Over the past 20 years FirstSource Team has helped tens of thousands of late-career jobseekers find new employment. Over the years we've watched the market evolve, and more recently that evolution has become more rapid.
Jobseekers today, especially those with 20+ years experience, are finding it more difficult now than ever to find quality employment. For those over 60, in 2024, we are seeing an average time-to-reemployment of 6-18 months with frequently reduced salaries & benefits.1 This, coupled with the fact that late-career Americans have less money saved for retirement than any other generation, means that a loss of employment past 55 can severely and permanently damage retirement prospects if transformative action is not taken.2
Read the following timeline of one of our clients, Richard H., which we found to be representative of one's typical experience navigating today's marketplace.
1. FirstSource Team Annual Jobseeker Survey. (2024)
2. Peak Boomers Impact Study. Shapiro, R., & Stuttgen, L. (2024, April)
Weeks 1-8
Richard's Job Search Begins
Richard's journey began with high hopes, but the reality of the job search soon set in.
Finding Opportunities
Richard spent countless hours hunting for relevant positions. Each search led to frustration and dead ends, with fewer opportunities than he had hoped for.
Online Applications
Submitting applications online felt like sending his resume into a black hole. The process was impersonal, and discouragement grew as weeks passed without a single response.
Networking Challenges
Despite his best efforts, trying to navigate company networks was like hitting a brick wall. Responses were sparse, and the few that came were noncommittal.
LinkedIn Uncertainty
Richard wasn’t sure how to make LinkedIn work for him. He knew the platform held potential, but it felt like a missed opportunity as he struggled to gain traction.
The Perfect Job Myth
Then came the “perfect job.” Richard put all his hope into this one opportunity. He got a response and even an interview. But after that, nothing. The silence was deafening, and he found himself back at square one.
Weeks 8 - 19
Struggling Alone
Richard had applied to 35 jobs with minimal success—just 3 responses and a single interview. He was losing hope.
Ageism, hyper-competitive roles, industry wide mass layoffs, and lack of cohesive strategy all worked against Richard in the first stages of his job hunt.
Week 20
A New Beginning
Richard attended a FirstSource Workshop. This was the pivotal moment that set his job search on a new course.
Week 21
Gaining Momentum
A PR campaign on LinkedIn was launched, immediately boosting his visibility and setting the stage for what was to come.
Explosive Growth
Richard's online presence skyrocketed. LinkedIn impressions jumped from 100 to an astonishing 800 in just one day, with 1-3 recruiters reaching out weekly. The tide was turning.
Focused Strategy
A targeted PR campaign was initiated, aimed at one specific company. Richard was no longer casting a wide net; he was strategically pursuing the right opportunities.
Specialized Targeting
Another targeted campaign focused on a specific job type. Richard's approach was now laser-focused, and the results were starting to show.
Weeks 22 - 24
Success At Last
Richard secured two interviews and received a job offer, which he eagerly accepted. This was a direct result of the PR campaign targeting his ideal job.
Continued Victories
The company-specific PR campaign worked its magic, leading to an interview with one of Richard's top-choice employers.
Final Decision
After a second and third interview, Richard chose to stay with his first job offer, confident that it was the right fit.
