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Works Newsletter November 2003
maturityworksvictoria@canada.com http://maturityworksvictoria.50megs.com
Maturity Works Society is dedicated to support and inform all persons over 40 years of age concerned with employment and career options in our rapidly transforming socio-economic society.
A Message from the Chair
These are strange times. It seems
that history teaches us that we seldom are aware of what is coming down the
pipe until it happens.
We have all read the reports in
the media downsizing of the provincial civil service, the imminent cut off of
social assistance recipients, wars and rumours of war.
To those in our community facing
these challenges, it doesn’t do much good to say that we have faced these
circumstances in the past and in fact, our community has faced these challenges
and over-came them.
Victoria, as a navy town, has
certainly seen some of her sons and daughters faced with the prospect of going
into “harm’s way” before. It has been some time, however, since these members
of our armed forces have been faced with an aggressive and savage enemy such as
exists in Afghanistan. The men and women of our armed forces make a great
sacrifice for us, so that we may sleep soundly at night. They seem to be
under-equipped and perhaps unready for these responsibilities. There is no
excuse for that, but if it is any consolation, we have been there before.
Canada’s armed forces were never so under-funded and ill-equipped as they were
at the start of each of the 20th century’s world wars. Yet, by the
end of each, Canada had one of the greatest armed forces in the world. It is
the nature of our national identity, as a non-aggressive, peace loving people,
to arm ourselves, only when faced with national emergency and threatened
aggression. Perhaps we are facing that condition now. It may be well to
consider General Patton’s dictum, “…in time of peace, prepare for war.” His
nation was woefully unprepared for Pearl Harbor and that is one reason the
United States believes it’s responsible to face down this new threat to peace.
We should pray for the safety and protection of the men and women who work in
our armed forces. Dennis Eberts
Older Worker Forum
Finding meaningful work and
holding down a job has always been a constant challenge for everyone. Maturity
Works needs to understand the challenges facing people being downsized or
desiring to change careers.
Maturity Works encourages you to
join us at a forum to express your needs and concerns about the state of the
older worker today. What are the gaps
in service? Is there a need for
concern? What can you do to help?
Please RSVP by November 24, 2003
by contacting Lynn Hedley at (250) 360-0852 or email alhedley@shaw.ca
Membership will be available.
"HOW IMPORTANT ARE REFERENCES
TO SOMEONE'S CANDIDACY? DO YOU PREFER
WRITTEN OR VERBAL REFERENCES AND WHY?"
Expert #1
"When a candidate is unable to provide supervisory references, there
may
often be concerns. Typically, one does not receive negative references,
but asking the right questions may give an interviewer some additional details
regarding a candidate's work habits, suitability as well as insights of how to
manage the applicant.
Personally, I prefer verbal
references over
written. A frank conversation with an individual often reveals
information
that is specific to any concerns that I may have."
Joanne Barnes
Management Recruiter
Bertucci's Corporation
http://www.bertuccis.hcareers.com
Expert #2
"References are an important way of verifying a candidate's employment
history. Speaking with the applicant's previous supervisor/manager may
confirm information provided in the interview. When coming to an interview
candidates should be prepared to provide the names and contact information of 3
references from their most recent employers."
Holly Symons
Human Resources Manager
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel
http://www.vancouvermarriottpinnacle.hcareers.ca
Expert #3
"Taking references on behalf of our clients for candidates we have
represented is a key part of the recruitment process, however it has to be
recognized that some prefer to speak directly to previous employers rather
than through a third party.
Verbal references allow for more
specific questioning than written and often serve to balance any concerns
resulting from the interview process.
However, unfounded worries can arise when views given 'off the record'
are subjective rather than objective in their nature.
Overall, references of this kind often only act as confirmation of opinions already
formed at interview and so a written account of unambiguous facts such as dates
of employment, reason for leaving, attendance and sickness record are usually
just as relevant.
Whether verbal or written it is increasingly common for employers to be unwilling
to give references because of company policy or concerns over potential legal
action."
Wendy De Halle
Managing Director
Marshall Human Resources
http://www.marshallhr.hcareers.co.uk
This article is brought to you by http://www.hcareers.com
The most restaurant & hospitality jobs...anywhere!
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The answers and opinions in the Ask the Experts column are those of the
respondent only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hcareers, its
management or staff. Hospitality Careers Online is not responsible for any
offers, products, services, statements, or other information or content
expressed or made available by third parties and provided by any off-site.
Email us your questions to: maturityworksvictoria@canada.com concerning employment or training
and we’ll ask local experts to respond to them.
Check out the web site for back issues of Maturity Works
Newsletters.
maturityworksvictoria@canada.com
Give us your feedback.
Your opinions are important to us.
Maturity Works is looking for board members. If you are interested or want more
information, please email us.
Work and the Older Worker
After age 50, many mature workers think that it is harder to
get work. Comments we hear frequently include:
-
“I’ve never had to look for work, but lately the phone has
stopped ringing”.
-
“I can’t go back to my old line of work, but who am I if I’m
not an artist (or mechanic or teacher or … )?
-
“Just look at who is working behind the counter and you can
tell they don’t want an older worker.”
Mature and professional workers do face different challenges
– some of which occur precisely because of their strengths. What are these characteristics, and their
pitfalls? And how can you reclaim these
as strengths?
|
Strengths |
Pitfalls |
Positive
Strategies |
|
Professionalism: high standards, responsibility, able to
meet deadlines, manage a large variety of tasks, and manage personnel |
-feel shame at not being as productive: feel useless. -question their competence -loss of self-esteem. |
- Schedule some productive activity each day. - Treat career research and job search as “professional
work”. -
Set a marketing goal daily. |
|
Privilege: society
assumes that those with successful careers shouldn’t need help in finding
work – usually have good education, large incomes, and social contacts |
-income and social contacts
often disappear with job loss. -education/training may need to be updated. |
- Actively maintain social and
work contacts. -
Research all programs and services that are
available to assist with your job search or training! |
|
Identity: A long-term career provides a strong sense of
identity with a clear picture of self.
Your job defined what you did and provided a structure for your
life. |
- feel a great loss of purpose and direction. E.g. who am I if I’m not a carpenter or
artist? - fall into depression, get up whenever they feel like it
in the morning and lose energy, hope and purpose. - have to self motivate. |
- Build a structure to each day and week. - Volunteer in the community. - Get involved in a success group to meet regularly, and
support each other’s job search. - Get help to think outside your identity box. -
Look at previous positive life changes and how that
created a new identity for you. |
|
Career Change: A long
term job may end requiring a major shift in one’s work options |
- confusion over finding new ways to use
skills/experience. - despair about starting over. - Western society does not value “elders”, as do some
cultures. - being a mentor is often an unpaid additional duty. |
- Ask friends, family, former colleagues about new ways of
packaging your skills. - Use well honed skills through consulting or mentoring. -
Become creative in deciding on a new line of work. |
|
Age-ism: the most
“hire-able” age range is 25 – 45. |
- some employers question whether older workers can keep
up with younger workers. - discrimination may be based on questions such as: “Does
s/he really fit the “company culture? |
- The older worker must be clear
about the benefits of having experience, wisdom, maturity, steadiness,
ability to mentor, reliability and a broader perspective. - Be ready to remind employers about the strengths that
come with maturity. |
|
IT Skills: may have
expertise on customized system of previous employers |
- low confidence about learning new software. - don’t know what they need to know. - may have good skills with no certification. |
- Identify possible new requirements. - Research possible training courses and funding. - Research possibility of challenging a course test in
order to secure certification. |
It is important to always remember the benefits and
advantages of hiring mature workers!
Experienced workers are:
1.
Credible
2.
Adaptable
3.
Versatile
4.
Focused and stable
5.
Have transferable skills
6.
Business needs a wide range in employee age to appeal to all
clients
7.
Knowledge and wisdom
8.
Mentoring skills
9.
Health conscious – saves employers money by less absenteeism
and sick days – fewer dependents, reducing family health costs
10.
Mature workers draw from a broad base of experience and
knowledge
11.
Self-motivated
12.
Risk-takers
13.
Able to fill coming skill shortage
14.
Skills developed for working alone or as team players
15.
Detached, objective, mature, with perspective
16.
Flexible (time/change, etc.)
17.
Quicker learners
18.
Value of organization and employee short & long term
19.
Understanding of business, employee and emotional cycles
20.
Employers benefit by employee assets
A RECENT IBM STUDY FOUND THAT WORKERS OVER 45 ADAPT MORE
EASILY TO CHANGE THAN DO YOUNGER WORKERS.