Career Growth & Professional Development

Job strategies for out-of-work baby boomers

July 19, 2024

76 2 minutes read

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The Great Recession has sent shock waves to many a baby boomer (those born from 1946-64) who may have experienced 25-30 years of career advancement and steady employment. Suddenly they are the victims of downsizing and layoffs and now in the market for a new job. They are facing the odds of competing against a younger generation of ambitious workers seeking advancement.

Now the first wave of baby boomers is being subjected to the reality of that prevailing bias against older workers. These workers may be perceived as being overqualified and overcompensated.

Yet, the savvy older worker can get back in the game with confidence and success.

–The first step is to take stock of what you truly want to do. Do you want to stay in the professional field you have been pursuing since college or shift your direction to another field? If the decision is to move in another direction, do you need to seek new skills?

Our nation is unique in the boundless opportunities for people to redefine themselves by re-entering the educational field as adult students. Community colleges, technical schools and online courses are just some of the opportunities for adult students to acquire new skills.

–Developing the correct resume is another important step. Limit the resume to two pages. The older worker should use the resume to highlight major accomplishments in adding value to prior employers.

It is acceptable to trace one’s career back 10 years and then summarize the employment record beyond that, as well as academic preparation, without specific dates. You do not want to emphasize your age. The objective of the resume is to pass the “10-second sort” the reader does to choose those candidates for further consideration and a telephone screening or face-to-face interview. Be sure that the resume is letter perfect without grammatical or spelling errors. A single typo will relegate your resume to the “circular file.”

–Dispel the myth that baby boomers are not computer literate. We are in the age of the knowledgeable worker. Computer literacy is a must for all technical and professional workers. Many employers require candidates to apply online and submit their resumes by e-mail. If you lack computer skills, there are courses available at community colleges and online at reasonable cost.

–Dispel the myth that you are overqualified. A potential trap for the older worker is to prepare a resume that appears overpowering. Candidates who appear to be overqualified will not get an interview.

–Avoid the appearance of arrogance and entitlement. The baby boomer generation has been pegged as the most entitled and pampered of all generations. You must present an image of flexibility and the willingness to step laterally or back on issues of position, title and salary, in order to compete. Otherwise you will take yourself out of the running for perfectly good jobs that may set your career back on track.

–Play your “ace in the hole” — experience. Experience and wisdom truly count. A proven track record of “home run” successes and lessons learned from inevitable setbacks goes a long way in giving the edge to the older worker. Past successes and the ability to adapt are strong predictors of future success. This is the time to show that your experience would add value to the employer.

— Do not get discouraged. The next job is out there for the older worker who is between jobs and is willing to be persistent, flexible and proactive in fine-tuning his or her skill sets.