Baby Boomers: Forget Ageism—We’re Reaching Our Prime!
Some statistics have the baby boomer generation at 76 million in the U.S. alone—others have us at 78 million. However, with our vast numbers and social and economic clout, why quibble about a couple of million people born between 1946 and 1964? No matter how you cut it, we are the largest and most influential generation of all time.
That’s why I get so upset when I hear about the impact of ageism in the workforce and the unspoken yet, nonetheless, very real inequities facing the older worker. Our generation has moved mountains in such complex issues as social justice and civil rights. I know we still have a long way to go but, if you doubt our amazing achievements, just turn on an episode of Madmen or watch an old 1940’s movie.
So why would we possibly allow ourselves to be discounted or pushed out of prime positions simply because of our age? Undoubtedly, corporations want much of their workforce young and cheap but they also need skilled, sophisticated, and smart workers at the top. And, these are US! In smaller firms, where the majority of hiring takes place, they can’t risk bringing in a number of inexperienced newbies who don’t have our work ethic and often haven’t learned such life skills as showing up on time and being prepared.
Nevertheless, if you’re out of work and looking for a job, age can be a factor in slowing your search. That is… if you let it! Regular readers of this blog know I’m a career counselor/job search specialist with twenty years’ experience in the field and I’ve just come out with my new book, Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. If you know of anyone in midlife who’s feeling down and discouraged because they’re having trouble finding work, please suggest they check it out.
At the risk of sounding immodest, my book one of a very small handful that addresses the special challenges of being an older applicant and the only one to provide insider tips that will turn your age into an advantage. So, my fellow boomers, let’s go after the job market coming from a position of power! With the force of our numbers and the strength of our spirit, there’s no way we should let a little thing called “ageism” dampen our prospects or push us aside. After all, we were and are the mightiest generation of them all—so let’s get out there and land those jobs we love!
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February 24th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Thanks Eileen for the encouragement. I look forward to reading your book Yes, we need to remind ourselves that we have gained so much experience and wisdom over the years that we carry with us, which youth alone cannot fill. Having been an employer for 30 years, I realized the value of those very qualitities and so maintained a mix of ages and ethnicity in the organization which created a true sense of family in our company. I believe there are many companies out there who feel the same way. That’s where you want to be!
Jean
February 9th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Great post Eileen. Thank you!
Congratulations on your new book
February 1st, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Great post – thanks for the insight.
The over 50 crowd has an enormous amount of experience. It should be used to its fullest.
Peter
FitnessOver50
January 30th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I’ve read Eileen’s book and can vouch for it–it has all the tools you need to make “experience” not only count but look like an employer’s best choice. I wish I had this book from Day 1 in my career. I liked it so much, I submitted a 5-star review on Amazon. Click on the Amazon link for details.
January 30th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Good post… I’m always on the lookout for good blogs.