Monterey, CA AARP Helps Senior Job Seekers With Social Media Site

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The recession has left a number of seniors and baby boomers hoping to retire in the lurch, with much of their retirement savings wiped out and property values plummeting.  Clearly, it's much more difficult to find a job when you are older, particularly if you are a highly paid professional that companies believe can be replaced with someone younger and at a lower cost.  The unemployment doles for those in their 50's and 60's is extremely high, and there are many who have simply given up on looking for a job because the situation is so bleak, and they aren't even counted in the unemployment numbers.  Although older workers currently have lower unemployment numbers than the general population, they stay out of the workforce longer once they become unemployed, according to a July report which came from the AARP Public Policy Institute.  And while 58% of non-retirees say they only plan to work part-time in their retirement, 50% of them acknowledge that they have only guessed at the savings they need for retirement and it may not be enough, according to a Wells Fargo Bank survey released today.  Given all of these negatives for older Americans, I was glad to read, therefore, that the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) is launching a new social network designed to help older workers find jobs while at the same time reaching their retirement goals.  The website launched today in partnership with linked in, the well known social network which helps professionals from a wide swath of industries connect with each other.  The AARP-linked in venture have gotten 120 employers to sign up with the web site, posting jobs which they pledge older applicants will be on the same playing field as younger applicants when the resumes are analyzed.  "We value all of our employees.  But there is something special about our more senior members of the team as they bring both education and experience to the job," Vic Buzachero, SVP for innovation at Scripps Health, which has signed the pledge, told USA Today.  Kudos to Scripps Health and the other companies which have pledged to help seniors looking to make ends meet.  They have much to give to our society.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of HandsTo Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.