Retired Worker founder Sarah Welstead recently came up with a list of the top 5 application tips for older workers based on her experience with Retired Worker and with Head2Head, an industry leading Canadian recruitment, HR and consulting firm. If you're a person looking for work these are 5 quick things to check when you make an application that can help increase your chances of getting interviews and employment.

1. It's a resume, not a memoir: As a general rule, resumes should never be more than 2 pages long. "Older job-seekers often have 35+ years of work experience behind them, and it can be hard to whittle it down," says Welstead. "But if you're applying for a part-time job at the local garden centre, detailed information about your job as a bookkeeper in 1982 is irrelevant - so don't let it take up more than a line or two."
2. Follow the application instructions: If the job advertisement says that you should apply online or by email, but you phone, fax or mail in your application instead, you're making yourself stand out - but not in a good way. "All you're doing is making it look like you can't follow simple instructions," advises Welstead. "Which means your application will end up at the bottom of the list - or worse, discarded without a second thought."
3. Make it clear which position you're applying for: Many companies have several job openings for which they are recruiting simultaneously, and it's not unusual for hiring managers to receive hundreds of resumes per week. A resume or application which clearly identifies the position stands a better chance of being routed to the appropriate person and processed faster. "If the hiring manager can't figure out what job you're applying for, s/he will simply move on to the next applicant."
4. Don't forget the 'cover email': "One of the most common mistakes we see among older job-seekers is the assumption that emailing their resume obviates the need for a cover letter," Welstead reports. "But nothing could be further from the truth - in fact, more than 82% of recruiters and hiring managers say that a brief, informative and well-written covering email often makes the difference between getting the interview or getting passed by." The cover email should clearly identify the position for which you are applying (typically in the 'subject' line); a brief outline about why you'd make a good candidate, including a reference to your relevant skills, experience and interests; and mention that you have attached your resume. But don't go overboard: the cover email should be less than 200 words - just enough information to get the recruiter or hiring manager interested enough to take a look at your resume instead of just passing on to the next applicant!
5. Use a common file format when sending your resume: To ensure that the employer can open and read the resume you sent as an attachment, it's important to use a standard file format. "The majority of recruiters prefer to receive resumes in Microsoft Word format, with the .doc extension," comments Welstead. "However, if you don't have Word on your home computer, you can also send a PDF or RTF resume. If you submit a resume in an old or obscure file format - such as WordPerfect - the recipient may not be able to open and read it, and will just hit 'delete'

Tax free savings accounts (or TFSAs) a new option introduced by the federal government starting next year may be a better retirement investment option for some people based on a variety of factors.

If you haven't heard about TFSAs before then be sure to read out this article online at CanadianBusiness.com
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/my_money/
planning/article.jsp?
content=20080515_133112_3636

In March we rolled out a new look for our job search pages, including more information and a greater number of jobs displayed per page. In the next few weeks we will be adding new optional filters that will let you search for jobs by type (part time, full time, permanent, temporary or contract), by industry and by geographic region.

So keep your eyes peeled, we hope these changes will make it easier than ever for our job seekers to find the job of their dreams.