Though some employers would prefer a younger workforce, the older applicants still have a wide variety of career choices to choose from.

Employers are starting to see the potential of older and much-experienced applicants as can be seen by the statistics below:

q In Australia, Bureau of Statistics showed that between the period of August of 1989 to that of August of 2003, the workforce aged 15-24 lost more than 380,000 jobs to older workers.

Aside from the fact that most of Australia’s younger generation became full-time students, employers favored the older applicants.

q In Netherlands on the other hand (by December of 2000), over 500,000 thousand of their employees are 55 years old and above.  This figure had been increasing steadily since 1995.

To have a head start from the younger applicants, one has to take into consideration the following:

1. In writing one’s resume, put more weight in highlighting the accomplishments without necessarily bragging about it.

One could have these lists of accomplishments and previous posts held work for one’s advantage over younger applicants who may not even have any experience on the same field.

An individual’s employment history receives as much scrutiny as the applicant itself.  While employers tend to look for gaps or lapses of time when the applicant has been unemployed, they also tend to focus on the length of service one had rendered for their previous employers.

Frequent change of work (usually within very short time frames) can be alarming for prospective employers.

2. Read and enroll in programs that will refresh your knowledge on certain fields especially if engaged in professional sectors.  This will keep you individual abreast of the latest trend in such fields.

3. Search the Internet for vacancies.  A lot of agencies place ads on the net that advertises help for senior citizens in looking for jobs.  Various search engines made easier and specific (can choose the following categories: career, location and field of interest) are also available.

Jobs that do not usually look into the age of the applicant are the following:

1. Professional work that are into specialization.  For applicants in the medical field (i.e. Doctors) experience is the basic determinant of being hired.

2. Lectures or speaking engagements.  Speakers that are invited to discuss certain topics do not really have an age requirement.  Rather, qualification focuses more on first hand knowledge and experience.

3. Writers.  Writing novels, plays or children’s books are one of those professions whose only requirement is good writing skills.  Also, one can do the job at the comfort of their own homes, a plus factor for those in their advanced years.

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he temporary employment industry has gone through a number of transitions over the years. While temp agencies were originally used for hiring people to fill in for workers who were on vacation, it has now evolved into an industry which uses highly skilled workers. However, the temporary employment industry is considered to be a fringe market because it only employs workers for a short period of time. In the fall of last year, nearly 4 million people were hired to work for temp agencies.

Once the economy began to slow, many of these people lost their jobs. Despite this, temp agencies are expected to thrive in the US and other nations in the coming years. There are a large number of pros and cons which are associated with this industry. While temporary jobs are the bane of many people, others find them to be enjoyable. There are a number of good reasons why working with a temp agency can be good, and they can provide benefits which are good for both employers and employees.

The very first temp agency was created in 1946 by a businessman named William Russell Kelly. He devised a business model in which he could quickly higher clerks to perform tasks for a short period of time. The agency quickly swelled in size, and this business model has been used by many other companies since this time. Temp agencies are attractive for many reasons. When the economy slows down, many people have trouble finding jobs, while others may lose jobs that they’ve had for years. When this happens, temp agencies can be very attractive.

Statistics show that temp agencies now make up 5% of the workforce in the US. Another advantage that they have is that they are flexible. Instead of working 50 weeks a year for a traditional company, a person could work at a large number of temp agencies at the beginning of the year and then take the rest of the year off in order to go on vacation or attend college. Employers benefit from temp agencies because they can save money on health insurance, retirement, and other expenses. Parents who have young children to take care of will often find temp agencies to be extremely attractive.

At the same time, there are a number of disadvantages to temp agencies which need to be discussed. Because they are short term jobs, they do not offer health insurance or retirement benefits. This means it is up to the employee to open up a 401K or IRA in order to save for retirement. It is also the responsibility of the employee to make sure they have health insurance. With temp agencies, there is no such thing as job security. You may only be hired to work for one season, and it may take you time to find another temp job. If you run out of money between jobs, you could find yourself in financial danger.

Others see temp agencies as a sign that the US economy is declining. They feel that people should stay at a job for years, and should not have to switch jobs every few months. They cite outsourcing, immigration, and corporate corruption as a factor in why so many are turning to temp agencies. Those with these views tend to be older Americans who have retired or are nearing retirement. Despite these views, it is clear that temp agencies are here to stay.

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