{"415101":{"#nid":"415101","#data":{"type":"news","title":"For Those Over 50, Finding a Job Can Get Old","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResults from a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/psycinfo\/2015-23321-001\/\u0022\u003Enew study\u003C\/a\u003E led the Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s School of Psychology and University of Minnesota\u2019s Carlson School of Management show that, compared to younger job seekers, older adults receive fewer job offers, search for weeks longer and are ultimately less likely to find re-employment after losing a job. The study is published by the journal Psychological Bulletin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s very robust evidence that as an individual moves beyond age 50, they experience a large penalty toward how quickly they will find a job,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/carlsonschool.umn.edu\/faculty\/connie-wanberg\u0022\u003EProfessor Connie Wanberg\u003C\/a\u003E, the Industrial Relations Faculty Excellence Chair at the Carlson School.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn examining the U.S. government\u2019s 2014 Displaced Worker Survey, the researchers discovered that someone 50 years or older is likely to be unemployed 5.8 weeks longer than someone between the ages of 30-49, and 10.6 weeks longer than individuals ages 20-29. The study also found the odds of being re-employed decrease by 2.6 percent for each one-year increase in age.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Model Identifies Hurdles That Slow Job Search for Older Candidates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the study, the researchers explained the relationship between age and re-employment outcomes by creating an integrative model.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe obstacles to re-employment success stem not just from employer views about older workers, but also from age-related differences in knowledge, skills and abilities and the kind of jobs people want,\u201d said Georgia Tech Professor Ruth Kanfer, who co-led the study.\u0026nbsp;\u201cAs individuals age, their skills and abilities change and they may often seek a different type of job. Consider construction workers who must carry heavy objects. If they change occupations or move into a different field, that is likely going to slow their search.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the other factors the study found relevant to age and job search were social networks, marketplace needs, search strategies and what individuals wanted out of a job.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cResearch indicates that as people age, their social networks tend to shrink. This impacts the quality of individuals\u2019 ability to network effectively,\u201d added Wanberg. \u201cWith respect to marketplace needs, the industry a person went into as a young worker might not be as lucrative later in his career. Skill obsolescence can play a role as well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAge May Also Factor into Pay, Job Satisfaction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study also focused on whether there\u2019s a relationship between a candidate\u2019s age and other re-employment outcomes like wages and job satisfaction in their new role. While noting that existing research is scarce in this area, the evidence suggests older workers tend to find jobs that are somewhat lower in pay and less personally satisfying compared to their previous jobs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERe-employment Difficulty Varies Geographically\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing datasets from around the world, the researchers discovered older job seekers were significantly more likely to find re-employment in North America and Eastern Asia, compared to Europe and Australia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlthough we can\u2019t know from this study exactly why this occurred, it may be that cultural attitudes, employment opportunities and mandatory retirement policies in these regions of the world make it more difficult for older job seekers,\u201d said Kanfer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBetter Understanding of Factors Can Improve Prospects\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe authors, who include Professors Darla Hamann from the University of Texas at Arlington and Zhen Zhang from Arizona State University, say their findings show the need for better understanding of how younger and older job seekers differ in their re-employment goals. According to Kanfer, \u201cjob loss is really difficult for older workers, many of whom have probably already been thinking about retiring or slowing down, but had not yet reached a level of financial security to permit retirement. Losing your job at this point in life creates a real conundrum \u2013 should I put myself through the strain of a job search or just retire for now?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many older individuals, the prospect of a prolonged and potentially futile job search may prematurely drive them out of the workforce and even further decrease the chance for re-employment later in life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hope that a more complete understanding of the complex factors contributing to slower re-employment outcomes will help older workers better plot their next move. Practitioners can also use the study to create training materials and workshops to better guide older workers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp align=\u0022center\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E###\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESidebar: Five Tips for Older Job Seekers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on the findings of their study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/psycinfo\/2015-23321-001\/\u0022\u003EAge and Re-employment Success after Job Loss\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d Carlson School Professor Connie Wanberg and Georgia Tech\u2019s Ruth Kanfer offer five pieces of advice for older job seekers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStay up-to-date with skills and your industry.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u201cDespite there being many stereotypes about older workers that are not true, one that does seem to hold is that as workers age, they tend not to keep their learning going. Look for ways to grow your skills and stay current with your industry, even if you\u2019re employed right now.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUpgrade your job search skills.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cOlder workers tend to have longer job tenure, and so may be less familiar with new technologies and practices in today\u2019s job search marketplace.\u0026nbsp; Explore different job search websites, applicant requirements and hiring trends for the industry and type of job you want to land.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe persistent.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u201cOlder workers should realize that they will find a job, it just may take a little bit longer. Understanding your particular situation and how it may play a role in your job search will help with the process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClarify your re-employment goals\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u201cLosing one\u2019s job is one of life\u2019s most stressful experiences, particularly as one ages. Older workers should think about which features of\u003Cbr \/\u003E a new job are most important and set clear reemployment goals and priorities to guide their job search.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuild and expand your social networks.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u201cAs we get older, we tend to narrow our social networks more toward closer friends and family, and this may impact reemployment speed. Social networks are incredibly important in job finding, and individuals need to maintain them as they get older.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Research finds older workers remain unemployed nearly six weeks longer"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn examining the U.S. government\u2019s 2014 Displaced Worker Survey, the researchers discovered that someone 50 years or older is likely to be unemployed 5.8 weeks longer than someone between the ages of 30-49, and 10.6 weeks longer than individuals ages 20-29. The study also found the odds of being re-employed decrease by 2.6 percent for each one-year increase in age.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Older workers remain umemployed nearly six weeks longer than younger people."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2015-06-16 10:32:04","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:37","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"222941":{"id":"222941","type":"image","title":"Ruth Kanfer","body":null,"created":"1449243535","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:38:55","changed":"1475894894","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:14","alt":"Ruth Kanfer","file":{"fid":"197341","name":"ruth_kanfer4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ruth_kanfer4_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ruth_kanfer4_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7910090,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ruth_kanfer4_0.jpg?itok=8sQBslpv"}}},"media_ids":["222941"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/psycinfo\/2015-23321-001\/","title":"Read the study"},{"url":"http:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Psychology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"4012","name":"jobs"},{"id":"129011","name":"Re-employment"},{"id":"31371","name":"Ruth Kanfer"},{"id":"962","name":"unemployment"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003ENational Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}