Thinking LaterallyThis is the last part of our Journey with Liz as she re-enters the workforce, if you'd like to go back and follow her story, read the Life Strategies blogs!  Liz did talk to somebody about working in recreation in aged care and decided that although the pay was quite low ($20-$25 per hour) it was something she could continue to do for as long as she wanted to. She would need to get her First Aid Certificate and after Googling the position found several that outlined the criteria needed to secure a position. There wasn’t a position immediately available in her area so I suggested organising aspects of her eligibility like her First Aid Certificate, going through her CV for ‘touch points’ that could be worked up to be used in securing a position eg Liz was an extremely empathic person, was not fazed about working in aged care and enjoyed the prospect of having to design ‘lifestyle’ programs to suit the elderly. She even thought she would do a course/s to enhance our knowledge and position her eventually for promotion. All of this she added to her CV to leave at some of the local facilities. Liz was on her way!
Of course finding a position when you are over 50 isn’t always easy. Sometimes you need to compromise and think laterally. You can also use this time to explore other avenues which is why networking is always such a clever way to go. After all who knows who you could meet and what offers could come your way? You maybe surprised at being offered a position you’d never thought of while searching and who knows it could be perfect! Finally think about volunteering in or joining Chambers of Commerce...any business organisation or otherwise where you can demonstrate any relevant skills. You never know who could be paying attention! Do you have any hints re securing a position or need advice? If so happy to receive any tips you may have or if you need guidance I can be contacted at julieankers88@gmail.com
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Reinventing the wheel I told Liz that it wasn’t necessary to reinvent the wheel when it came to resume writing. There are so many examples online. You can even type in “How To Write a Winning Resume” and dozens of examples with advice pop up. My advice?
The most important detail for Liz to remember was that if she was going to visit aged care facilities and hotels and restaurants that she needed to leave behind resumes that include any relevant work or volunteering. Liz’s homework was to write her resume, ready for our next meeting. Meanwhile, I asked her if she had made any appointments. She hadn’t at this stage so I suggested that making appointments would hasten her progress regarding her resume writing and making those decisions regarding her next position and earning the money she needed. We also discussed what she would be wearing to these non-interviews as presentation was probably more important for ‘front-of-house’ than aged care where ‘neat and tidy’ would have been acceptable. Liz left our meeting full of resolve and had started thinking about her new position as being a career move as opposed just something to bring in some extra money. Where originally, she was thinking if part time work to supplement her meagre savings she was now looking forward to full time work. I suggested to Liz to keep an open mind until she had her ‘non interviews’. I also discussed with her the probability that restaurateurs or hospitality personnel were usually busy people so not to expect that everybody she would be targeting would have time to see her. Fortunately Liz is reasonably pragmatic! Next week Liz visits prospective employers and we analyse the feedback. If you missed the first parts of Liz's journey in my Life Strategy series, you can go back an have a read! 
I suggested she do some research about what those jobs entailed and gain a fuller perspective of the industry by talking to owners/managers of restaurants, cafes and bars and also to aged care facility HR. She needed to find out what jobs not only existed but were available in those two industries, what training was needed for whatever Liz thought she would be suited to, what the wages and conditions were...in fact a total reality check. She found out for example that in our area, restaurants and cafes were looking for good reliable conscientious allrounders who could wait on tables, take bookings, payments, serve wine and even make coffee. Very rarely could they afford to have just one person out front. Normally they would be required to also take orders for food and wine and whatever else needed to be done. Aged care needed nurses, nurses, nurses...often people to do the ‘heavy lifting’. I thought it would be best to hear it from people in the industry.
It was important for her to have an open mind and if she wanted to work locally she might have to make a few compromises. Visiting prospective employers is also a good way of both researching and networking, showing you have initiative and drive and is the one approach that is the least exploited. I also suggested that if she still wanted to work in either one of these industries she should stay in touch with the people she had contacted and let them know if she was going to undertake relevant training. Research is powerful as it helps jobseekers operate from a firm footing, however, if it means spending hours and hours online as an excuse to not actually apply for a position or go for interviews then you need talk to somebody about your reluctance. Lack of confidence, fear of failure? You need to be able to talk to somebody to hear you out and keep you motivated and to know when to give you that gentle but firm push. After each meeting with Liz we always agreed on an activity sheet with appropriate timelines. As she would say....’it keeps me honest’! The last item on Liz’s activity sheet was to research resume writing online. I explained that it is often wise upon meeting or interviewing what could be a prospective employer to leave an updated resume behind for future reference. A further thought is that offering to volunteer in an organisation can lead to paid work. However you need to have firm boundaries to avoid exploitation and be upfront about your intentions of wanting a paid job in a certain time frame. Next week...how to write a winning resume. What are your biggest issues when looking for work or writing a resume? Feel free to start up a conversation on my Facebook page or email me to find out more about my coaching. Being valuable and valued Continuing on Liz's journey in the Life Strategies series...
I could tell that Liz needed a huge dose of motivation if she was to succeed. She needed to feel she was capable, competent and that her work experience was valuable AND valued. I asked her about her work history, what she liked and didn’t about her past positions. And I took notes! It was obvious that she didn’t mind working in a team as long as she had a certain amount of autonomy. I knew that Liz had a great phone manner and generally loved assisting people. Her computer skills needed updating (TAFE!) but for a role in customer service she would have been perfectly cast. If looking for a receptionist She would probably need a ‘refresh’ to look the best version of herself. I offered to help with that as I had done for others in many of my previous roles in recruitment and personal development. During our ‘coaching‘ session I made a point of ‘accentuating the positive’ as the song goes in order to help build her confidence. I’m a great believer in giving people honest feedback in a positive way....not something that too many of us experience at times! We next looked at local ‘Positions Vacant’ ads as Liz said that it would be easier and cheaper re travel for her to work locally. The ads were few and far between and some needed deciphering with regard to what the prospective employer really wanted. Some she clearly wasn’t to and others weren’t of interest. I also asked her not to dismiss some ads out of hand because of her lack of confidence. Next week, Liz selects which jobs to apply for and we discuss rewriting her resume. Finding work when you are 50+ After my friend Liz mentioned she needed to find a P/T job, I asked her if she just wanted a ‘job’ or work at something she actually enjoyed? Like many third agers who need to bolster their income, she didn’t realise that it was an option. Like many of us she left school with absolutely no idea of what to do, what was on offer, what job titles meant...even what she could be suited to. Interviews with vocational guidance counsellors seemed to be unsatisfying and the range of employment fairly limited. Her parents took it upon themselves to enrol her in secretarial college , often the ‘fix it’ solution as they, too, were unaware of options as they had followed what their parents had suggested a generation earlier. Liz loathed secretarial college but persevered, thinking that the world would always need her shorthand/typing skills. I have heard this story many times before from other women and have even experienced it myself. I told Liz to forget the past and concentrate on her future. Together we looked at her current skills, personal attributes and what employment she thought she would be suited to. She said she liked helping people ie advising them but felt negative about her prospects, saying that her age was against her, jobs were more complicated these days and younger people would surely be preferred. I countered by saying that she had years of valuable experience and asked to see her resume. It needed some serious updating and certainly didn’t do her any favours. It read like a shopping list and didn’t highlight any of her people skills or other positive characteristics. In other words it was a marketing disaster! Next week: Liz and I work on her motivation and aspirations. We talk about the NOW of WOW (world of work) i.e. demystify roles, find some for her to apply for and discuss THAT resume!
 Now that you’re retired... or just have more time on your hands... what's next? Many people, on retiring, often feel at a loose end. While working they felt as though they were ‘organised’. They had routine, a daily schedule and always thought that when they retired, life would just happen for them. Some retire and then spend that retirement catching up on all the hobbies they did part- time but always wanted to do more of like gardening or painting. Some retirees are just not sure what they want to do. Perhaps they are spoilt for choice or don’t know what’s really ‘their thing’. I knew that feeling really well and fortunately applied a little lateral thinking and started a series of books filled with mini-autobiographies written by people in their 50’s, 60’s and 70+ These people knew happily what they wanted to do or kept on doing something they’ve always done and that may be very inspiring but how does that help you? I am currently putting together a small group of people who have put their hands up for a little help in this area. They would like to get together to discuss how to find that purpose, activity or interest now they have more time on their hands. If this describes you and you would like to know more then please message me, either through FB - JulieAnkersWrites or via email. I look forward to hearing from you.   More about the workshops!
A lot of the over 50’s hit a certain point in their lives and are stumped with what they are going to do for the rest of their lives. As one who has experienced this feeling of bewilderment, it’s like the process of peeling an onion...a layer at a time. We all don’t know exactly what we will do after paid employment. Some do and feel as though they’ve been waiting all their lives to focus on gardening, yoga, painting or perhaps writing that book, voluntary work, travelling etc. Some try it and feel underwhelmed, others overwhelmed and the result is that many of us remain in a quandary. What to do next? Where to start? How do I know if I’ll be any good or will be bored again like the last time? How do I discover THAT passion or enthusiasm? And then there are the other third age issues like health, downsizing, unresolved family matters. It’s exhausting to contemplate and often helps to either discuss with others or a confidante. Often we need a goal but how do we determine what that goal should be? Seems like an odd question but, for many of us, is it?
A few of my readers have asked me about the workshops I intend to run based on some of the pointers in the books. One of the questions posed was ‘why workshops’? The simple answer is that I run across people around my age all the time who either aren’t spending their retirement in a fulfilling way or find that their lives lack balance. They want to plan a meaningful retirement – i.e. one that has MEANING for them, and for others it’s often about resolving certain issues so they can move forward and feel at peace in this very important time of their lives. In order to help with overcoming these challenges, I will be facilitating workshops and offering strategic life coaching sessions.   I’ve also been asked about my interest in coaching and conducting workshops and what this has to do with writing age positive books. It may seem like a professional leap, but I see this as a natural progression from what I am currently doing.
Before I was a writer, I was a speaker and trainer. For a number of years I was a corporate trainer, then a training manager (working in Australia and overseas), before I started my own speakers and trainers bureau and also diversified into running workshops for mature age employees – which became a passion! After some 23 years I moved to the mountains and started publishing books ... compilations of stories written by men and women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, about what they are doing at this stage of their lives, how they are feeling about it and what keeps them motivated. This has motivated me to go to the next step of offering workshops and coaching to those readers who have read the books and are now saying ‘I’d like to be motivated like that’ or ‘Where do I start?’ or ‘How do I work out what I need to do?’. Which brings me to my next big adventure! Workshops and coaching will begin when the distancing restrictions ease. Watch my Facebook page or my website, www.julieankers.com, for updates and announcements.  Julie Ankers speaking at the Margaret River Library While launching your book there’s always the adrenalin rush followed by a slight feeling
of despondency when all the excitement starts to dissipate. That’s the time to hit the libraries and groups with book presentations. But what if the libraries are shut and group meetings aren’t happening? You don’t despair! This is the time you develop your online presence and become familiar with what’s available. Your marketing plan helps to keep you sane because you have planned for moments like this! |
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