Alexandria — For older adults looking to return to the labor force, getting back to work requires confidence and a willingness to embrace new technologies. Those were the primary messages from “Staying Connected: Employment and Volunteer Opportunities for Alexandria’s Seniors,” a panel discussion organized by the nonprofit Senior Services of Alexandria and held at the Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library in Alexandria on Wednesday, Jan. 16.
More than 100 attendees filled the library’s meeting room to hear from employment and volunteer experts on the best ways to secure a job. Shortly into the program, attention turned to the significance of technology and social media when the panel’s first speaker, career management consultant Annabelle Reitman representing AARP, asked if the audience was familiar with the social networking site LinkedIn. With only a handful of arms raised, Reitman went on to describe the importance that LinkedIn plays in today’s hiring process, asserting that the website is quickly “becoming the way to find your job.”
Reitman then described AARP’s new website www.workreimagined.org. The website, which according to its description is “powered by LinkedIn,” allows visitors to search for jobs, read articles about work place trends and participate in online discussions. All of these services help seniors update their knowledge on the hiring process, leading to more confidence, Reitman said.
The need for self-assurance when dealing with technology in the workplace was repeated by many of the panel’s experts. And though it can be intimidating, becoming skilled in new computer programs and software is necessary, according to Janet Barnett, executive director of Senior Services of Alexandria. “When you get back into the workplace and are not familiar with technology — that is a very scary and intimidating thing,” Barnett said. “Some [seniors] have the computer skills and technological skills that are so necessary today. But I would recommend [that] those who don’t, do two things. One, learn them. It’s scary, but it can be done.” Barnett’s second recommendation is for seniors to hone in on their existing skills and align them with what a prospective job requires.
“As seniors we always have to keep learning and looking for new opportunities,” Barnett said. For those who need help sharpening their computer skills, Barnett recommends calling Senior Services of Alexandria, which can assist people to find resources for instruction and a donated computer if they do not own one.
The City of Alexandria’s Joblink program is another resource for job seekers who need hands-on assistance. Joblink helps match local employers with suitable employees and provides one-on-one counseling for job seekers. Representing Joblink on Wednesday’s panel was Ralph Critten, employment training specialist, who reiterated the need for seniors to have confidence in the experience that they bring to the table. “You guys certainly have a place in the work place,” Critten told the crowd. “Your experience and your expertise are very much valued in this young workforce. Most employers seek you out because of that,” Critten said.
Nonprofit organizations also made their appeals for attendees to use their knowledge and experience for the benefit of social causes like tutoring, mentoring and the arts, noting that volunteering provides valuable networking and sometimes leads to employment. “In my time at the library, we have hired four of our volunteers,” Renee DiPilato, manager of the Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, told the audience. “In many instances, we wish we could hire our volunteers,” DiPilato said.
Hearing the presentations from both employment and volunteer experts proved beneficial for Alexandria resident Andrew Pohl, who has lived in the city for 40 years. “I was in the computer business, but I’ve been out of it for so long and it changes so fast, it’s hard to keep up,” Pohl said. “So now I have to look either back in that field or find an entirely new field to work in.”
Pohl thinks discussions like Wednesday’s are valuable. “It’s good to see, especially the volunteer stuff that they talked about today. It gives you an opportunity to find another area that you might be able to get into and develop something,” Pohl said.
Wednesday’s panel discussion was part of Senior Services of Alexandria’s 2012-2013 speaker series and featured speakers representing AARP, City of Alexandria’s Joblink, National Council on Aging, Volunteer Alexandria, Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, Alexandria Tutoring Consortium, Torpedo Factory Art Center and Alexandria Mentoring Partnership.