Cities with the Worst Job Prospects if You’re Over 55

The Atlantic online magazine recently published a list of the ten cities with the highest unemployment rates for Americans 55 and older. There has been an unfortunate trend nationwide for higher unemployment among older workers, which is particularly notable in these cities. Although the overall rate of unemployment was 5.1% in September, the rate in this age category actually increased, with about 1.3 million Americans over 55 actively looking but unable to find a job. The real number is probably higher, due to the phenomenon of “closet unemployed” retirees.

Strangely, the unemployment rate for older workers seems to be higher in the most vital and vibrant cities. The ten cities with highest unemployment rates for older workers as of 2014 (the latest data available) range from San Jose (8.4%) and El Paso, Texas (7.3%) to Reno, Nevada (6.9%) and Raleigh, North Carolina (5.3%).

These facts make it all the more important for an older worker to have an effective executive resume in hand, show digital-age savvy by creating a strong presence and network on LinkedIn, and use the latest proactive networking and search strategies in his or her job search.

For the full list and an analysis of possible reasons why this is so, see the article at:
Worst Jobless Cities for Older Workers.