Tips for Elderly Job Seekers

Coming off the heels of a grave economic downturn, more and more elderly workers are doing everything they can to stay in the job market longer. This means avoiding retirement for employees still in the workforce and searching for new job for those who previously retired.

Unfortunately, the bad economic situation created a huge pool of talented unemployed workers who were willing to take positions they normally would not consider or would not be available for. This means elderly workers have faced even tougher competition than usual.

The AARP reports that unemployment for mature workers has increased by 331 percent during the last 10 years. In response, the organization is hosting a series of job fairs throughout the country in order to help elderly job seekers get back into the workforce.

There also are many things elderly workers can do on their own in order to increase their chances of getting hired. One of the most important things you can do is to refresh and upgrade your resume, which can be made easier by using a free resume builder.

Here is some more advice from CNNMoney.

• Whittle down your experience - One of the biggest obstacles for older workers is that they may be overqualified for jobs they're applying to. So, whittle down your resume to what's really important:

1. Focus on the last 10 years - Stress money earned for the company, costs eliminated or time saved. And share only those qualifications that match the job opening. Don't talk at length about your vast experience. Focus on what you can do for your employer.
2. Leave off school graduation dates - Don't start your resume with dates and leave off the date you graduated from high school or college.
3. Fill work gaps with volunteering and consulting - Try to avoid gaps in your work history too. To make up for long gaps, consider volunteering or doing some pro-bono consulting work.
4. Join professional associations, subscribe to trade journals and keep up with innovations and developments in your field as much as possible.

• Get retrained - If you are over 55-years old and meet certain income requirements, AARP offers a free Senior Community Service Employment Program. The organization's staff will assess your job skills and interests, connect you with training, help you update your resume and provide you with job leads. As part of the program, you also will work part time for a host agency like a food bank or a library.

• Go back to school - Many elderly people opt for a local community college. And don't forget to look for scholarships, as schools give out financial aid, regardless of how old you are. Currently, there are more than 250 awards created for students who are older than 25, and 1,800 scholarships available to students of any age.

Check out this recruiting video for AARP: