What is needed for a happy life for the elderly is’work’. Beyond just making money and contributing to the cost of living, being a member of society increases confidence. Today, we looked at a senior consultant, a job that helps the elderly find’my job’ for tomorrow.
Photo Getty Image Bank
Vocational counseling service that approaches the level of the elderly
A senior consultant is a job that provides counseling for seniors aged 60 or older who want to work, finding and guiding suitable jobs to clients, and supporting them to succeed in employment. Jobs for the elderly are not meant to introduce specific occupations. It is important to guide the job according to the type of job the client wants as much as possible. Clients vary in age, from their early 60s to 85 years of age. First, after consulting according to the client’s previous academic background and career, and the client’s aptitude and interests, we find and guide senior jobs recruited in the region and support them to finally select. Senior consulting should provide services that fit the client’s eye level rather than general employment consulting. This is because most of the clients are elderly who are vulnerable to information, such as not knowing employment information or having difficulty writing resumes because they cannot use the Internet. In the case of illiterate clients who assist in writing resumes and self-introductions from application reception, or when introducing a job that requires prior training, such as a security job, the relevant educational institution is guided, and the interviewer presents and answers frequently asked questions. A mock interview to practice the method is also conducted. It also tells you how to make a good impression, such as how to dress, interview attitude, and smile when you are interviewed.
Recommend occupations tailored to each client
Senior consultants mainly introduce the occupations that are most similar to the employment needs of each elderly person among the various occupations participating in the’Elderly Job and Social Activity Support Project’. A’social service type’ that provides services to areas in need of social assistance by demonstrating the career and activity capabilities of the elderly, such as child care, mobility assistance for the disabled, and senior job counseling, and a’market type business group’ that earns profits from operating small stores in the region. ‘, It also arranges employment at senior-friendly companies and companies that operate senior internships. The type that the elderly participate in the most is’public interest activities’, the concept of paid volunteer work. If you work 30 hours a month, you will receive an activity fee of 270,000 won. It focuses on social activities for the local community, such as’no-no-care’ for the elderly to care for the elderly, management of public facilities, and youth leadership service.
Photo courtesy of Korea Senior Citizens Development Institute
Korea Senior Citizens Development Institute, a framework for preparing senior jobs
The Korea Senior Citizens Development Institute is a quasi-governmental organization under the Ministry of Health and Welfare that is in charge of the government’s major welfare policy for the elderly, the’Senior Job and Social Activity Support Project’. The Elderly Job and Social Activity Support Project is a welfare program that provides various jobs and supports social activities so that the elderly can live their retirement life energetically and healthily. Currently, it is carrying out work programs for the elderly and support for elderly social activities, education, research, and awareness improvement projects, and aims to create 800,000 jobs for the elderly by 2021.
Senior consultants recommend work tailored to each client’s characteristics and conditions. I took a quick look at the job counseling message of the client and the senior consultant.
Senior Consultant’s Job Story
“The first step is to understand and empathize with the elderly’s body and mind”
Daedeok-gu Senior Club Senior Consultant, Daejeon Metropolitan City Ok-Kyung Lee
Photo courtesy of Korea Senior Citizens Development Institute
Q. Senior consultant at the Central Senior Citizen Job Support Center at Korea Senior Citizens Development InstituteYou worked as a consultant. How did you get started with this?
I have worked as a high school teacher for a long time. While thinking about how to spend the remaining time after retirement in a fruitful and rewarding way, I learned about the Senior Club through the introduction of an acquaintance. After consulting with the senior club staff, I thought it was a role I could do well. Because I was a teacher, I had confidence in teaching and consulting. After consulting, I applied for a senior consultant on the spot.
Q. What kind of training do you receive when selected as a senior consultant?
I am also working with a second job, but we must help the elderly succeed in finding employment and lead a healthy and vibrant life. Therefore, they understand the exact role of senior consultants, and receive training in communication and counseling techniques, job discovery and connection methods. In addition to hands-on practice, you learn how to deal with unexpected situations.
Q. I’m also curious about a consulting episode that was memorable.
He was a 60-year-old man who wanted a livelihood job search. I didn’t have anything I wanted or were good at, so I signed up for Worknet to have an aptitude test and an interest test, and even wrote a resume and self-introduction. Through counseling, I obtained a certificate for employment as a facility security job, and I got a job, but I left the company after a day of work. I was embarrassed to meet an acquaintance. When this happened three times, I didn’t want to introduce any more. However, after receiving the promise of doing really well, I did not spare any encouragement and support, such as linking the lab expenses and preparing a mock interview. Right now, I am working with the final pass, and recently, I bought a drink and visited me because I got my first salary. It is very memorable to be a client who helped succeed in employment after many challenges and failures.
Q. What is the focus of senior employment consulting?
The physical characteristics and health status of the elderly are the most important part of employment. We provide advice on matching the appropriate job type according to the health condition of the client and to continue working healthy even after successful employment. It is also said that it is the age of 100. As life expectancy increases, the age to maintain a job is only increasing. I think I should also work until my 80s. So, the elderly who have to find a second job after retirement become very psychologically anxious, such as whether they can adjust well to their new job. Therefore, you must listen to the client’s story until the end and pat your heart.
Q. Is it your only secret that you take care of your client’s body and mind?
Most of them find it difficult to speak in an unfamiliar environment and are often frozen. If it is my own specialty, I quickly find the strengths and praise them first so that the client can talk about himself comfortably. The atmosphere is much more relaxed. Then, we listen to the client’s story with an open mind.
Written by Jeongah Jeon · Photo by Getty Image Bank, Korea Senior Citizens Development Institute
Jeongah Jeon Reporter of MODU Magazine [email protected]