Older workers and retirees, previously overlooked by companies, are starting to get more attention from employers faced with labor shortages caused by the mass exodus of baby boomers from the work force. Job fairs targeting this demographic are being held in 43 cities across the country over the next two months, and an estimated 20,000 job seekers and 1,000 employers are expected to attend, according to event organizers.
In the metro area, one event on Sept. 26 at FedEx Field will bring about 65 employers and between 1,500 and 2,000 attendees. The Employment Guide and the AARP Foundation, the philanthropic wing of the AARP, are collaborating on the project, known as the “Employ the Older Workers Job Fair Series.”
“Employers need to tap into this demographic,” said Jeff Littlejohn, vice president and general manager of The Employment Guide. “The older worker is a perfect job candidate because he has a great work ethic, is high skilled and experienced, and is available.”
The labor shortage facing the metro area, which is “more dramatic than in the rest of the United States,” is only going to continue, and there will be a “talent war,” said Barry Lawrence, career expert at McLean-based Jobfox, an online job-matching company.
In less than 10 years, the number of jobs that need to be filled will increase by up to 5 million jobs, said Jim Seith, national program director for low-income programs and work in AARP Foundation. Older workers can “add value with the ability to mentor and coach” younger workers, Lawrence said, but so far, he hasn’t seen companies using them in that way.
Incorporating older workers may also mean a “mental adjustment” on the part of the companies and the workers. For example, companies may need to offer shorter work weeks for older workers who want to work less; those workers who choose such a schedule may then need to accept lesser roles in the company, Lawrence said.
