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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2012)
Ißortlanb ©baeruer May 16. 2012 Page 5 O Taking the Road Less Traveled Creating a work plan for a second career Do you find yourself w orrying about your job prospects and your ab ility to retire c o m fo rtab ly ? Y ou’re not alone. In fact, in a re cent AARP survey, people 50 and older said they were “very w or ried” about everything from the sto c k m a rk e t a n d p o litic a l gridlock, to losing their jobs, en during another recession, and bearing the brunt o f rising taxes and health care costs. While we should all be deeply concerned about the future, we shouldn’t stop m aking positive changes and planning for retirement or a second career. If you already have a job and you plan to keep it, think about new skills that would help you compete with younger workers. The Society for Human Resource M anagem ent recently surveyed employers about skill-gaps they were seeing in their workers and job applicants. Problem-solving, pro fessionalism and communication skills all topped the list. What can you do to fill the gap? AARP and the Society for Human Resource Management have tips for people 50 and older on starting second careers. You could take on additional job responsibilities, sign up for classes and seminars to improve your writ ing, computer and technology skills, and maybe even freshen up your wardrobe. Likewise, staying in the workforce doesn’t have to mean remaining in the same job, doing the same thing you’ve been doing for the past 20 years. The possibilities are limited only by your willingness to prepare, Debt Crushing College Dreams everyone agrees that a col Congress fails to lege While education is the pathway to greater success in America, student help low- loan debt is leaving too many gradu ates stalled at the starting gate. Rec income students ognizing the relationship between by M arc M orial As graduation season swings into high gear, a new economic cri sis confronts thousands o f this year’s high school and college grads - crushing college student loan debt. Last week we learned that stu dent loan debt in Am erica has climbed to $ 1 trillion, which is more than credit card and other consumer debt. According to the New York Times, “Ninety-four percent of stu dents who earn a bachelor’s degree borrow to pay for higher education - up from 45 percent in 1993.” The average student comes out of college saddled with more than $20,000 in debt. This is a tremen dous burden for young graduates, many o f whom are having trouble landing that first job. Faced with the prospect of even more debt, many put off going to graduate school. And for those lucky enough to find work, high monthly student loan bills may mean working two jobs or moving back in with mom and dad. education and economic growth, President Obama has made raising America’s lagging college gradua tion rates one of his top priorities. It is no secret that rising tuition costs are a major cause of stagnant or declining graduation rates, especially in communities of color. Currently, the President is urging Congress to renew a 2007 bill, passed at the height of the financial crisis, which lowered the federal student loan interest rate from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. If Congress fails to act, the cur rent rate will double by July 1, in creasing the average student debt burden by $ 1,000over the life of the loan. The irony of this debate is that both sides in Congress support an extension of the 3.4 percent rate. But like earlier fights over raising the debt ceiling and extending the payroll tax cut, Congress is arguing over how to pay for it. continued on page 7 your determination to make things offer flexible scheduling and the work and your imagination. opportunity to work from home. If There are literally thousands of you have patience, good telephone great “second-career” jobs out there etiquette and good people skills, for the50-plus. Here are a few ideas: this may be a good option for you. Call center or customer service Good people skills and personal opportunities are growing, and they ity can also help you land a job as a museum docent, tour guide or se nior companion. If you speak another language fluently, then translation work might be a route to explore. W hat if y o u ’ve got a stellar driving record? You may not want to become a truck driver, but what about seasonal chauffeuring - you could do high school proms in the spring and weddings in the summer. Retired educators might con sider tutoring - it satisfies the urge to m entor and teach and still leaves plenty of time for other pursuits. Form er educators and issue experts might also consider a d ju n c t fa c u lty p o sitio n s , or te a c h in g one o r tw o c o lle g e classes per semester. To hear helpful tips from experts, jo in A A R P ’s free upco m in g webinars: Navigating Today’s Job Market on Thursday, May 24 at aarp.org/moneywebinars. You can also v isit a a rp .o rg / readyforretirement for more infor mation on these and other financial security issues. Stay close. Go far. • 19 bachelor's degrees, nine master's degrees and more than 37 fields of study • Active student life, internships and research opportunities • Border Bill allows Oregon residents to pay in-state tuition 360-546-W S U V • vancouver.w su.edu W ashington S tate U niversity VANCOUVER
