Seniors encouraged to apply

I’m a senior, over age 62, and I recently found something rather refreshing in my local Augusta, Maine newspaper, it was an ad from a company in Troy, Maine encouraging seniors to apply for a general office position.
     I have often wondered what a Senior Friendly Business is; I think I found a Senior Friendly Business. I wish I lived closer to Troy because I would probably do business with this company if for no other reason that it encouraged someone like me to apply. In other words, when I go to this business I’m going to see someone who has a little gray hair. I’m going to be greeted by someone who probably has good customer service skills and someone who will take pleasure remembering my name and growing a relationship.
This year the Maine Jobs Council initiated the “Silver Collar Employer Awards” to recognize employers in Maine whose policies and practices match the needs of mature employees. These businesses capture the skills and experience, the strong work ethic, and the flexibility and enthusiasm of older workers. In addition AARP presented its “Best Employers for Workers over 50” award in Chicago and a well known Maine business was a recipient.
Some of these award winning companies offer opportunities for job sharing, job coaching, job rotation, flex time, training, telecommuting, peer mentoring, and family leave. These options allow older workers to succeed and feel part of the workplace family.
How do we find Senior Friendly Employers? You might want to ask a fellow “senior” that is still employed about their workplace. When you get your car serviced notice the seniors that transport people back to their job while their car is cared for. Your local supermarket is always looking for people that can work flexible schedules. Your local hardware stores, hospitals, nursing homes, convenience stores, gift shops, book stores, and other main street shops in your town are all looking for part-time and full-time help. If you were an educator, physician, accountant, attorney in your previous life and you want to do something to stay active in a different field, the opportunities are there.
Try this some day: have twenty copies of either a very formal resume or a narrative resume and stop at twenty local businesses, including the local Chamber of Commerce and Employment Agencies and ask if they know of businesses that may be looking to hire. Go to places you think you might like to go to every day to work. By the time you get home you may have some respondents on your answering machine. The next day go to twenty more places. Finding a job is your job until you find what you want.
CareerCenters provide career counseling and assessments to help determine what type of work you are suited for. They offer assistance with resumes and interviewing skills in addition to sponsoring job clubs and job fairs.
If you need computer training, the Adult Education Programs are accessible days and nights and local Area Agencies on Aging have computer labs where they offer instruction. Perhaps a grandchild might be skilled enough to help you get started. The shop that sold you your computer may have a list of people to assist you with hooking up to the internet and some basic instruction.
If you need to take courses to get recertified check out the local Community College. Sometimes the Community College has scholarships for non-traditional students. In addition you have Senior College programs that are operating throughout the State.
Women, Work & Community is another excellent resource in your area that can assist you with courses and counseling. They assist both women and men.
There are training programs for people 55 and over that will place people in local non profit locations to do community service activity in return for valuable training. This program is sponsored by the United States Department of Labor and is called the Senior Community Service Employment Program. SCSEP pays the current State minimum wage for approximately 20 hours per week of community service. There are other programs that provide stipends like the Senior Companion Program, the Foster Grandparent Program, the Americorps Vista Program to name a few.
These are all Senior Friendly opportunities and you are encouraged to contact any of the above agencies to see what’s available.
James McGrath, is the program coordinator for the State SCSEP operated through the DHHS, Office of Elder Services, Augusta.