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Features Column 12 Partly sunny skies with occasional periods of rain: Navigating the nonprofit job market as an older worker

Hi Cathy,
I'm a 50, almost 60-something professional currently employed, but I've started to get a case of the jitters as I watch friends around my age who are looking for jobs deal with what seems like age discrimination. I hope I'll be able to continue in my current position as Manager at a Food Bank, but who knows? I'm wondering what skills I could start to build now that will help ensure my marketability? What's the bottom line on the job forecast for someone around my age?
Thanks,
Anxious Tim

I wish I could tell you the forecast is completely sunny, but unfortunately that's not the case. While most employers don't discriminate based on age and in fact actively try not to, there are still some relatively subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) discriminatory attitudes out there in Jobsville, USA. For example, older workers may find that their responsibilities are limited or they aren't given a promotion they clearly merit. Sometimes, they may not even get an interview when they appear to be a great fit, because the organization is worried they might retire soon or become ill.

However, there is good news to report—a number of laws safeguard older workers, such as the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which protects individuals who are 40 or older working in organizations with 20 or more employees. Additionally, many states have their own—often tougher—laws that reduce the number of employees an employer must have to be subject to the law.

The bottom line with age discrimination is that it's important to educate yourself on the specific ways that both state and federal laws can protect you. The Department of Labor is a good place to start learning about your rights. And if you're ever concerned that you're being discriminated against, be sure to take careful, dated notes of what happens and contact your local bar association for advice on the best way to proceed.

There's more good news to report: as the sheer number of older workers grows dramatically, it's getting much harder for organizations to discriminate based on age. In addition to the fact that more people are staying healthy longer and continuing to work later in life, the 76 million baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964) are getting older. Indeed, according to the U.S. General Accounting Office, by the year 2015, nearly 50 million U.S. workers are projected to be 45 years or older, and people over the age of 55 will comprise almost 20 percent of the workforce—compared with just 13 percent in 2000. At the same time, by 2010, older baby boomers will begin to retire and the effects of the slow population growth from 1966 to 1985 will start to be felt, together resulting in a severe labor shortage and making older workers a highly sought after group (Go60.com). All this said, it seems probable that the forecast will be clearing up considerably over the next five to ten years. In the meantime, there are a number of steps you can take to increase the likelihood of keeping or getting a great job.

Organizations need and love happy, productive employees who stick around. Not only do they contribute to keeping morale high and clients satisfied, but they also save money; it can be incredibly expensive and time consuming to fill open positions. Because it sounds like you love your job, I recommend sitting down with your supervisor and letting her or him know that you're interested in contributing to the organization for quite some time and also in continually growing your responsibilities and skills (more on that in a moment). This way, your intentions will be crystal clear and you may even get information that will help you to better plan your future within or outside of the organization.

As I detailed at length in a previous column, if there's one secret ingredient to finding a job—no matter what age group you fall into—it's networking. Moreover, it's absolutely crucial to network even when you're not looking for a new position: the more relationships you build over the long-term, the more likely you'll be able to quickly and easily move into a new job, should your current gig with the Food Bank come to an end. Now is the perfect time for you to begin or continue the networking process!

First, I'd recommend thinking strategically about the people to whom you'd like to become better connected within your current organization. Often, people overlook the bounty of new ideas and possibilities that surround them where they're already working; you'd be surprised who and what your colleagues might know.

Next, I'd advise you to develop or deepen your ties with people outside of your organization and even outside of the Food Bank world so that you can cast your net and network relatively wide in the future. In order to do this, it can be very helpful to identify a couple of additional interest areas you'd like to pursue. You might want to pick one area that you have exposure to (and potentially contacts in) at the Food Bank and one area that is totally new. Try attending a couple of conferences a year that interest you but are outside of your usual areas of familiarity, volunteering with a new organization, diversifying your reading and research, or letting your current network know about your expanding interests in order to see what recommendations they make. This exploration will not only build your network in case you need to look for work in the future, but will also augment what you have to offer your current organization, making you even more attractive to them.

It's crucial for staff of all ages to show that they're always seeking to learn and grow their knowledge base. For the older worker, professional development has an added benefit: it also serves to dispel the myth that you may be set in your ways and not as open to new ideas as your younger colleagues. Your years at the organization should make you aware of organizational needs. Throwing arrows and fun of managing. If you can't get to to that door in your current job search, you may want to build your management skills in a volunteer position and look for a more entry level position in an organization that has growth possibilities. I am living proof of the benefits of that strategy. Throwing your hat in the ring as someone who wants to be involved in tackling reforms or taking on challenges that have no dedicated staff shows your employer that you're seeking to address the tough issues affecting the organization.

You also may want to take a few courses in management taught with a practical approach and with some skill building in finance. Many managers develop skills in finance on the job, but it certainly would make you an even more attractive candidate if you brought the skills with you. Management Support Organizations (MSOs) provide exactly this kind of wide-ranging and practical management and leadership training. There is a huge range of professional development opportunities out there so it's quite possible to find those that are the best fit for your budget, schedule, and learning objectives. Many universities now offer relatively inexpensive certificate programs. And increasingly, it's also possible to take courses online, thus allowing you to study and participate at your leisure. Whatever option you choose, just be sure to think carefully about your overall long-term career objectives before committing so that you get the most bang for your buck, and your time.

In our increasingly connected global community, being able to speak an additional language or languages fluently can really set you apart and in some areas of the sector, may become almost a necessity over the next 10 to 15 years. Spanish is a particularly helpful second language to know because it's so widely spoken in the United States. But be aware that for many adults it's not easy to learn a new language. Before you begin, make sure you're prepared to devote at least a couple of years—and perhaps even a couple of overseas vacations—to studying!

Easier said than done, but if you're not already published, whether in a journal, a book, or online, I recommend working towards it. Publications can really improve your forecast and help to convince potential employers that you mean business and know your business! They send the message that you're an expert and that an organization needs to hire you in order to stay at the forefront of the sector. If you're happy where you are, getting published can be personally rewarding while also garnering great publicity for your organization. Networking is a great way to build contacts that could lead to publication; just letting people in your field know you're interested in being published can set the ball in motion by connecting you with those who've had success with publications you're interested in or by sparking a great writing idea. Additionally, many organizations have newsletters and they are a great place to start spreading your writing wings. Plus, you never know when a newsletter article might lead to a publication with an even wider audience.

There are lots of resources out there already, and as baby boomers age there will undoubtedly be even more. A few highlights: the American Association of Retired People has a great deal of information and articles on everything from recognizing age discrimination to effective ways to pitch your bevy of experience. They also provide links to career counselors and staffing and placement agencies that specialize in assisting people over 50 find great jobs. Additionally, Jean Erickson Walker's book The Age Advantage offers lots of practical tips on everything from interviewing to networking for the older worker. And, there are also a number of websites out there that are specifically dedicated to providing older workers with job listings and career advice including Seniors4Hire, BoomerCareer.com, and Retiree Careers.

I've been surprised by the degree of proficiency that more and more employers require their staff to have in computer programs, even for senior positions. In addition to the staples of Word and Excel, if you haven't done so already it can be very helpful to master PowerPoint as well as graphic programs such as Photoshop. As I discussed in one of my earlier columns, there are a variety of different ways to build computer skills. The least expensive is, of course, to teach yourself, but many people prefer to get training. I might start with NPower.org and/or techsoup.org, both of which offer a wide variety of computer courses.

It's possible to subtly dispel some of the myths about older workers right in your cover letter. For example, for the myth that older workers aren't a good long-term investment because they'll probably retire soon or get sick, I recommend making it clear in a matter-of-fact manner that you're committed to staying with the organization over the long-term. And because nonprofits are particularly sensitive to turnover, older workers even offer a certain stability: they're less likely to leave work to attend graduate school, start a family, or move away. Authentically describing your passion for their mission and, even better, how you've demonstrated this passion consistently over time helps your reader to see that you've got a long-standing dedication to the field or sub-field. But be careful not to overstate your case—you don't want to come off as defensive or pushy. Work any comments about your commitment to the organization into the natural flow of describing your energy for the organization's mission and programs.

As for the myth that older workers are set in their ways or think they know more than younger colleagues, you may want to state up-front that you're dedicated to staying abreast of shifts in the sector, are open to new ideas, and want to continually build your expertise. As always, with any job application materials, you don't want to say anything unless it's completely accurate!

Many older people are particularly concerned about being perceived as overqualified for jobs and wonder if there are certain things they should leave out of their resume. While I do think it's important to be very intentional about what you include, especially when you have more years of experience, I'm not at all a fan of watering down your expertise. Presenting yourself as someone other than who you are usually doesn't end up well for either you or the employer because expectations aren't accurate from the get-go. I don't even think leaving out something as seemingly simple as the dates you graduated from college or graduate school is beneficial. Since the vast majority of people who don't include this information are older workers, it usually doesn't serve much purpose.

At the same time, if you take four or five pages to share your background, you very well may lose your reader's interest and attention. So, try to strike a balance between being selective about what details you include and demonstrating the depth of your skills. The 'Summary of Expertise' or 'Overview' section of your resume provides a great way to highlight particularly crucial aspects of your history and give readers a specific lens through which to view the depth of your experience.