by Ted Sherman

Created on: July 13, 2008

In my case, I was older and couldn't afford to retire. At age 65.5, I took my pension from my longtime job in the cold, cold East, and with my lovely wife, headed out for the desert of Arizona. It was a great move, and we looked forward to a happy retirement. However, there was just one little glitch. We had a teenage daughter who had just been graduated from high school and was accepted at an expensive Ivy League university.

While she had earned a small scholarship, it barely covered her daily expenses. We still needed $50,000 a year for her tuition. It was resume time for me. I hadn't written one of those little things for at least 30 years, and was a stranger in a new city with absolutely no connections or local references. The biggest problem, of course, was the stark reality that there are few employers anywhere who'd want to hire a 65.5-year-old guy.

However, I wasn't entirely out of job-hunting ammunition. For 25 years, I had been the manager of a big company's creative division, but I didn't expect anyone to be looking for managers. I listed it on my new resume, but I also emphasized that I had been a hands-on guy, and had very recent experience in creating graphic design, video production, conference planning and public relations writing. For any older person who has to conjure up a new resume, it is important to emphasize your most recent work, rather than describe your 1970s glories and your two college degrees you earned when Nixon was President.

It is OK to list your degrees, references briefly, professional associations and brag about some awards you've won. But, understand that potential employers want to know what you can do now, not what you did, and they must be certain you are capable and healthy enough to do an honest day's work. Keep your resume short ... preferably no more than one page ... and if you are called in for an interview, and you believe it will help get the job, you can volunteer more details about your history and qualifications at the time.

A professional-quality portfolio of your work can be a great help in getting a job. I know it doesn't apply to everyone looking for a job, but during my 25 years as a boss, every applicant for a creative job in my division had to bring in a comprehensive portfolio representing his/her best work. In the application letter, along with a resume, I required one or two copies of some original work of design, copywriting, photography or PR releases. Then, if an applicant looked good, I required the more comprehensive portfolio to see at the interview.

In trying to get my post-retirement job, I put together a spiffy new resume and updated my portfolio. My retirement city wasn't quite as big as New York or Los Angeles, but there were jobs for people with my experience. Within two weeks of our arrival, I had a job offer to be PR director of a community center. It paid about half of what I had been earning when I retired, but it was enough to keep my daughter's university financial office from snapping at her heels. And because she was and is a great brain, she saved a year's tuition by earning her degree in three years. Now she's a writer-producer on a major TV program.

Therefore, if you're older, and still need to compete in the rat race, make sure your resume is fresh and new, and will get you that fresh and new job you've always wanted.

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