| Are you an older unemployed worker or know | | | | new jobs in their desired fields, as the economy |
| someone who is? We all know that the | | | | improves. |
| unemployment rate is very high right now. There | | | | There is a unique group that find themselves |
| are two main reasons or causes why workers | | | | largely unemployable. These are the Baby |
| become unemployed; controllable and | | | | Boomers, in their late 50's or early 60's. Many |
| uncontrollable. For Baby Boomers, who lost their | | | | companies, that are downsizing, would like to |
| jobs because of downsizing, finding new | | | | eliminate older higher paid employees. These |
| employment maybe more difficult. This leaves the | | | | individuals and I am one of them, are sometimes |
| Baby Boomers in the Unemployment Gap, | | | | given a severance package, to entice them to |
| between downsizing and collecting their retirement. | | | | leave peacefully. These older workers believe |
| To better understand these concepts, let us take | | | | they can go out and find another job with all the |
| a look at the two main causes of unemployment: | | | | years of experience they have. But they soon |
| 1. Controllable Causes of Unemployment | | | | find out that most companies do not care about |
| These are usually due to factors that are | | | | their experience and work ethic, they would |
| directly related to the individual and are under their | | | | rather hire someone younger (someone they can |
| control. These would include employees who are | | | | pay less). I know that there are laws against age |
| disruptive, are not team players or just do not do | | | | discrimination, but they always make sure they |
| their jobs. This group is believed to account for | | | | handle this without making it sound like age |
| less than 10% of all that are unemployed today. | | | | discrimination. They will tell you that even though |
| 2. Uncontrollable Causes of Unemployment | | | | you are highly qualified for the position, they have |
| These are causes that are out of the control | | | | decided to go in a different direction. |
| of the individual. It is estimated that 90% of the | | | | We are caught in what; I call the Baby Boomer |
| unemployed today are a direct result of these | | | | Unemployment Gap: Too young to retire and too |
| uncontrollable causes. We are just slowly starting | | | | old to find work in our chosen professions. I do |
| to recover from a deep recession, with many | | | | not really blame most of these employers; they |
| companies downsizing in order to survive. Many | | | | are reluctant to hire someone who is probably |
| businesses have gone under during this recession. | | | | going to retire in a few years. The situation we |
| For what ever reason, jobs are being lost, and it | | | | find ourselves in falls into the Uncontrollable |
| is out of the control of these individuals. | | | | Causes of Unemployment. |
| The majority of unemployed workers were | | | | There is help for the Baby Boomers who have |
| trained to do one thing. It was their expertise. | | | | been downsized and find themselves unemployed. |
| Now their specialty is no longer needed or there | | | | There are many organizations that can assist you. |
| are thousands applying for the one or two jobs | | | | They work together with businesses; that |
| available. Many of those, who are younger, can be | | | | recognize the value of the older experienced |
| retrained and start a new career. Others will find | | | | worker. |