© Raymond Angus - All Rights Reserved

Do you want senior employment? Are you 50 years of age or

older and hoping and praying to land a job?

Whatever your motivation to find work is, welcome to a labor

market seemingly tilted against senior employment seekers.

But take heart! Golden opportunities now abound for senior

job seekers and the ball is in their court. There's great

news for you and dire warnings for all the critics.

Newspapers trumpet headlines about seniors unable to get

even minimum pay jobs. Employment fairs advertise work for

anyone breathing, but they're generally low paying $10-$12

openings.

The young people staffing the application desks at these

fairs seem to be mentally jotting down your age when you ask

for a sign up sheet.

Why is this good news? Because contrary to appearances, The

United States is on the brink of an incredible labor

shortage. Well respected economists predict a huge labor

shortage that is making itself felt even at this moment in

time.

How big a labor shortfall is looming on the horizon? Some

estimates run as high as 10 million unfilled positions by

the year 2010.

Millions of senior employees are rapidly nearing retirement.

At the same time fewer and fewer younger people are coming

of age to fill the vacuum.

Many astute business executives of today are growing keenly

aware of the worker shortfall on the horizon.

Even Congress is now taking notice of the coming labor

shortage. Legislation is being discussed now to provide tax

credits to companies opening up flexible senior employment

work schedules.

All for senior employees 62 years of age or older.

The icing on the cake is that health and pension benefits

will be included. Be optimistic if you're an individual

seeking senior employment!

With a little homework, preparation and a small dash of

creativity, you can get excellent work for yourself right

now.

Don't be surprised at all the opportunities out there.

You'll discover that there are a lot of options for you to

choose from, more than you ever dreamed of. You won't have

to settle for just any old job that's offered.

Take out a piece of paper right now and begin jotting down a

list of jobs you'd like to have. And please underline the

word like. Along with it, write out your work experience and

what you want to do.

If you're a senior employment seeker, then you've earned a

lot of experience in many different areas over the years.

Don't forget to put in your hobbies too! You'd be surprised

at what things like fishing and bowling can add to your job

description. And this is a campaign just as important as any

battle waged by the general of an army.

Do you like reading about sports and politics? Add those to

the mix too!

Now, when you've finished the list decide what type of jobs

you'd like to have. No matter how far afield from what

you've worked at in the past.

Meditate about it until you come up with several

possibilities. And remember, the sky's the limit.

When you've decided on a few jobs you'd be happy doing,

research the businesses that offer senior employment. Then

call them and get the names of the managers that do the

hiring.

Finally, make out a brief resume of your work history.

Now is where creativity comes into the picture. Compose a

short, single page cover letter. Make it brief, and don't

just rehash the things you listed in your resume.

On the cover letter, itemize what you've done to warrant

hiring you for the position you want.

Be truthful, but tell them what you can do to fulfill the

job's bottom line. You'll be surprised, because the cover

letter is often the deciding factor in hiring.

When you've finished, make a personal visit to the business

and ask to see the hiring manager. It's a good idea to call

first and make an appointment if possible.

But don't hesitate to make an unannounced visit if needed

though. Whatever the outcome of the meeting, leave a copy of

your resume and cover letter.

Within the next three days, if you haven't heard back from

the hiring manager, call on the phone and ask for him/her.

The follow up phone call will demonstrate your desire for

the job.

Most personnel specialists agree that this course of action

is one of the most effective methods to acquire senior

employment.

Even if the company isn't advertising an opening, it can

often lead to a job in an anticipated opening in the future.

So, don't figure the only job you can get is flipping

burgers or packing groceries. You have talents and

experience that companies are hungry for now, and you're

valuable.

As a person seeking senior employment, you also come

equipped with an old fashioned work ethic not in over

abundance in today's workplace.

Pick out the type of work you want to do...and go for it!

Be assured, the national and local labor markets now realize

that being a senior employment applicant carries with it

added experience, talent and knowledge.