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The American dream of job security has eroded over the years.  Perhaps the advice we got from our parents to get good grades, go to a good college get out and find a good job is an unfulfilled fantasy.

Many of us bought off on the ‘comforts’ of corporate America with its healthcare benefits, 401k retirement plans, cubicles to corner office migration. This was the way of life for many until the Thursday afternoon when your boss wanted to talk with you. You went into his office and the Human Resources Manager was also waiting for you with a big fat file in her lap.  ‘Thanks for the years, but we need to cut back…good luck.’

With unemployment in double digits, it is an amazing feat to find a job. In particular, for a displaced Baby Boomer, studies have found that this segment of workers may never find a job in corporate America again. Boomers are being left out. Just read the newspaper, internet news or watch 60 Minutes. You will see that experienced workers are often over qualified for the scant positions available.  In a recent 60 Minutes segment, the focus was on Silicon Valley, where highly skilled tech workers are barely surviving. The unemployment rate in this once blossoming Dot Com area is around 17 Lives are shattered and dreams of retiring are blotted out.

Boomers are competing with the younger generations and are losing. The 20 and 30 year old often has more energy, has more technical skills and is willing to work for less. Experience is looked at as less desirable. Think about it, if you are a former mid-level manager interviewing with a Boomer mid-level manager to work under them, you may be looked at as a potential threat. It is a survival mentality for those who still have jobs.

So, what can a Boomer do to get back on track?

Reinvent

A Boomer needs to reinvent herself. You have to start with yourself by writing down what you want. What have you wanted to do and how can you pull together the experience and skills to reinvent yourself. Chances are that you were in a position for a long time and got into a rut. You may not have polished your skills…you got complacent.

Work on yourself. Look in the mirror and make an assessment. How can you improve you improve your appearance? Do you need to lose some weight? Get some exercise. We all know the benefits of exercise. Do you need to revamp your look? It is worth the investment in time and money to become the best you.

Market yourself using today’s technology. Get connected with LinkedIn or update your LinkedIn profile. Join LinkedIn groups and participate in online conversations. Also, seek out people you know and connect with them. You need to stand out and get noticed.

Develop Positive Attitude

Attitude is everything. You must maintain a positive attitude no matter what happens to you or what obstacles you face.  You have to understand what you have in your control and what is not. Once you realize what you have in your control is what you think and how you react and whether you choose to have a positive or negative attitude. Yes you have a choice. You can wake up in the morning with a negative attitude, and dread the day. But if you start the day with a positive attitude, despite the challenges you have, your positive mindset will allow you to tackle anything.

Invest in your education

Boomers often need to go back to school to keep up. Online courses may be a good way to improve your education. Stay active in your education. If you can’t swing the cost for education, you can go to the library and find books to read. Read books about your industry and read motivational books to keep you on a positive track.

Self Employment

For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, some Boomers are reinventing themselves by starting their own business. ‘Self’ is the fastest growing occupation. Many say they want to have their own business however not many have what it takes to run a business.

You have to be a skilled leader, and have great communication skills. You have to be disciplined and know what you want to do, plan it and execute the plan. You must have passion for what you want and be motivated to reach your goals.  Whether you buy a franchise or invent a widget and plan to bring it to market, there is a lot of hard work. Being self employed is not easy, however, if properly executed having your own gig will be personally and often financially rewarding.

There are many sources to find a business. You want to do your due diligence to make sure you find something that works for you. We have been fortunate to find a business that runs like a franchise but doesn’t have the costs associated with a franchise. We found a business that is in a billion dollar industry, using proven multi-media marketing strategies driven by a billion dollar brand name. There is growth in our business and there is room for the right people. Visit our opportunity at www.rxforwealth.com.

Article Source: Articlesbase

Author: Scott Brown

Internet Marketer / Success Coach / Entrepreneur / CEO at Rx For Wealth