After beginning at a bakery, working as a case manager and pivoting to elder care, Melanie Young — a former Greenfield resident now living in West Springfield — is ready for a new challenge.
“I’m looking for a change for my final act,” Young, 52, said.
Like 30 other older locals looking for a job, she stopped by MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center‘s recent Mature Worker Multi-Industry Job Fair in Greenfield. Young said she was eager to answer the question, “What’s out there?”
“I need to shake the rust off,” Young said before heading off to speak with the fair’s roster of employers.
After hearing positive feedback from participants last year, Giovanni Richetelli, a labor market research specialist at MassHire, said the organization decided to bring the job fair back for a second round. In its encore, the fair drew a larger crowd than last year, according to MassHire Business Services Representative Marija Boily. Although anyone could drop off their resumé, the event was specifically geared toward job-seekers over 50 years old as they navigate a narrowing employment market in Franklin and Hampshire counties, Richetelli said.
According to MassHire’s research, about 40% of the Franklin County and Hampshire County population, the area that MassHire serves, is over the age of 50. With a median age of 47.4, Franklin County is the fourth oldest county in the state, making the fair a good fit for the region, Richetelli added.
At MassHire, the team frequently works with older locals searching for employment. “Right now, it’s more competitive, and the unfortunate reality is if you have a 30-year-old and a 60-year-old competing for the same job, the 30-year-old more frequently is picked,” Richetelli said. “Whereas maybe a few years ago, the labor market was favoring the job-seeker a little more than the employer. Currently, I think it’s the other way around, so it’s a little bit tougher.”
As companies turn to professional networking and job-search platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed to find new talent, the modern job search can often feel like a “dead end,” Richetelli added, noting that companies frequently use automated online tools to scan applications before a human ever schedules an interview.
With a self-described “specific writing style,” Young said she is afraid of getting lost in the shuffle.
“It’s different than it was before,” said Roger Lamoureux, a 68-year-old Northfield resident who attended the fair.
“So much of it being online or virtual, there’s not this human element where you’re feeling heard, and you can more easily get discouraged,” Richetelli said. ‘These in-person events, even if you go to one and you don’t land a job, it can make you feel like you’re making progress, you’re speaking to people and having an actual conversation with an employer.”
Although MassHire’s job fairs aim to secure jobs for its attendees, Richetelli said the events can also provide job-seekers practice, feedback, motivation and “a little confidence boost.”
The fair also allows regional employers to connect directly with experienced applicants. Vendors at the July 29 event included Mass General Brigham, Community Action Pioneer Valley, Northfield Mount Hermon School, CoWorx Staffing Services, The United Arc, Mass PCA Directory and Beacon Mobility brands Travel Kuz and Van Pool Transportation.
“It’s an opportunity to meet experienced workers,” said Chris Tuohey, a recruiter for Beacon Mobility, the parent company of Travel Kuz and Van Pool Transportation.
With more experience under their belts, Stephanie Dalton, a human resources generalist at Community Action, said older applicants often have “staying power” in the company.
“Older folks have a lot of experience they can bring to the table,” Dalton said. “They also know what they can handle and what they like.”
As a 52-year-old job-seeker, Young agreed that she brings wisdom, a resilience honed through self-awareness and a “different sort of confidence.”
“I don’t need you to hold my hand,” she said with a smile.
For more information on MassHire services, call 413-774-4361 or visit masshirefhcareers.org.
