Summary

The web content provides guidance for job seekers over 50, suggesting alternative job boards and resources tailored to older workers, in light of age discrimination challenges.

Abstract

The article addresses the challenges faced by individuals over the age of 50 in the job market, highlighting the prevalence of age discrimination. It suggests that traditional job search methods, such as applying through Indeed, may not be as effective for this demographic. Instead, the author recommends specialized job boards like RetirementJobs.com, Retired Brains, and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which cater to the needs and experiences of older workers. These platforms offer a range of job opportunities, from part-time and temporary positions to executive roles, and are designed to support individuals who may have been pushed out of longtime occupations or are seeking to supplement their income during retirement. The article also provides resources for remote work opportunities and emphasizes the importance of community support and networking for older job seekers.

Opinions

The author implies that age discrimination is a significant issue for older job seekers, as evidenced by the high rate of involuntary job departures among this group.
The article suggests that mainstream job boards like Indeed may not adequately serve the interests of workers over 50.
There is an opinion that staying in one's current job, starting a business, or utilizing age-friendly job boards are viable options for older workers.
The author positively endorses job boards like RetirementJobs.com for their commitment to hiring older workers and for providing a platform free of age discrimination.
Retired Brains is highlighted as a valuable resource for retirees seeking part-time, seasonal, or temporary work, or for those considering re-entering the business world.
The SCSEP program is presented as a beneficial initiative that provides work-based training and community service opportunities for unemployed, low-income seniors.
The article expresses that remote work can be a suitable option for seasoned freelancers over 50, with a list of recommended remote job sites provided for consideration.
The author encourages readers to share their experiences with the mentioned job boards in the comments section, fostering a sense of community and shared knowledge among older job seekers.

Forget Indeed. Those Over 50 Should Be Looking on These Job Boards Instead.

Ready to pull your hair out trying to find a job? I’ve got you covered!

Image courtesy: SHVETS production via Pexels

When I was younger I had no problem getting a job. Now that I’m over 50, I couldn’t even work at McDonald’s if I wanted to:

Hi Kristen,

Thank you for applying for a Team Member position with McDonald’s. At this time, we have decided not to move forward with your application. We appreciate your interest in our jobs and wish you the best of luck in your search!

Thank you, McDonald’s hiring team at McD of Grand Morton (37954).

I have gone on more than 6 job interviews over the last couple of months and have been turned down for all of them. I’m not saying that there is age discrimination going on here. But when certain employers in the job interview say that “There’s a lot of younger workers here. Would you be comfortable working with them?” Or “We’re not sure you fit in with our company culture, but thank you for coming by.” When I hear those types of things I start to wonder, “Am I too old to be hired?”

A recent data analysis by the Urban Institute and ProPublica shows over 50% of older workers in the U.S. are pushed out of longtime occupations before choosing to retire, essentially experiencing often irreversible financial damage. According to this article “If You’re Over 50, Chances Are the Decision to Leave a Job Won’t be Yours,” more and more folks are experiencing age discrimination. The article states ‘Many people in America assume that by the point of reaching their 50s they will have time to save, have steady work, as well as the right to make their own choices regarding when to retire. However, unfortunately, that is no longer the case for most people.’

So it is recommended that if you are approaching 50 or are over 50, you choose one of the three suggestions:

Stay in your current job no matter what
Start your own business
Try one of the following listed job boards that specifically works with older workers

The workforce landscape for older workers is changing. If you are still going to Indeed, I highly encourage that you change that. If you are 50 years of age and up, I highly recommend these 3 job boards for older workers:

RetirementJobs.com

Image courtesy: Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels

RetirementJobs.com is a certified age-friendly job board of employers committed and willing to take on older workers.

This job boards offers these benefits:

Free
Millions of members
Mixture of people from every level, from leadership/executive level all the way to staff level
Multitude of jobs available
Hourly and salary positions available
No age discrimination
Members rate employers

Retired Brains

The site Retired Brains offers a multitude of resources and offers part-time, seasonal, and temporary work. It is a fantastic option for retirees looking to supplement their income or who are considering restarting a business.

Over 50 and Looking for Remote Work? Try These!

Tired of looking for a job and getting turned down? Check out these sites!

medium.com

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Program

SCSEP is a work-based training and community service program for America’s older demographic. The program offers training for unemployed, low-income, senior individuals. The Senior Community Service Employment Program grantees comprise 19 nationwide non-profit organizations and state agencies. For more details on programs in your region, you can use this Older Worker Program Finder here. The AARP foundation also helps with such resources and information.

According to the program’s website:

Participants receive work experience in various community service tasks at public and non-profit facilities, which includes senior centers, daycare facilities, hospitals, and schools. This program offers more than 40M community service hours to non-profit and public agencies, which allows them to provide and enhance needed services. People work about 20 hours per week and get paid the greatest of local, state, or federal minimum wage.

Users of the program have to be a minimum of 55 years old, unemployed, as well as have a total income of not more than 125 percent of the poverty level. Priority is provided to vets and eligible spouses, and then to people over the age of 65, have limited English proficiency or low literacy skillset, have a disability, live within a rural region, have low or no employment prospects, are at risk of being homeless or are already homeless, or have not been been able to secure employment after utilizing services through American Job Center system.

Image courtesy: Mikael Blomkvist via Pexels

If you are a seasoned freelancer and prefer the peace and quiet that remote work offers, here is a list of remote job sites to check out so you can get your first gig:

Ever work with any of these sites? If so, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments section!

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