Illustration by Bob Dob
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Reaching Hire Ground
By Samuel Greengard, November & December 2006
Get acquainted with AARP's National Employer Team
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Older workers can find switching careers especially challenging, what with
potential biases and age discrimination rampant. If you're in the market
for a new calling, check out the 24 companies—including The Home Depot,
Borders, Comcast Cable, MetLife, Verizon, and Walgreens—that have joined
AARP's National Employer Team. Launched in November 2004, it helps members
land new careers in fields as diverse as sales, underwriting, marketing,
customer service, and management.
Those looking to switch careers can click on the desired company at the National Employer Team website
and view a profile with information about job opportunities and benefits. The
next click takes job seekers to the firm's career site, where they can find
more information and fill out an application.
Many participating companies are also accommodating the lifestyles and needs
of older workers. For example, Borders has an informal "snowbird"
program. Its managers are encouraged to assist employees who regularly winter
in warmer climes to find work at another Borders store near their cold-weather
retreat—without losing either seniority or benefits.
The CVS drugstore chain offers a similar snowbird program, as well as job
sharing and flextime scheduling.
Says Deborah Russell, director of workforce issues at AARP: "These
companies make it a point to welcome older workers. They realize that
there's an enormous benefit to reaching out to AARP's 36 million
members."
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