Unemployed Over 40 Over Qualified Veterans Disabled & Flawed Past By: Kathleen E. High, M.Ed., GCDFI Education & Career Consultant Dream Chasers & Goal Setters Presented to: Clients of Orange County One-Stop

 No Magic Answers or Easy Solutions!  The World Is Changing – Fast – Notice and Respond  Be Aware of Labor Market Trends  Check Your Generational Biases  Listen to People from Other Generations About Their World View  The “Rules” Have Changed  Know Yourself and What You Have to Offer  Know How to Market Yourself  Develop Your “Personal Brand”  Monitor Your “Online Presence” (social network, , etc.)  Tailor Your Resume and Interview Questions to the Job  Utilize Resources Available (Workshops, case managers, etc.)

 Job Search Workshops  Case Managers  Representatives from EDD, VA, Department of Rehabilitation  Programs for Special Populations  Computer Center  Job Listings  On-site Employer Recruitments  Job Fairs and Hiring Events  Opportunities to Network with Other Job Seekers  Referrals to Community Resources

If you are going to school, check out its resources available:  CAREER CENTER  One-On-One Career Counseling  Career Assessments (Personality, Interests, Values, Skills, etc.)  Workshops (Resumes, Interviewing, Studying, etc.)  Handouts (Labor Market Trends, Goal Setting, Choosing Majors, Job Search, Resume and Interviewing Tips, etc.)  Career Research Resources (Online programs, books, etc.)  Computer Lab  COUNSELING DEPARTMENT :  One-On-One Counseling  Counseling Classes (for academic/career success)  Disabled Student Programs & Services  Vocational Counseling, Accommodations, Resources, Support  TRANSFER CENTER:  Help/Information for Transfer Planning  SEE “UNEMPLOYED RESOURCES” FOR MORE

 What kind of unemployed person are you?  Diligently doing everything you know how to do  Given up in the face of adversity and repeated rejection  Somewhere in between the two extremes  Find productive ways to fill your time:  Doing anything productive looks better than doing nothing  Other people and institutions will be more willing to work with you  Work any kind of “Survival Job” you can get  Keeps you “in touch” with the working world  Makes your UI benefits last longer & continues eligibility  School/Training – Update your skills!  Volunteering  Good for Your Mental Health  Attending to Personal / Family Needs  May want to use a “Functional” resume to downplay:  Gaps of employment  Currently working “Survival Jobs”  Highlight relevant experiences gained outside of employment  Get Help and Support  Effective job search strategies  Mental health counseling (depression, hopelessness, ‘victim’ mentality’, and other ‘psycho/social barriers’, etc.)  Career counseling if you need help finding a new direction

 Handouts: (Speaker’s resources)  Workshop handout: “Unemployed and Looking for Answers” (What they need: Information, Resources, Support)  Workshop handout: “Managing Finances”  “Unemployed Resources”  “Tell Me About Yourself”  Resume Writing and Interviewing handouts  Life-Long Learning Options  Visit: College Career Center:  Career Counseling  Career Assessment and Interpretation  Research New Careers  Books on job transitions, job search, resumes, layoffs, etc.  Workshops:  Planning for an Unpredictable Future  Social Media and Career Success

Understand the stereotypes of older workers Question your expectations Notice the “New Rules” Take note of your obsolete assumptions Ask: Do I appear “Out of touch?” Avoid “reminiscing” over the ‘good old days’ Check your “adaptability” factor (Do you tend to resist change?) Physical Appearance: Be sure it’s updated (glasses, hair style & color, clothing, etc.) Resume – don’t list more than 10 years Keep an “Employment History – Working Document” Double check for recent experiences only Confirm your reference information is current Avoid listing obsolete skills, technologies, processes, philosophies, etc. Have a younger adult review your resume and answers for “age giveaways” Avoid listing dates for education Make your life experience work for you Emphasize the benefits of maturity (wisdom, manners, work ethic, etc.)

 Handouts:  Workshop handout: “Unemployed and Looking for Answers”  Generational Values  Life-long Learning Options  Visit College Career Center:  Adult Re-entry Services  Career Counseling  Books On Career Transitions, Career Crises, Encore Careers, Etc.  “Resources” Links On Website has Additional Resources

 Know why you would want that job and what are your priorities  Keep an “Employment History – Working Document”  Tailor your resume to job description:  Emphasize their needs, not your “laundry list of qualifications”  Identify why employers feel you are over qualified  Let employers know that you understand their concerns  Use a little humor when addressing the situation  Ask the interviewer to define any concerns he or she might have so you can address them and  Tell them why you want the job even if you are overqualified  Emphasize the benefits of over qualification (wisdom, maturity, complex problem solving, minimal supervision and training, etc.)

 Handouts:  Workshop handout: “How to Manage Conflicting Priorities”  Success  Visit: Career Center:  Career Counseling  Researching New Careers

 Attend to Any ‘Life Transition Issues’ You Face  Learn to Ask for Help  Use Your Resources  Emphasize Transferable Skills  Leverage Your Strengths as a Veteran (Career Builder, 2014)  Team work  Discipline  Respect and Integrity  Ability to Work Under Pressure  Use ‘Translator’ Web Databases To Identify Potential  Civilian Occupations  Transferrable Skills

 Skills/Jobs Translator Databases:  Occupations:  Skills:  Local Career One-Stop Center:  Veterans Re-employment Services  Local Veteran’s Resources:  Local Campus – Veteran’s Resource Center  VA / CalVET  VFW  College On-Campus Resources:  Veterans’ Resource Center  Disability Services  Career Planning Center  Transfer Center  Student Health Center (Mental Health Counseling)  Workshops:  Managing Life’s Transitions  Handouts:  Discerning Seasons  Paradigm Shifts

 Research career ahead of time for physical demands of the job  Utilize CPC & DSPS services:  Help you identify appropriate career and job search goals  Help you identify resources available to help  Identify your transferable skills  Focus on what you can do  Consider emerging career fields: Tend to offer flexibility  Know the employment laws that affect you  Get full job description with the required skills and abilities spelled out  Know what accommodations you need; have them verified by a doctor  Be prepared to answer questions regarding your accommodations if you get the job  Keep statements positive (I can do… by using an adjustable table). Don't get too technical

 Handouts:  Workshop handout: “Identifying Your Transferrable Skills”  True Self  Labor Market Trends  CPC Newsline: “Job Search Strategies and Information for People with Disabilities” (Fall 2008) - available online  Visit:  Disabled Students Programs & Services  Career Planning Center  Employment Development Department's One Stop Centers,  Department of Rehabilitation,  Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled (714)  Resources:  CPC has books and other resources for the disabled job seeker.

 Create a positive image and environment  Identify your skills  Identify your targets  Get your documents in order  Use the most effective job search methods  Improve your interviewing skills  Follow up on all job leads  Check your online presence  If you are an ex-offender, know which types of jobs and employers are appropriate and which are not  No secret answer; but how you market yourself is crucial

 Handouts:  Job Search Tips for Those with a Not So Hot Past  CPC Newsline: People with Less ‐ than ‐ Ideal Backgrounds (Spring, 2010) - available online  Visit:  Career Planning Center for help with resume preparation and interview skills  Local Employment One Stop Centers  Resources:  Booklet: Quick Job Search for Ex-Offenders  Book: “No One is Unemployable”

 Remember:  The World Is Changing  The Rules Have Changed  Know How To Market Yourself  Seek Help When Needed:  Local Employment One-Stop Centers  They have programs to support “unique populations”  Local Colleges (for students)  Career Planning Center/Adult Re-Entry  Disabled Student Services & Programs  Veterans Resource Center  Financial Aid  Counseling

 Debra Michelle, DSPS Counselor, Cypress College (Career Builder, 2014)

Career Builder. (2014, November 11). More employers are looking to hire U.S. military veterans. Retrieved from Career Builder: employers-are-looking-to-hire-us-military-veterans