Job seekers set new path and follow their passion
Before going to work for career development firm Lee Hecht Harrison, David Rogers went through his own occupational transitions.
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Rogers, a North Smithfield resident currently serving as vice president of business development for Lee Hecht Harrison, had worked for nearly 27 years in one company. But at age 49, a restructuring within the business forced Rogers to seek other employment.
Rogers decided to utilize the career counseling process, which helped land a job that he said he’s passionate about.
“A career transition, even if forced, can be a great opportunity,” said Rogers, who clarified that he was speaking on behalf of himself and not his employer.
Rogers is part of a rising trend – people looking to switch careers in their later years. HR Magazine, a publication of the Society of Human Resource Management, said in June that a recent survey of 2,500 job seekers showed 56 percent thought of making a “significant career change.”
And the people most enthusiastic about setting a new career path were those ages 56 to 60, according to the magazine.
Anne Marge, director of cooperative education and career placement at the Community College of Rhode Island, said she comes across many people who are looking to switch careers later on in life.
In the past, Marge said people usually sought a new direction because particular industries were downsizing or closing. But recently, she said, a large portion of career changers looking for placement advice have successfully completed a career in another field, such as the military, and seek something new.
She said teaching was one of the more popular careers that people switch into.
“It’s a chance for a whole new challenge, and that’s what attracts them,” Marge said.
Once a person has decided to switch careers, Marge said, CCRI offers a variety of services to help, including portfolio development, Internet resources and internships.
At least once per year, the college hosts “Older, Wiser and Out-of-Work,” a course designed to help people who are either hesitant to get back into the work force or seek new employment.
Marge also said that people looking for jobs should focus on their communications skills, something she said is crucial to prospective employers.
“We really want to help them enhance those (skills),” Marge said. “Some people may be concerned that they don’t know the latest techniques … but what we hear from employers time and time again is that they are going to go by a person’s attitude and (skills).”
Matt Lightner, manager of the Providence branch of specialized staffing firm Robert Half Inc., also stressed the importance of strong communication skills, adding that computer skills are also helpful in many fields.
“Those are a good basis for anywhere you want to go,” he said.
Lightner, who estimated that between 10 and 15 percent of the people that he meets with are looking to start a new career, said that strong resumes and cover letters are also crucial, especially when explaining why a person is choosing a new career.
Other resources are available for older people in the work force.
AARP, the organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, maintains a “Featured Employers” program for major companies committed to helping Americans over the age of 50 stay in the work force. Currently, 24 companies have received the designation, with Woonsocket-based CVS/pharmacy being added to the list this past Thursday.
Lee Hecht Harrison’s Rogers credited the career placement services available to job seekers for the position he landed. While he said the job he has now is similar in function to his position with his previous employer, the field he is currently in serves an entirely different purpose.
The career counseling process helped him to “unearth a passion I didn’t know I had,” he said.
“I learned that I had interests and tendencies toward people that would be successful in the service industry,” Rogers said. “It helped validate some of the direction that I wanted to go in.”
Rogers said he, like many career changers, chose his passions over the option to go into more lucrative fields. People who are in their 30s have a different set of needs than those several years older, he said.
Once a person’s family is raised and they are ready to settle down, the focus isn’t always on maximizing your earnings, Rogers said. And as long as an older person is healthy and active, employers should be willing to hire a passionate, experienced person, he said.
“Money isn’t always a motivator,” Rogers said. “If you have enough to live, it keeps you neutral. But it doesn’t really motivate you.”
