Age 55+ a Common Theme in Today's Workplace

Alana McIalwain, Mayor's Office for Sr. Citizens

For a variety of reasons, older Americans, including baby boomers and their predecessors, are finding their way back into the workforce. For many clients of the Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens’ Age 55+ Employment Resource Center, part-time or full-time employment helps meet basic needs, including rising health care costs. Others work because they want to engage in meaningful activities.

Author Alana McIalwain (third from left) and the Age 55+ Employment Resource Center Team, accepting a Maximum Achievement Award from the City

Finding work at any age can be challenging. Historically, older workers have encountered (usually unintentional) ageism in hiring processes. Our job counselors understand that, and help their clients overcome artificial barriers to employment.

Fortunately, thanks to aging baby boomers, older workers are becoming trendy in the 21st Century workplace. Employers are beginning to realize that hiring “old” can gain them productive, intelligent, highly skilled employees who are committed to work. This week alone, I have had three employers call to post jobs on our web site. Employers are looking at “old” in a new way—they like the possibilities and they like the productivity. 

The Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens is committed to serving those who need to or have a desire to return to work. The Age 55+ Employment Resource Center runs two parallel tracks. We offer a general program to help older job seekers find jobs or re-launch careers. We also administer a federal Title V Senior Community Service Employment Program to help income-eligible older workers regain job skills through minimum-wage training positions with community-based organizations.

Job searches are quite different for older workers than for younger people. Skills have to be refreshed, professional networking has to be re-activated, computer skills have to be updated, and learning the culture and diversity of various organizations is necessary. Our services include job lists, employment counseling, employer outreach, training resources, computer access for job searches, a 24-hour job line, and more. 

Age 55+ Employment clients can access a variety of programs and services at the Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens. We have a senior advocate who provides professional, confidential referrals to a wide variety of non-employment resources. We can also provide utility rate discounts for Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities customers living on fixed incomes, the Gold Card for Healthy Aging and FLASH discount cards, computer training for seniors, volunteer referrals and resources, tickets to free arts and cultural events (when available), and invitations to special events.

Some of our clients have discovered that work offers more than income. Aging is a lifelong process and, as we age, we gather the experience, skills, successes and tools to become experts in our fields. It is hard for some of us to give it all up for a more sedentary lifestyle. Of course, if you have planned well for retirement or have a rich relative who leaves you an inheritance, well, that’s a different matter. Go for it—do what makes you happy! You might be surprised to find that returning to work with purpose and meaning back in your life is the answer to happiness. 

For more information about the Age 55+ Employment Resource Center, call the Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens at 206-684-0500, send e-mail to seniors@seattle.gov or go to www.seattle.gov/humanservices/mosc on the web.