It's never too late to find a job.

Reengineering, downsizing and restructuring have taken their toll and it's the over-50 workers who have suffered the most, They're talented, competent, and anxious to work, hut have the most difficulty finding jobs. The following is selectively excerpted from the new book Finding a Job After 50,

When you were laid off or fired, you experienced a loss that cut more sharply and much deeper than the loss of a regular paycheck. You lost part of who you were. This loss of career identity brings with it loss of purpose, money, power and perks, as well as one of our primary sources for socialization. Maybe you are one of those people who gave yourself to the company-30 or 35 years of loyal service. Now you're unemployed. It's a tough pill to swallow, especially if your heart remains with that organization.

Work provided structure and purpose to your days. Perhaps you've worked for only one organization in your career. Whether it was a small business, a corporation, the government or the military, your job loyalty and security effectively insulated you from the throes, complexities and excitement of looking for work. Until now.

If this is your first time into the job-search waters, you are probably disheartened by the nuances of today's work arena. Already stressed and anxious because you are unemployed, the thought of learning how to find a job - and which one is best for you - can be intimidating and overwhelming.

THE JOB-SEARCH TRIAD

So, where to begin? First you'll need to understand the job-search triad. Each part of the triad is equally important and each will determine, or at least influence, the success of your mission. The triad is made up of the Job Marketplace, your Qualifictions and your Personal Preferences, Most people focus on the latter two in the mistaken notion that what they bring to the marketplace is what matters most.

Each part of the triad is interconnected at one point. And that point where the three circles overlap - where the Job Marketplace, your Qualifications and your Personal Preferences meet - represents your ideal employment opportunity. The more they overlap, the better your outlook for finding a job. If you dismiss any part of the triad as being unimportan you may still get a job, but you won't last long in it. Why? Because it will be a compromise position for you, and ultimately for the employer.

Let's define the terms: The Job Marketplace includes everthing that's out there in your community. What's there, in terms of jobs, and what isn't. Qualifications are what you bring to the marketplace: your experience, your interests and talents, your education, your training, etc. Personal Preferences are what you would like from a job: salary, hours, benefits, work environment, commute distance etc.

JOB MARKETPLACE

To assess your Job Marketplace you'll need to gather the following information about your area: What occupations are in demand? How much do they pay? Which occupations and positions are rarely advertised? What skills, experience and education are needed in what jobs? What is the unemployment rate? What internships or on-the-job training programs are available? How prevalent is age discrimination? (For the latter, see how many ads and industries specifically ask for "recent college graduate.") Buy a large binder and take notes, clip articles and collect data.

Mid-level managers often have a difficult time reentering the Job Marketplace because many businesses are downsizing and reengineering the management structure. Often there are lots of entry-level positions available, but the competition for mid-management jobs is fierce. If you're a victim of downsizing and your last position was middle management, you may have a tough time waltzing into something similar to or better than what you left. But there are some ways out of this predicament.

One option would be to go into business for yourself. If your experience and skills are in demand in the marketplace but not for a hefty salary - consider marketing your services to several different organizations. It can be an attractive solution for an employer: He doesn't have to pay benefits and he can use (therefore pay) you only when he needs you. You win, too, because you get to work and get your foot in the door at the same time. If a fulltime opening occurs later, you may get first crack at it. Or you may discover consulting fits you and you no longer want to work full-time for someone else.

QUALIFICATIONS

Another way to increase your employment opportunities is to update your Qualifications. There are many short-term employment and training opportunities available. Some training programs are funded by the federal and/or state governments and many specifically target older unemployed people. Look in the white pages of your phone book for a Private Industry Council. Ask about vocational and on-the-job-training programs for older workers. Special funds often have been earmarked especially for this purpose.

If you don't qualify for federal assistance, consider other training options: High schools offer short-term training through adult-education programs. Some temporary-help agencies will reimburse you for computer or word-processing training that will make you more marketable to their clients. Many community colleges have established reentry programs for both men and women and offer short-term certification programs in all sorts of interesting fields. The fees are minimal, the benefits are great.

Employers look favorably on workers with current training. Not only does it reduce their training costs, but it shows them that you are serious about reentering the work force and understand that to be competitive, you must be well trained.

PERSONAL PREFERENCES

The last circle, Personal Preferences, has to do with everything you want from a job. You will have to decide which are absolutes and which aren't. Obviously, the shorter your laundry list of preferences, the greater your opportunity to find employment. Some older job-seekers have such a long list that there's no way they'll ever locate an "acceptable" job. We worked with one woman in her mid-50s who refused to even consider work that was more than five miles from her home. In addition, she refused to work evenings or weekends! We doubt she will ever find a perfect job - or any job, for that matter.

Now summarize what you know, as of this moment, about the three variables. What and where are the good jobs? What do you have to offer? What do you want?

What you'll probably find is that your Job-Search Triad overlap is small because you haven't investigated the possibilities fully yet: Your understanding of the job Marketplace is probably limited, your Qualifications may be a bit too generic, and you haven't begun to negotiate tradeoffs in terms of your Personal Preferences.

This makes sense. After all, if your three circles overlapped exactly, you wouldn't be reading this book! Your Qualifications would be 100 percent in demand in the marketplace, and your Personal Preferences would be met. It's only when your Qualifications are not in demand in a limited Job Marketplace and your Personal Preferences are unrealistic that problems occur. Only after you expand your Job Marketplace, update your Qualifications and reduce your list of Personal Preferences will you stand a good chance of finding a position suitable for you.

BUCKING STEREOTYPES

Bluntly put, stereotyping is putting people into boxes so we don't have to deal with them as individuals. If you allow interviewers to put you in the "older worker" box, you permit them to dismiss your uniqueness and attribute characteristics to you that may not be valid or flattering.

What is the older-worker stereotype? According to one survey, it means you don't like anything new and you are physically limited. That's right. The moment you come through the door, many interviewers are going to automatically assume you fit into one or both of these categories before you even open your mouth. What can you do to offset it? First, and most important, you need to acknowledge it may occur. Second, you need to recognize it when it does. And third, you need to know how to offset it with positive images during the interview.

PREJUDICE AIMED AT YOU

One of your assignments in the interview view, then, is to climb out of the "older worker" box the interviewer may have put you in and make the person see you as an individual. At the same time, you should try to see the interviewer as the unique individual he or she is.

If you think about it, you can surely uncover a fact about yourself that will counter the notion that older people Just sit in rocking chairs and watch the world pass by. Do you swim, jog, bicycle, backpack or play tennis? Any of these activities will help project the image of the active, vital person you are.

To counter the stereotype that "older people are resistant to new ways," you will need examples of how you welcome change. If you are asked about where you go on vacation, for example, think of what you've done or where you've gone recently that's different. Talk about that backpacking trip you took with your teenage grandson. If you are curious about computers, enroll in a computer class (or say you're thinking about taking a class) - then talk about it during the interview. Don't say you've been going to the same cabin at the same lake for the past 30 years.

On the other side of the coin - the plus side - the vast majority of companies in the survey thought "more knowledgeable counterparts."as we a because you're older doesn't necessarily mean you're more knowledgeable. But who says you can't use positive stereotypes to your advantage? So play it up!

Many companies also attributed a "good work ethic" to older workers. Reiterate that your time is your own and you plan to pour both it and your energy into the new job.

Throughout the interview, it's imperative that you accentuate the positive. Human beings, especially interviewers, have selective memories. Say something negative and it will be remembered.

PREJUDICE AIMED AT OTHERS

Conversely, you need to accept the interviewer at face value. This means you should not prejudice yourself about this person before, during or after the interview. If you keep telling yourself there is no way anyone will hire you because you're over 50, you're right, no one will.

Prejudices form a framework by which we evaluate the world. But the meanings we learned to attach to particular behaviors may be outdated, obsolete or simply erroneous. For example, you might conclude that a woman executive was bossy because she directed you to take a seat. You may have been raised to believe that men, not women, performed such duties. So you might conclude that this woman would be a difficult boss to work for or will be a tough interviewer and decide to teach her a thing or two" with a few patronizing remarks during the interview.

Pay attention to what you mentally conjure up as you meet people. If you attach personality and/or behavioral characteristics to people based solely on what they look like, sound like, dress like, etc., you need to deprogram yourself of prejudicial tendencies. We all fall into patterns and habits, but to succeed in this world (as well as in job search) we must have an open mind. Once we put blinders on, we limit our experiences tremendously. Stay positive and open-minded. If you do, it will come through in both your demeanor and how you present yourself.