Boston Job Fair Helps Unemployed Baby Boomers

Hunt for full-time work with benefits can be daunting 

“I just want to get into an office and make myself indispensable somehow,” said Soha, who was laid off by a Cambridge software firm after 10 years.

Soha was among nearly 500 people who packed a conference room yesterday at the Radisson Hotel in Boston for a job fair for those 45 and older. Sponsored by Operation ABLE, the nonprofit job-training program for mature workers, the event drew 25 employers, including Lahey Clinic, Simmons College, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, John Hancock Financial Services, and MIT.

Soha, out of work since March 2005, sent out dozens of resumes but received no offers for full-time jobs. Her story is an increasingly familiar one for older workers.

The face of the labor force is changing to reflect the aging baby boom generation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of workers 50 and older will increase 34 percent by 2012. At the same time, employees between 16 and 49 will increase by just 3 percent.

“Before I got laid off I was paid $130,000 per for each of last three years I was employed” said Soha. “Now, I’m hoping to make over $30,000, with benefits.”

Soha also “dumbed down” her resume, hoping to counteract any employers who might consider her overqualified and too expensive. She took an Operation ABLE course to get certified in Microsoft Office, PowerPoint , Access, and Outlook – skills she’ll need if she applies for a job with clerical duties, “I mentioned that I work for computer companies, but call it 10 years of customer service because it translates into something people understand and are will to employ you for,” said Soha. “I don’t use lots of technical words. My technical resume was six pages long. This resume is one page with bullet points that I learned about at Operation ABLE.”

Joan Cirillo, executive director, said yesterday’s event was the first fair the nonprofit has held in five years.

“We started to see solid evidence of hiring among Massachusetts employers,” said Cerillo. “And we felt there were finally some real opportunities for mature workers because the employers seemed supportive.”

At the fair, MIT was one of the more popular employers. With approximately 300 job openings, it attracted a line almost as long as the conference room. The institute is looking for scientists, information technology specialists, office personnel, and workers to monitor campus facilities, staffing specialist Julienne Deane said.

Hancock had 280 openings in the Boston area.