Does age matter in the employment market? In a word “Yes”. But it doesn’t have to. I believe that most people in the job market don’t spend enough time investing in a strategy for their job search. As people, we prefer the road of least resistance. We want to find the easiest way to get what we want and need. But that is not going to get you the results you want or need in your job search. It is going to take sweat equity and elbow grease to work through your job search. From finding potential job opportunities, to getting the interview and converting it into a job offer that you will say “yes” to. Finding a job in this market will not be an easy task, but it is doable, no matter how old you are.

Unfortunately older job seekers seem to struggle with their age when sitting in front of hiring managers and recruiters. Many times as an older job seeker they go into an interview with a fixed belief that they will not get the job. I believe that is a mistake. I am a firm believer that what you think or believe about yourself will be precisely what you have as a result. So if you think you can’t get a job today because of your age, you are absolutely correct. If you believe no one will hire you because of your age, you’re right again.

Here’s the point - if you believe that you have skills and abilities of value to an employer, now you have a launching pad, a place to begin to develop your job search strategy. You will find a job and your age will fade in the eyes of the hiring manager as you share how you will add value to their organization. That is the key! Knowing who you are, understanding their business, identifying problems you can solve and being able to articulate those things to the hiring manager. If you can do that, age will be a data point on your application, but the organization won’t care. Employers are looking for people that can hit the ground running, demonstrate flexibility, and solve problems. Can you do those things? Notice that none of these things has anything to do with age.

As an older job seeker, get your age out of your head. Focus on your skills and abilities. Update gaps in your skills. If you are not comfortable with computers, get comfortable. If you need to strengthen your written and oral communication skills, work on them so that they are not deal breakers. It is your responsibility to keep your skills current. Don’t let your age be a data point for why you are not employed. Go after the jobs you want and don’t let anything get in your way!

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of Americans 55 and older who are currently working has increased by nearly 1.5 million in the last two years to more than 26 million in March 2009. Because of the recession, more and more older workers are continuing to work and postponing retirement.

Image: sxc.hu

Many others want to find work but haven’t been able to do so. In that same period, the number of older workers (55 and up) who want a job but can’t find employment has more than doubled to 1.8 million.

Many companies, forced to make cutbacks of their own, have been hiring younger workers instead of more seasoned, experienced people. For those older workers who want to get a job, it’s essential that they update their skills to current technologies and get into online networking in order to compete.

If you are postponing your retirement and looking for a job, start by creating a profile on websites like LinkedIn and begin to network in your chosen niche. Though unemployment rates are higher than they have been in decades (8.5% nationally in March), there is work out there. Be flexible as to the type of job you are willing to accept and take courses, if necessary, to keep up with the latest computer programs and other technology.

We all know it’s a terrible housing market. But did you know that the market is so rough it’s forcing many homeowners to dealy their retirements?

Reporter Jennifer Levitz, for the Wall Street Journal’s online edition, wrote a story earlier this week exploring this trend. According to the story, the number of older residents in the work force is steadily increasing. You can read the complete story here.

Apparently, as their homes lose value, older residents feel less comfortable retiring, even if they don’t plan on selling their homes.

Here’s even more evidence that this housing slump is more serious than many of the other downturns the industry has experienced. This one is having serious, long-term consequences. Let’s hope we’ve learned our lessons: It’s never good to have  housing prices inflate as quickly — some would say as artificially, too – as they did during the housing boom. The reason? It makes it that much more painful when prices return to a more realistic level.