… I really do want to know about starting a NEW career at 50+. I worked my way into my last career, NO COLLEGE DEGREE, making $95k+, laid off, and after two years of searching realize I’ll probably never get back into my old niche. I’m looking at descriptions of Associate Degrees, Certificate Programs, etc. How can I find out which career is more friendly to older applicants? For instance, I’m considering Para Legal (possible La, or Web Design, or Physical Fitness Trainer. Am I fooling myself into thinking anyone will hire someone close to 60 with new degree/certificate in hand?

It’s a good question and one that job seekers are asking even more often.  So let’s look at this situation.  The reader is correct — at close to 60, coming off a $95K job and being jobless for 2 years, the chances of finding someone to employ at this salary level is pretty low, although not impossible.  However, it makes more sense to look at where industry will grow as we come out of the bad economy and either repurpose your skills, or develop new ones to address where the need will be. 

Right now, the job market is so bleak, it really isn’t about whether you are too young or too old.  Any employer looking to fill a position can find exactly the right person, with exactly the right skills set for any given position.  That means finding a job by applying online will put you in the database mix without much of an edge and with no “in” to the company.   There are employers hiring, but there are less open positions than there are available workers.  Think of it this way.  You are hungry.  There is a barrel of apples in front of you and you can choose whichever one you want.  Of course, you’ll look through at least the first part of the barrel and find the best looking apple you can.  That is today’s econony.  Hundreds of people applying for each job.  First, best one to the table gets the foot in the door.

In a good economy, there might only be 3 apples to choose from — so your chances would be much greater of getting picked…especially if you were shiny and unbruised.

Now, take a look at the job market.  Who is hiring?  Well, not many.  The biggest arena is health/medical related jobs.  You’ve got openings in the medical field, which is still pretty stable, although feeling some of the trickle-down this year.  Education looks like it is in for an overhaul, so there will be opportunities there.  And the other great area of advancement is in renewable/sustainable energy solutions and all the companies that support that field.

If I were going to get certified, it would not be as a paralegal, when clients don’t have money to pay their lawyers.  It would not be in web design, where coming in at entry level in a field ripe with talent.  I don’t think I’d go for a physical trainer either, although I’m not going to say to shut the door there.  While there are tons of unemployed physical trainers, there is also several decades of an aging population ahead of us, so if you can find a way to marry a trainer position with healthcare, that might be worth looking at.

But for my money, if I were going to start all over again and I didn’t have the skills to start my own business, I’d get green certified and look for work in that field.  I’d go to green conferences, events,  companies, websites, and network myself into that arena.

Any other thoughts?

And if you were wondering why you hadn’t heard from me in your inbox lately, that has been fixed and you should be receiving this in your inbox on Sunday morning!

I was wearing my wet weather rain gear, but had added a few items to deal with the extra cold snap.  Here’s the visual.  From bottom to top.  White rain boots with plaid pattern in red, blue, purple, yellow and orange.  Black windpants.  Green LLBean water-resistant shell.  Black gloves.  And the piece-de-resistance — my purple, red, black (with pompom) wool ear-flapped ski hat.  Of course, I decided THAT was the moment to go into my local CVS pharmacy and pick up a carton of logs so I could make a fire that evening.   I dumped the box of logs into the teeny pharmacy cart, and started wheeling around the store (hunched over), muttering to myself as I was passing through the rows and picking up sundries. 

I’m a very social gal, so, of course, I always smile and make little comments to passersby…and noticed….that they were…avoiding me.  It didn’t take more than a second to realize I was being avoided…the eyes looking away too quickly (I remembered the feeling from when I had been wheelchair bound for a few weeks after knee surgery.)

But it did take me a few minutes to figure out WHY (since I couldn’t see myself — but I’ll bet you’ve figured it out already and had a chuckle or two…).  As I passed my reflection in the window, I realized the other store patrons thought I was a homeless person.  I don’t know…maybe they thought I was buying chemical logs to burn in a metal trash bin to stay warm?? Deodorant to hide the smell?  Valentine’s cards for my fellow vagrants? Personally, I think it was my east coast ski hat that did the trick.

It was seriously bizarre and I felt a an equally bizarre feeling of finding it both sad and funny at the same time.  I’ve never been publicly shunned, and even though it was only for a few minutes, it has now been added to my storehouse of social stigmata.

Beattie is a passionate proponent of saving our planet, coupled with the need of his country to sell coal to Japan — it puts Australia in the same situation as the US with our dependance upon oil.  The equally passionate and insightful Mutsuyoshi Nishimura (Special Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Cabinet; Former Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for Climate Change), made it clear to this audience that each country had limitations on how it could reduce their carbon footprint even though they were greatly supportive of enforcing emissions limitations.  Japan, tiny Japan, currently must burn coal as it has no other resources (and purchases its coal from Australia.)  Both Beattie and Nishimura embrace the need for clean coal (Japan has just opened its first Zero Emissions coal-burning plant) and face two realities. 

1. Japan will continue to burn coal for decades; and
2. In 20 or 30 years, coal will not be a viable energy source.

The other panelist who very humbly shared the incredible strides her company is making with investing in alternative energy was President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)Vicky Sharpe.  Sharpe explained that for any alternative energy solution to grow and flourish, it had to be scaleable. Her company was invested almost a billion dollars in 181 alternative energy start-ups, with 34 of them commercially viable.  What that means is that SDTC has created partnerships with multinational corporations (think FedEx, Dupont, Toyota) who would be incorporating the technologies and using them worldwide. 

With Copenhagen still fresh, and each of these panelists very compelling positions and directions, Beattie’s voice kept ringing through to me, echoing statements from almost all of the other panelists. 

The United States needs to set the stage for carbon emission reduction and alternative energy. 

Beattie felt that Obama has already done a great deal for changing the world public opinion of the US, but he also stated that in terms of leading the charge on the renewable energy front,  he yet to see true evidence of an Obama backbone.  If the US takes the lead and creates a technology that will surpass the value of fossil-fuel, then that will allow China and India to leapfrog the fossil-fuel era they claim to need in order to develop their economies. 

[There is a...] lack of leadership in the US.  The private sector is the only way forward unless President Obama has a backbone that he hasn’t seen yet…

That is the statement got me.   Obama had raised World Public Opinion of the United States.  A very strong positive. 

Domestically, however, Obama’s goals for change haven’t really seen him dramatically take this leadership role…or at least not in a way that resonates with the American people or in the World Public Opinion.  Bi-partisanship can only go so far, especially when it is a failing concept in the current political climate.  We can’t just all get along.  We need clear direction and decisive and swift action.

I was excited to see what he would say in his State of the Union tonight.  And I wasn’t disappointed. 

He took a strong position, called out where he had to, put the focus on the American people and jobs in a big way.  He laid out the need to take the lead and be the #1 country in the race for sustainable energy innovation.  He called out the politics of politics and basically laid the framework — pushing through with a majority and having the Republican party vote “no” just for the sake of politicking — that is not leadership and leadership is what he intends to provide the people in the years ahead. 

The only thing that would have made me even happier would be to see him say he’d trash the health care reform bill as is and just move to Medicare for all with optional plans available (like the way the plan works for seniors.)  But that would really not be bi-partisan…would it?

But he reminded me of why I voted for him.  And I liked the backbone.

I hope Mr. Beattie was pleased.

*******************************

Driving the Alternative Energy Marketplace at the VERDEXCHANGE Conference

Business and Policy Leaders Advance Global Clean Tech Opportunities and Cutting-edge Policy

LOS ANGELES – With the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen top-of-mind and the State of the Union address forthcoming, government and business leaders from the Western region and around the world gathered in Los Angeles at the VERDEXCHANGE Conference to advance the growing and fast-evolving markets for green and clean technologies.

“This is my third VERDEXCHANGE Conference,” said the Chair of the California Air Resources Board Mary Nichols. “Each time I think it gets better because we’ve gone beyond generalizations about the importance of climate change and opportunities for the business community into really concrete discussions about areas where investments may be appropriate and ways in which government can do more to help promote opportunities and create jobs within California as well as nationally.”

The 26 expert panels focused on sharing the “game changing” impacts of new regulations and attitudes towards environmental sustainability, climate change and energy conservation efforts shaping the global, trillion dollar green marketplace.

During the event’s first panel Congressman Earl Blumenauer (Oregon) said, “I come to California for inspiration for what we are doing in Washington D.C.” He added that “government policy does in fact work and drive energy policy.”

The conference is a noteworthy occasion bringing together the financial professionals, politicians and the utilities important for increasing energy security and making a new economy, remarked Member of the German Parliament Hans-Joseph Fell.“It is important for all parts of the world to avoid rising oil prices and provide new jobs. When we make new policies like feed-in tariffs, capital will be invested. This conference is a good place for discussions like this,” said Fell.

Regarding a regional low-carbon economy, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas declared, “We’ve begun to see the long-term payback of green infrastructure. What’s good for the environment can be good for business.”

VERDEXCHANGE, in collaboration with strategic partners the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Southern California Edison, AECOM, SoCalGas/Sempra Energy, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Craton Equities, and the consulates of Canada, German and Japan, once again hosted an unmatched opportunity to learn from and network with global, national, and subnational climate change leaders, elected officials, environmental stewards, investors, and financiers.

Participating speakers also included: Chair of the California Energy Commission Karen Douglas; Western Director of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Felicia Marcus; Former Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for Climate Change Mutsuyoshi Nishimura; President of the California Public Utilities Commission Michael Peevey; President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada Vicky Sharpe. For the full list of speakers, visit: http://www.verdexchange.org/conference/speakers.

About VerdeXchange, LLC:
VerdeXchange, LLC is an environmental think tank and publisher created to inform and  strategically advise green innovators wishing to diffuse green technology and innovations in the marketplace. http://www.verdexchange.org

The number of three-generation households has increased as a result of the recession. Have you and your spouse and/or kids moved into your parents’ home? Or have your kids recently moved back into your house?  

A national magazine is looking to talk to three generations who have recently decided to live together for a story on coping with this kind of arrangement. You will have to disclose some financials that relate to the situation (how mortgage costs are shared, etc.), but you will also get targeted financial advice from one of the country’s top financial planners about making this kind of transition work. If you’ve recently moved in with parents, had parents move in with you, or have been thinking about such a transition, send an email to Lauren_Kelleher@moneymail.com, telling us why it happened and how it’s been working.

Include a recent photo of all three generations, along with your names, ages, occupations and household income.

Please let me know if you connect with Lauren.  If you get published, I’ll be happy to post a link to the article here on Gen Plus, too!

Have an event, product or service that you want Gen Plussers to know about?  To promote activities of interest to Boomers and 50 Plussers, send an email to Janet at  wspiegel@genplususa.com and we’ll include you on the Gen Plus List.  Not all submissions will be included.  Please allow 3-5 days for your listing to appear.

WHAT THE SHOW’S ABOUT:
Most parents are unhappy with who their son or daughter is dating.
On this show, the parents get to set up their kid on two new handpicked blind dates…
The parents interview all of the potential suitors in advance, and choose their favorite two for the dates.
When the dates are done, their kid gets to choose between their parents’ new picks or the old flame.

PAY:
If you get picked for the show, each person will be paid $250! — plus additional $500 to the family if we shoot the final scene at your house.

WHO WE NEED:
Parent #1: biological, mom or dad.
Parent #2: can be bio, step, boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancee, or love interest parental figure.
Son or daughter + their significant other (serious or casual is fine): must appear to be between age of 18 – 21.

WHERE:
Greater Los Angeles area — north to around Ventura, east to the desert and Riverside, south throughout Orange County.

WHEN:
Now! We start taping shows on February 1st

Anyone interested should email me TODAY and I’ll pass the info along.  You can reach me at wspiegel@genplususa.com

Good luck!

• Did you know that the next two weeks (Jan 24 – 29 and Jan 31 – Feb 5, 2010) are Restaurant Week in Los Angeles? A whole string of restaurants offer up three course meals at prices that will get you revved up about going out again. Lunches range from $16-28 and dinners from $26-44.  For more info and a list of participating restaurants, head to the discover LA site. 
• Golden Globes just came and went and the rains are falling in LA…so if you want to get out of the rains and really enjoy a flick, my vote is for Avatar, in IMAX, 3D.  See what the future of filmmaking is going to be about.
• If you’ve never been to Vitello’s, tonight you can enjoy John Pisano’s Guitar Night with Ulf Wakenius from 7:00 – 10:00 PM
  Vitello’s – Downstairs, 4349 Tujunga Ave. , Studio City, 91604
• Opening this weekend at the MOCA, Mi Casa es Tu Casa — a land project, at the Geffen Contemporary.

Have an event, product or service that you want Gen Plussers to know about?  To promote activities of interest to Boomers and 50 Plussers, send an email to Janet at  wspiegel@genplususa.com and we’ll include you on the Gen Plus List.  Not all submissions will be included.  Please allow 3-5 days for your listing to appear.

Their conversation questions how organizations are getting help to Haiti and just not understanding so many of the challenges, when they were able to hop a flight to the Dominican Republic and drive across the border to Haiti.  They don’t talk about the heavy equipment that is needed (and that IS a challenge getting in due to the destruction of the roads), but question why truckloads of antibiotics can’t be easily brought in.  Bottom line is we aren’t there…we’re watching clips from the eyes of the reporter.  But if you haven’t watched this segment, then you should.

Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta talk about bringing commonsense to bringing aid to Haiti.