By Sarah Welstead
Retired Worker (www.retiredworker.ca), the first employment website created specifically for retired people, has just released the results of their first comprehensive survey of older workers. It sheds some surprising new light on the post-retirement worker, particularly their use of the internet in their job hunting.
By Linda Matias
It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote on his resume was “Available.” We’ll probably never know if that is true. But it raises an interesting question. How much information is too much and how much is too little when dealing with resume copy?
By Rick Klumpenhouwer Privacy Specialist, Canadian Career Partners
Last issue, I proposed that three key conditions have dominated the career service industry’s response the new privacy regulation in Canada: a lack of basic knowledge, confusion about jurisdiction and scope, and some assumptions about current industry standards. I addressed the first condition to some extent by laying out a brief overview of the new legislative environment in Canada for privacy in the private sector and some of the implementation measures required. Drawing on this basic knowledge, which seems reasonable enough, how will the jurisdiction and scope of the legislation specifically affect the way career service providers work? The answer to this practical question will likely give credence to the otherwise dubious contention that, sometimes, there are things you don’t want to know about. The journey is necessary, though, to realize reasonable standards for private sector privacy compliance in the career counseling industry.
By Sherry Knight
It’s time to think of my retirement? You are probably thinking “You’re joking? I’m too young”. You are right. Most people don’t start to think of their retirement until 2 to 5 years before the time comes. What a waste! The time to think of retirement is much earlier, and we’ll talk about that a little later in this article.
Let’s go back to the start – when we get to that magic age of 45 and we are getting to the stage where employers begin to think we might be getting a little long in the tooth. That’s an old fashioned statement for getting older. The way to keep from being perceived as a dinosaur is to keep current.
How do you do this? The answer is simple! Keep active! That means keeping up to date with what’s happening in your field and even in others if there is any interest. You are now the person that others come to because of your wisdom, your knowledge and your skill. It is imperative you keep up with the learning curve.
Often people think they must increase the learning curve in their chosen profession. While this is certainly worthwhile it is by no means the only avenue to continuing to increase knowledge. By taking courses in anything (for example scuba diving, bird watching, basket weaving, or cooking) that you might have an interest in, you are apt to gather information as well as creative thoughts that you can apply to other applications.
All too often individuals at this age begin to think they have forgotten more than most people could possibly learn. And, in a way, they are probably right. Sometimes it’s time to bite your tongue because in reality you have tried the latest, the newest, and the most recent, years or even decades ago. At this point it is pertinent to look for a new twist, a new approach to something you already know.
And you do that simply by keeping on top of things.
It is critical at this Maintenance Stage of the Career Development Process that you continue your learning. It is who you are – someone who continues to explore avenues and events that allow you to continue to be of value to yourself and your employer.
Some at this stage go back to school, start a business on the side or even ask for new assignments at work. One man who received his GED 8 years after leaving school, registered for the first year of university and quit after passing only 2 subjects. He returned to university and finally got his Engineering Degree at the age of 56. It is never too late to do what you want to do!
It is a positive element for every employer. Your career path success depends on your ability to show others you are up-to-date with new processes. Is it enough to continue to grow? No! The reality is that you also need to promote the fact that you are gaining knowledge and skill. You can’t live by the old adage, “Don’t blow your own horn!” You really do need to let others know (in a kind and somewhat self effacing way) that you are a valued employee.
Let the whole world know what you are doing, what you are learning and more importantly, what you are doing to be of value to the organization. Remember, what the company leaders have always looked for is ways to improve the bottom line. It hasn’t changed just because you’ve done the same thing over and over. Employers are looking for people who will add to corporate growth. At no age is it more important to do than in the Maintenance Stage. It is simply too easy to be overlooked by the younger, skilled and often less costly person.
One of our clients was let go one month before he would have retired. He decided to retire and enjoy the fruits of his years of hard work. My question to him related to what he might do with his new found free time. His answer was very similar to what many others have indicated. He was simply going to sleep late, eat whatever he wanted and enjoy his life.
True to my belief, I suggested he call in 6 months when he was bored to tears. Fortunately he did with the words, “How did you know?” Almost everyone who decides to sit back and do nothing ends up in boredom, if they’re lucky. The unlucky ones face more dire circumstances. Human beings need something to look forward to – even when it’s maintaining the level we are at right now.
So, if you are working with people in this stage, or are in this stage yourself, get started. It is time to ensure you have a plan, a plan to do something; anything. It doesn’t matter what, just do something. Keep your mind active, keep your energy levels up and keep your world moving forward. Life in this stage is exciting and fun – it’s up to us to ensure people see that and know how easy it is to love the life we have chosen to follow.
Have fun – this is the very best time of life to do exactly what you want to do! Remember, in most cases the kids are becoming self sufficient, the mortgage is paid or getting close to it, and there is a little more money to enjoy whatever in life has meaning to you!
Sherry Knight is a convention speaker, author and corporate trainer who helps individuals achieve their full potential. To bring Sherry’s learning experiences to your management and staff, call 1-800-303-2315, email sherry@dimension11.com or visit our website at www.dimension11.com.
By Sandra Lim, CPRW, CCM, CECC, 2nd VP & Online Career Information and Resources Expert, newcareer@abetterimpression.com
The Association of Online Résumé and Career Professionals (AORCP) differs from other professional organizations by providing networking opportunities, certifications, professional development seminars, and conferences entirely online – a unique initiative that other career-related organizations do not offer.
By Cathy Keates
Does this sound familiar? “I feel like such a hypocrite when I tell my clients to network – I hate networking!”
I have noticed an interesting pattern among career practitioners. When it comes to the subject of networking, many of us are feeling conflicted. While we are huge proponents of the practice of networking as the key strategy for job search and career success, many of us, when feeling safe and among friends, guiltily admit this little secret.
By Doug Wasyliw, R.S.W., P.R.P. – “The Retirement Coach”
“If you think early and thorough life planning for your 60s and beyond won’t help increase your odds of a significantly better last third of your life, try ignorance”.
— 80 year old
Today’s busy and complicated lifestyles leave us little time to think about the next twenty to forty years. As we live through these next decades, we will probably face many things: increasing life expectancies, caring for aging parents, future health challenges, more cuts in government services, and the chance of unexpected or forced early retirement. These and other reasons make special planning and preparation for the next decades an important, if not crucial task. Despite this reality, recent studies and surveys say that most Canadians aged 45 and up do little or no specific mid-life planning. Though many expect to maintain the same or similar quality of life once in their sixties, they usually do too little to make sure this happens.
By Mark Venning
At the 14th annual conference of the Association of Career Professionals International in Puerto Rico (June 2003) over 40 career professionals from 11 countries and a representative from the United Nations gathered to discuss perspectives on working with older experienced clients in an aging world.
By Liza Arnason, Mentoring Programs Coordinator
Welcome to the Ryerson Tri-Mentoring Program (launched Sept. 2001), a unique multicultural program with over 600 participants, who benefit from the learning and skill development opportunities gained through mentoring and collaborative partnerships. One student participant commented that “as a student mentor, I think the most valuable experience was that while sharing knowledge and experience, I was able to reflect on my own personal growth and learn…and in turn I was also able to share that discovery with my mentee.” Before exploring the development opportunities facilitated by mentoring, let’s briefly overview the program’s framework.
By Rick Klumpenhouwer Privacy Specialist, Canadian Career Partners
On January 1, all commercial enterprises in Canada came under the jurisdiction of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), a federal law. At the same time, two provincial statutes called the Protection of Personal Information Act (PIPA) have been enacted in Alberta and British Columbia, joining existing legislation already in effect in Quebec. For the first time, all Canadian businesses and private sector organizations are regulated under law for the way they manage the privacy of individuals they provide services for and, to a certain extent, they employ.