Baby Boomer Job Search Ageism Realities - Hire Imaging

Baby Boomer Job Search Ageism Realities - Hire Imaging Over the past two years, I have experienced a significant increase in baby boomer clients in job search, seeking career exploration and management assistance in scenarios ranging from involuntary terminations to voluntary career redirection and/or downsizing. The boom in baby boomer clients doesnt surprise me, based on a few wake-up-call facts: Baby Boomer Job Search: Facts There will soon be 77 million workers over age 50 and only 44 million in the generation that follows. The current social security system is not set up to handle this change, and will demand drastic changes in order to continue. While organizations increase their efforts to compete globally, they will do whatever it takes to remain profitable. Employees have been identified as the single largest variable cost employers have control over. Older workers seem to be the greatest recipient of this emerging trend of lay-offs and unplanned retirement. Long gone are the gold watch days, where an employees dedication, loyalty and hard work translated to post-retirement family care giving by the the company. In a joint study done by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), it was discovered that 65% of current employers do not actively recruit older workers. To maximize the job search, Baby Boomer job seekers should be prepared to address the realities. As Dr. Phil says, You cant change what you dont acknowledge. There is another adage that applies and that is, knowledge is power. Baby Boomer Job Search: Who is the Boomer or Older Worker? Who are the older workers? They are full time and part time, temporary and permanent, white-collar and blue-collar. Older workers may be 45, 55, 65 or even 75 years old. There is not one set definition. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) applies to individuals aged 40 and over. Using the ADEA definition, the number of older workers has significantly increased, as all baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) reached 40 or older in 2004. However, the perspectives still vary greatly. In a recent study by Georgetown Universitys Center on an Aging Society, Data Profiles: Young Retirees and Older Workers, the data suggests that being an older worker starts at age 51. However, the Committee for Economic Developments New Opportunities for Older Workers identifies older Americans as age 45 and older. Adding further cloudiness to the definition, a recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) NOWCC/CED Older Workers Survey shows that human resource professiona ls widely differ on defining the age of older workers, from ages 40 to 45 to age 70 and older. Baby Boomer Job Search:   Older Workers and the Law In the United States, older workers are protected from discrimination in the workplace under the ADEA. The ADEA applies to private and public employers with 20 or more employees, employment agencies, labor organizations with 25 or more members, and apprenticeship and training programs. Other age discrimination laws exist internationally. Australia has long had state and federal age discrimination laws, most currently the Age Discrimination Act of 2004. The UK established the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations on October 1, 2006. Many other countries around the globe have introduced age laws. Are laws enough? In How Age Laws Work Across the Globe, a 2006 analysis by Julian Knight, a reporter for BBC, he found that age rules had an effect on some forms of overt discrimination, for example, employers advertising for young staff. However, the study concluded that there was no evidence of a significant shift in the attitude of employers and society to older workers. Knight determined t hat legislation can only help to change attitudes if it is combined with employer education and other policies to promote equal rights for older workers. The study concluded that getting rid of ageist employment practices was a long-term process. In the U.S., many companies dodge the ADEA by using the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA). In the August 2003 issue of HR Magazine, R.J. Grossman addresses this in the article, Are you Overlooking Older Workers? He states that most companies inoculate themselves against age complaints by asking dismissed older workers to sign releases and confidentiality agreements in exchange for retirement with incentives, severance and buyouts. As a result, many older workers issues are not brought to light. Baby Boomer Job Search: The Gray Ceiling The Committee for Economic Development cites several key barriers to older workers: Private and public workplace policies (e.g., pension plans, social security policies) that encourage retirement though financial incentives. Workplace discrimination and age bias in hiring, training and retention decisions. Limited opportunities for advancement. Negative stereotypes in the workplace. Inadequate training opportunities. Attitudes of older workers (e.g., disillusioned, discouraged, depressed). Health of older workers. Ageism, often called the gray ceiling, is one of the major barriers for older workers. According to Susan Imel in her study, Older Workers: Myths and Realties, (Education Resources Information Center at ericacve.org), older workers have a greater fear of discrimination than fear of change. As noted by the Committee for Economic Developments 2003 analysis, New Opportunities for Older Workers, discriminatory practices contribute to a sense on the part of older workers that the employment deck is stacked against them. In response, some older workers reactions are to withdraw form the workforce. Research in Human Resource Management Journal supports this reaction. In the article, Too Old or Too Young? The Impact of Perceived Age Discrimination (Snape Redman), the authors conclude that older workers who feel discriminated against are more likely to retire early. Catherine Fyock, SPHR, in her presentation, Business Responses to an Aging Workforce: Are You Ready, spoke to HR professionals at the Arkansas Human Resource Conference Expo. She stated, Id like to say it [age discrimination] has gone away, but the sad fact is, its pervasive †¦ and insidious. She further concluded that age-related discrimination is bred by not hiring or promoting older workers, by denying opportunities such as training, and by using negative language, such as referring to a co-worker as over-the-hill or as a geezer. Ms. Fyock stated that HR professionals will have to arm themselves with facts and change their way of thinking about the value older workers bring to the workplace. Baby Boomer Job Search: Self-Imposed Barriers Sabotages Rebecca R. Hastings, SPHR, states in her article, Ignore Old-Fashioned Notions When Job Searching after 50, that a widespread notion exists that it is harder to find a new job after 50. Although some HR professionals and hiring managers may harbor stereotypes about older workers, many of the perceptions come from applicants themselves. Career counselors encourage those seeking greener pastures to tackle the stereotypes, and their own doubts, head on. The older worker can face a wide range of fears related to the job search, ranging from low confidence in physical appearance to the fear of being overqualified or overpaid. Renee Ward, founder of seniors4hire.org, conducted a recent telephone survey of 1,000 members age 50 and older. She found that the majority sabotage their job hunting efforts by making too many negative assumptions and not doing enough. For example, 70% assumed that they would face age discrimination in the workplace, 85% assumed that a younger hiring manager would n ot treat them fairly, and 60% assumed that an employer would not consider retraining them for a new position. The survey also revealed that 54% are not going beyond reading newspaper ads, and 41% are not networking. Older job seekers set themselves up for failure by these assumptions and by not doing more, says Ward, an experienced recruitment consultant. Baby Boomer Job Search: The Good News So, if it is true that nearly 50% of the population is nearing over 50, that this age group is being laid off at a much higher rate than the younger generations, and that ageism exists throughout our culture, then what will happen to this segment of the workforce? This is where the good news comes in to play. The pendulum is beginning to swing in the baby boomers direction. The number of younger workers is diminishing. The baby bust is happening. The number of people reaching retirement age (but who want or need to continue working) is ever increasing. In order to keep a competitive edge, corporations will be obligated to look at this large segment of mature, dedicated and experienced workers. They will not only need to retain the mature workers they currently have, they will have to attract new ones. Layoffs, aging parents, empty nesting, spouse relocation, health problems, and life changes—all can present career challenges to baby boomers. Many may be driven to search for new employment or to change career paths altogether. One of my current clients has, as he puts it, devolved from prior roles as a top-security officer at the Pentagon and former MBA-credentialed civilian entrepreneur, to seeking and finding a lower-stress, fulfilling job in the retail book market. Another baby boomer client recently transitioned from physician to bagel shop owner. There is definitely opportunity to for baby boomers to explore new career adventures that fit the current phases of their lives. In my next article, Ill examine some of the ways baby boomer / older workers can manage career exploration and change with grace, a positive mindset and a plan, so that they can embrace the many career opportunities which await them.