AARP’s Look at Older Workers and Jobs

Tomorrow, AIER will release its study on how older workers find new careers. We think you’ll find the results both surprising and an insightful look at strategies older workers use to chart a course toward working later into their lives.

As we get ready for that, let’s shine the light on another study on a related subject that came out last month. Our friends at the AARP Public Policy Institute surveyed 2,492 people ages 45-70 who were unemployed at some point in the last five years. That study found that older workers make up a large portion of Americans who have been looking for work for six months or longer. The report said that those who lost their jobs largely made less money when they found a new job.

The AARP report offered strategies for older workers who were out of work to find new jobs: Look quickly to look for a new job; use your network; contact employers directly; and broaden your search to a wider range of occupations.

The AIER study takes a different approach, looking at older workers who not only sought a new job, but sought new careers, whether they lost their prior job or decided to make a change. It offers some different insights from the AARP report about ways to make that next step, and takes a close look at the role of skills in a successful career change. We are looking forward to sharing this report with you tomorrow.