This issue of QuintZine is our annual look
at JOBSEEKING FOR THE UNDER-REPRESENTED.
The group we mostly focus on this year, older
workers, is actually well-represented in the
workforce as a whole, but under-represented
in hiring and perhaps over-represented in
downsizings and layoffs. We chose to
explore the struggles of older workers because
we get many requests from readers over 40
who are having difficulty finding a job.
In the articles I wrote for this issue, I offer
some documented reasons that younger hiring managers
don't like to hire older workers. But another
reason occurred to me, though it's only speculation
on my part. I know I was at first reluctant to write the
articles for this issue because I didn't want to
face my own status as an aging Baby Boomer. Therein,
I suspect, lies another reason younger managers have
a hard time hiring older workers -- mature employees
remind them of the inevitability of their own aging
process.
We'd like to hear from readers about any age discrimination
they've faced. And younger readers with hiring power --
how do you feel about hiring older workers? And do you, as
a younger worker, feel you've ever faced discrimination from
older hiring managers?
Feature Article: Attitude is Key for Older Workers
Positive Attitude is Key When Fighting Prejudice Against Older Workers
Age discrimination is real. We know it anecdotally
from readers we've heard from who've been blatantly
discriminated against because they're older. We know
it from legal cases, such as a complaint brought by AARP,
the advocacy group for older Americans, against an
executive-search firm that screened out candidates
over 45 at the request of some clients. And we know
it from statistics.
To make matters worse, age discrimination, which can
begin as early as 40, seems to be much more subtly
acceptable than, say, gender or racial bias.
While
complaints of age-related discrimination are rising,
complaints about most other forms of job discrimination
are not, reports Newsday.
As real and as painful as it is, however, age
discrimination can best be fought with an upbeat
attitude. (And NOT one gained though cosmetic surgery,
as a new book on older workers suggests...scary!)
If you feel yourself bumping up against
the "grey ceiling," our article offers ways you can
empower yourself with an optimistic outlook.
The Black Collegian Online, celebrating the
30th anniversary of its magazine component this
month, has long been one of our favorite
publications. Whenever we conduct research on college
and careers, relevant articles from The Black Collegian
consistently turn up at the top of database searches.
The usefulness and scope of the magazine's articles
is remarkable, not just for an African-American audience,
but for everyone interested in the topics the magazine explores.
The publication's Web site is no different. Here's how the
site describes itself. "THE BLACK COLLEGIAN's Home Page
was launched in November of 1995 to reach an even larger
audience with our information on career development,
self-development, and job opportunities. You'll also
find information on study abroad programs, health
and fitness, graduate/professionals schools,
internships/co-ops,and other important information
designed to ensure a smooth transition from college
to a successful career. Now available online, we hope
to reach more students including other minorities,
as well as provide the African-American community
with information and entertainment they would be
interested in seeing on the World Wide Web."
In addition to its outstanding articles, the site has job
listings and an opportunity to post resumes, as well as
"channels" on such topics as Graduate/Professional School,
What's Happening, African-American Issues, Global Study,
Career Related, and X-Tra Curricular.
Domain Name Sanity
-- where else can job-seekers get a Website (with the domain name of your choice), enough space to publish
your Web-based resume and career portfolio (20 megabytes), up to 50 email addresses, and lots of publishing
and promotion resources -- for under $20 a year!!
This deal is amazing -- almost too good to be true. If you don't have a Website, but want to put your
resume and portfolio on the Web, take advantage of these services! Fee-based.
Domain Name Sanity is a Quintessential Careers Partner Site.
Latest Additions: New Sites Added to QuintCareers
BoardSeat
-- if you're an executive, professional, or academic looking for a spot on a board of directors or
advisory board, then this is the site you need to visit. Client companies include start-ups, venture-backed companies,
public companies, and non-profits. Free to candidates.
funjobs.com
-- are you looking for fun employment opportunities? Then this is the job site for you, where the philosophy is
"love your job. Love your life." Job-seekers can post your resume, search for jobs, and send your cover letter and
resume directly to the companies. Membership required. Free to job-seekers.
iHispano.com -- a leading source for Hispanics and bilingual professionals
to find new jobs and careers. Job-seekers can post your resume and/or search jobs (by keywords, location,
job category, and salary). Also includes some career advice. Free to job-seekers.
Senior AIDES Program
-- an employment and training program that uses community service to update enrollee's skills so that you
may rejoin a competitive workforce -- currently operating in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Job-seekers
must be 55 years of age or older. Other resources include job clubs that assist in networking, preparing
resumes, and polishing interviewing techniques. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest
Additions section.
John writes: "I am 54, and after 25 years in sales with a
Fortune top 5 company, got laid off. I then took the necessary
courses and over a period of two years got my MCSE
(as one of the exams got retired this past April,
I'm now only a MCP). I've done tier 2 network support,
desktop support, set-up and installed two small NT4.0
networks, and I became a de-facto project manager on
my last job before they did away with it. I've now been
looking for five months and am having a terrible time
trying to get an interview. How do I overcome being old,
and overqualified for the jobs I apply for and not really
qualified for the jobs people assume I am ready for?"
Sondra writes: "How does one at the age of 57 find employers
willing to avail themselves of the vast experience one has
to offer. I have owned my own import-export company, I have
had my own security company, and also have hotel-management
experience. I have emailed a couple hundred resumes. I have
had two telephone interviews, one personal interview, and no
other responses. How does an 'almost senior citizen' earn a
living?"
Miriam writes: "How do you best respond to questions
when you have a couple jobs in the past that were of
short duration? I thought of omitting them from my
resume, but that would leave a large time gap. I have
a phone interview this Monday and I'm sure the question
will come up. I've even tried revising my resume to make
it less obvious, which has now been getting me some
interviews. I was 6 1/2 years with one employer, went
into consulting for a year, but then had
two short-term
employments thereafter. The short-term jobs have been a
'red flag' to employers, and I am always heavily questioned
about them. And in cases where a job has been misrepresented
to you, you cannot say that to a potential employer."
David writes: "I will be 42 in October. I don't have a college
degree, but I am working on a marketing/business degree at
night. I take six hours per semester and three hours in the summer.
I have been working for a well known worldwide manufacturing
company for the last 15 years. I started in the production shop
and have worked my way as far as inside sales account rep and
team supervisor of five employees for the after-market group
of our division. My question is: Do I continue to pursue a
degree part-time, or would it be worth it to quit work and
go to school full-time, if I can find a means of part-time
income that will allow me to do this? Also, how much will
a four-year degree benefit me at age 45? Should I continue
on until I have earned a master's degree at age 47 or 48?
Obviously having the degree is better than not. However,
how much will it truly do for me at age 45 or 48 in today's
market? One more question: Would I do just as well with
some sort of an IT certificate and to continue to go to
school for the rest of my working years to keep
up with new technology? If this is the best road to take,
what areas of technology do you suggest and why?"
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Once again, an article aimed at employers offers riches
for job-seekers in under-represented groups. In an article
aimed at increasing diversity hiring, WetFeet offers a listing
of sites where employers can find minority candidates. You can
bet that if employers are being told to recruit at these sites,
job-seekers would do well to post resumes on these job banks.
See WetFeet's article.
Business Week Online recently interviewed Ella L.J. Edmondson
Bell and Stella M. Nkomo, authors of Our Separate Ways: Black
and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity
(Harvard Business School Press, August, 2001), about the differences
between professional black women and white women. The authors
based their findings on an eight-year research project that
included 120 in-depth interviews and a national survey of black
and white female managers, many holding senior positions at top
U.S. companies. Some key distinctions:
White women often align themselves more closely with
their male colleagues rather than with the black females
in their organizations.
Women are still not seen as authority figures. Women, and
black women in particular, are seen more in subservient
roles or working in more traditional fields, such as teaching school.
The black women studied didn't feel that they had to submerge
who they were to get ahead, while the white women felt
that they had to totally acquiesce, to give in and be like one
of the boys to advance their careers.
The "sassy, but refined" posture that many black women adopt, the
authors say, can sometimes backfire when it's seen as anger and
unwillingness to be a team player.
Black women's performance often has to be beyond what anyone
would ever expect, for it to even be accepted as OK.
Black women see racism in the workplace so frequently that they've
come to expect it.
The white woman is the new gatekeeper in deciding who moves up
and who doesn't.
Black women have a tendency to be much more collective
in their approaches, while white women tend to be highly individualistic.
The experience of all women trying to climb the corporate ladder is
not the same across racial lines. Gender makes a big difference,
but race makes a tremendous difference.
It's not a big surprise, but according to
techies.com, women are under-represented in terms
of salaries in the tech realm. A techies.com study found
that women in technology jobs earn 92 percent of
what their male peers make, but greater disparities
still exist in relation to higher management
positions in the IT sector.
Of the 106,133 technology workers studied, women
earned an average of $5,000 less than men. The
study found that women in high-tech jobs earned
nearly the same amount as men for the first five
years of employment. The gap was smallest for
professionals in the software engineering and
software development fields.
In hot jobs like data management, however, the job
salary did not match the demand; women earned
just 84 percent of male earnings, which equals an
average salary difference of $12,500.
The biggest salary gap for women was in marketing
and human resources. Female marketers earned
$7,900 less than males, while female human
resource managers earned $11,300 less than
their male counterparts. For experienced female
project managers, the salary difference was as high
as 16 percent.
According to the National Committee on Pay and
Equity, women just aren't getting the kind of
promotions at the same rate as men and don't
move into the IT managerial positions as quickly.
Job Boards: A Question for Our Readers
For a future article, we'd like to know:
What has been your experience with major
job boards, such as Monster.com?
Whether posting your resume on these boards or
responding to ads posted on them...
... have you had a good response? Did you
get interviews?
OR
... have you had very little response?
We'll quote you only anonymously or with your permission.
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* How to conduct a long-distance job search
* Maximize your Interent job search
* The importance of company culture
* Letters of recommendation and references
* Career portfolios
* How to handle a request for a salary history
* How to land an internship
* Should you get an MBA?
* The value of a college education
* Networking timetable for college students
* The biggest myths in job-hunting
* Using key marketing tools to positions yourself in the job market
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
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