Senior Citizens Looking for Job Opportunities

Senior Citizens Looking for Job Opportunities

LANSING - There is that old saying that everything get better with age, and that is exactly what citizens like Elaine Ferris came out to show.

“I decided that I’d like to go ahead and get back and the workforce and do some upgraded skills and see what happens,” said Mason resident Ferris.

Ferris and dozens of others gathered at Michigan Works for the second annual 50 Plus jobs and career fair to expand on aging opportunities in the Michigan workforce.

“The demographics have changed,” said Cathy Wilm who helped out with the fair. “But the boomers aren't our parent’s boomers. We are the generation that’s still working, were still viable we're still have a lot to offer so it’s a generation that I think a lot of people often forget about but it’s a really talented generation.”

The day consisted of resume reviews, mock interviews, job connection workshops and more to help this aging generation compete in current day workforces.

“This demographic isn’t so savvy with resume and the format of word process so stuff like this is good for them to come out and get a little hands on experience and talk with some employers and just have a good time,” said Lansing Community College student Brandon Pellerin.

"I got lots of experience in certain areas and if that’s not what the employers are looking for I have to reach a little and do something that I haven't been comfortable in the past and I’m good with that and that’s reality and so hopefully this workshop should touch on this a little bit,” said Lansing resident Jon Paton who came out for the workshops.

And even if residents walked away empty handed without a job, the fair helped them get one step further in their search.

“I think older workers have a tendency to be unemployed longer and so that kind of can be a determent to their job search so this just helps them bring them along,” said Wihm.

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