Need advice for my Aunt. (Career/Job related)

[BullyCanadian]

Here her story:
My mom's youngest sister, is 50 years old. Shes been in Canada for the last about 30 years (came from India) and was working in the food industry back then (in a retirement home) after that she was a head cheif at a different place (i forgot to ask where), in the 90's her husband didnt let her work where she wanted, so she quit that job and worked at a gas station during evenings so that she could also watch her children during the days.

Fast forward to the late 90's divorced the husband, was on welfare from 1998 to 2001 (looking after her kids). After they were a little older, she got a job in a deli of a big grocery store, that store shut down in 2002, and in 2002 got a job working as the manage of a small grocery store. That store recently closed (the owner had two locations) and now she is working as a cashier in the owners second store. Her monthly income just got cut in half. From $3k to $1.5k . She wants to look for a new job, but she insists that beccause of her age no one will hire her.

She came to my mom for guidence and help, and my mom asked me to ask the opinion of people on the internet who maybe more knowledge and may be able to offer some help. So I come here asking anyone and everyone if they can help out in making her resume, and any other advice. Her monthly bills are a lot, and she would like to get a decent paying job again (she has nothing saved up for retirement at all). What do you guys think? Can i have some help building her resume? Will she have a hard time getting a fair paying job at her age?

Any help will be greatly appreciated, and Im sure I left some parts out (as I am rushing to write this) I will update 2nite with more information as I have to go help a friend move.

 

[squirrel dog]

Seems like a pretty good cook resume to me . Many many restaurants need cooks/kitchen help . Try that . Age isnt a problem as older folks seem to show up on time .

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: squirrel dog
Seems like a pretty good cook resume to me . Many many restaurants need cooks/kitchen help . Try that . Age isnt a problem as older folks seem to show up on time .

thats exactly what i said, i told my mom to tell her that employers see older people as more reliable than younger people,

also would it matter that the last time she was a cheif was the EARLY 90's?

 

[montanafan]

How about her looking for a job as a cook in the school system? I know that here they don't care how old you are as long as you have the qualifications. The pay would be fairly good and she'd probably be able to retire with full benefits in not that many years.

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: montanafan
How about her looking for a job as a cook in the school system? I know that here they don't care how old you are as long as you have the qualifications. The pay would be fairly good and she'd probably be able to retire with full benefits in not that many years.

Actually that sounds like a very good idea, but I wonder how hard it is to get into a job like that?

 

[montanafan]

It varies by location, but around here they just have to take a competency test and then they receive a classification which determines their pay scale, then they can be hired anywhere in the state. Right now is the best time to be looking, but they have openings all throughout the year, especially for part-time or substitutes, which gives them a foot in the door for a permanent spot. It's just like the rest of the workforce in education right now, a lot of them are baby boomers who are going to be retiring in the next few years and there will be more and more opportunities.

I don't know if she's looking here in the US or in Canada, but she can just call the department of education for the state or area she's interested in working in and they'll give her all the info she'll need.

Good luck to her!

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: montanafan
It varies by location, but around here they just have to take a competency test and then they receive a classification which determines their pay scale, then they can be hired anywhere in the state. Right now is the best time to be looking, but they have openings all throughout the year, especially for part-time or substitutes, which gives them a foot in the door for a permanent spot. It's just like the rest of the workforce in education right now, a lot of them are baby boomers who are going to be retiring in the next few years and there will be more and more opportunities.

I don't know if she's looking here in the US or in Canada, but she can just call the department of education for the state or area she's interested in working in and they'll give her all the info she'll need.

Good luck to her!

Thanks a lot for the information! Appreciate it, and I am going to make a few phone calls tomorrow and find everything out for her.

 

[BoomerD]

Not sure if it's available up there, but there is an assessment test called "Work Keys" that might give her some alternative job ideas if she doesn't want to go back into food prep. I just took it thru the local Employment Development Dept. (state job service) as a tool to help guide me in my Voc-Rehab program.
Yeah, it's a b*tch finding work as you get older. The "gray ceiling" does exist, and while it's illegal, it's almost impossible to prove.

 

[doze]

She could probably go for some type of restaurant management position, or even a store manager of a small retail store. She probably cant work for big place due to lack of recent experience but maybe like local eatery, coffee shop etc...