Using recruitment agencies and career counsellors in career planning for over 40s
Julie Farthing, FAACC, Principal Consultant, Career Dimensions
For many of us, the forties is a period of significant change. We have survived the first twenty-odd years of adult life, paid bills, quite possibly had a marriage (or two), a mortgage and children, all of which has made it hard to find room for personal growth and thoughts of career change.
Then comes the time for a bit of introspection, and a sense that it’s time to change the way we do things, to cater for shifting priorities and the feeling that there’s something untried and a bit exciting out there.
Does the picture that is forming in your mind include your future career choice? Maybe you are thinking of a sea change, or considering downshifting to an easier-paced working life that will balance a newly found interest. Or, maybe you’ve been at home for a while, raising a family or caring for an elderly relative, and you are ready for a job that’s a bit more up-tempo.
If you have noticed a new picture forming, more likely than not there is also a voice saying something like: “Don’t be stupid! It’s too late to change now. What else could you do anyway? Who wants to employ an old person like you? You’re a crazy middle aged fool.” etc. etc.
So, are you going to go with the picture or the voice? I suggest you go with the picture – but where do you take it? How do you turn the dream in your head into a reality?
There are many ways to get the help you need. Firstly, you need to pay attention to the picture, give it a chance to develop into something that has some real form. Draw a diagram, write about it, do some research, tell anyone who is prepared to listen, even the dog or the cat, until it has a real presence.
Next, see a career counsellor who can give your picture some career substance, help you to set realistic goals, and to overcome real and perceived barriers. And if the picture is still not quite clear, the career counsellor has the tools to help with this as well.
Your career counsellor will also be able to offer advice on how you can prepare a new résumé to match your future direction. He or she can also offer training in job search skills, and information to help you decide the best pathway to achieving your goals, including a range of study and other developmental options.
Armed with all of this, many of you will then be prepared to launch yourselves into the job market. If you haven’t applied for a job in a while, you’ll notice that things have changed. Nowadays, the majority of jobs aren’t advertised, and those that you do find in the papers and on the Internet are listed by recruitment companies.
Some older jobseekers have found the experience of dealing with recruitment companies somewhat intimidating, but this need not be the case. Don’t expect the recruitment consultant to have the time, competence or resources to offer you career advice or feedback on your application. The agency’s client is the employer, not the candidate, and its main responsibility is to refer those candidates who best match the employer’s criteria.
This means that you need to convince the consultant that you are a prime contender for the position. Think of him or her as the employer’s representative – make sure your résumé is perfect, that you are aware of your work skills and personal strengths and that you have a clear understanding of your career direction, otherwise you are wasting everybody’s time.
Recruitment companies offer a range of services and some work in particular industries. There are two main areas:
- permanent recruitment: consultants screen candidates, referring those they select to their client to interview and to finalise the selection. If a person they have sent commences work, they are paid a commission.
- on-hired employee services (previously called labour hire or casual hire): people employed in this way are actually on the agency’s payroll, but work on site, carrying out work for a host employer. Positions are often short term; extra staff may be required to cover peak workload periods, or to replace a permanent staff member on leave. On-hiring can be confusing for people who have not come across this before, so be prepared to ask questions so that you know exactly what your working arrangements are. But don’t ignore this as a viable option; many permanent workers start out this way.
Consultants in the recruitment industry carry out a range of tasks to ensure that the best candidates are selected. Depending on the job and the level of service required by the client, they will do some or all of the following:
- obtaining a brief from the client which includes details about the duties of the position and the skills and experience required
- assessing résumés and shortlisting candidates
- conducting interviews (one-on-one or group, telephone and face to face)
- arranging for candidates to undertake a range of tests and assessments which may be paper-based or computer-based
- phoning referees
- advising successful and unsuccessful candidates
- arranging paperwork and other pre-commencement activities eg. completion of tax declarations, organising police checks, medical and fitness tests, etc.
- conducting induction training and information sessions
They also play a role in educating companies about the current pool of available labour. A recent survey undertaken by the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) highlighted that in general mature age workers were more reliable and had a better attitude towards work than younger people, but that there was a general unwillingness by employers to employ them. A great deal of work is being done by recruiters to help employers overcome negative perceptions about older workers.
As the skills shortage continues to climb in Australia, recruitment personnel are keen to attract a larger pool of ready, willing and capable labour. As a mature age worker you can help yourself to a wider range of job opportunities by making good use of recruitment companies, and this will in turn help them to do their job more effectively.
However you do need to be prepared to sell yourself. Recruitment consultants report that older workers often do themselves no favours by failing to recognise or by downplaying their skills, especially if they have not worked for some time or if their experience has mainly been in one industry. The modern working world is no place for those who hide their light under a bushel!
So, for career advice and to develop the tools you need for job searching and/or returning to study, find a career counsellor at the Australian Association of Career Counsellors web site.
Once you are fully ready to enter the job market again, use every avenue you can think of, including recruitment companies who should in return treat you with respect and your application as serious. Search the Yellow Pages for “Employment Services” to locate an agency that specialises in your kind of work and industry.
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