Later Life Career Planning: A New Challenge for Career Counselors

Abstract

This article discusses the issue of later-life career planning for adults. Many older adults choose to return to employment rather than enter the traditional retirement stage of their life cycle. The article considers career options for the older adult.The twenty-first century brings a myriad of challenges for career counselors. One developing trend is the reemergence of the older adult into the workplace. As the pool for potential employees lessens and older adults are faced with increased longevity, strained finances, and a desire for something other than the stereotypical retired lifestyle, many older adults are reentering the job market.This article addresses the unique issues experienced by this population and specific interventions aimed at providing career counseling to this group.Hansen (1993) coined the phrase "later life planning" as a way of differentiating career counseling with older adults from the common retirement planning that most professionals see themselves doing with this population. Those career counselors who provide retirement planning are Anding themselves focusing more on employment opportunities for the older adult than on identifying leisure activities or relocation options (A. Lands, personal communication, December 1. 1993).

Recommendations and resources for counseling older workers

“…As it relates to employment counseling of the older adult, Canaff (1997) London (1990), indicating the disastrous effects these stereotypes and biases have on the older worker community, wrote that "Moreover, such age stereotypes are probable causes of employment discrimination and lower advancement potential for older workers, thereby providing a realistic basis for declining selfconfidence" (p. 61). Brewington and Nassar-McMillan (2000) indicated further that employment counselors "should encourage workers to test their biases about themselves as well as about others.…”

“…Counselors may model assertive behaviors in presenting facts and confronting stereotypes" (p. 12). Such modeling may involve the counselor educating the client about discrimination and educating businesses about the benefits of hiring older workers (Brewington & NassarMcMillan, 2000;Canaff. 1997).…”

“…Sommerstein further argued that assessment testing of older adults may lack reliability due to some of the previously noted health problems and emotional factors, such as "fear of failure," "lack of self-confidence," and "lack of assertiveness" (p. 52). Canaff (1997) Older workers themselves are often subject to self-conceived biases and general negative stereotypes (e.g., a belief that one is no longer productive after age 65). Canaff (1997) attributed the stereotypes pertaining to older workers primarily to the negative phrasing found within widely accepted career and life developmental theories.…”

the role of opportunity structures in older women workers' careers

“…Stems and Miklos (1995) discussed the important role human resource agencies can have in fostering older workers' career growth by offering training and opportunities for challenging assignments. Canaff (1997) suggested that employment counselors can act as advocates for older workers, helping to eliminate prejudices about them and helping to educate organizations about the benefits of employing them.…”

“…Although the notion of opportunity structures has been implied in research on older workers' career development, it has not received thorough theoretical attention as it could be applied to this group. As noted, a body of research has documented elements that might constitute portions of the opportunity structure for older workers, for instance, the structure and requirements of contemporary organizations (Greller & Stroh, 1995), human resource agencies (Sterns & Miklos, 1995), employment counselors (Canaff, 1997), the financial and health situation of the employee (Hansson et al, 1997), and family needs (Henretta et al, 1992; Talaga & Beehr, 1995). However, these elements have not yet been accounted for using the broader framework of opportunity structures, nor have the long-term consequences of opportunity structures been explored in much detail for workers in the later career stages.…”