provide a diverse range of opportunities suited to the needs and strengths of older job seekers.
North Carolina Common Follow-up System (CFS)
Our partners at the NC Department of Commerce also has some insights with data from the North Carolina Common Follow-up System (CFS) to learn more about the conditions older workers experience after they lose their job, including their wage earnings and their sector of employment following layoff.
- Where do older job seekers find work?
- Do older workers shift from goods-producing to service-providing?
- Do older workers take a large pay cut after being laid off?