Resources for Job Seeking in Difficult Times

Alexis Perrotta

Jun 19, 2024 10:00 AM

A Zoom interview illustration — Illustration by Marian Blair

During periods of instability, it may feel like navigating the job search is especially difficult, particularly if you’re facing personal challenges in addition to larger social issues or an unknown labor market. We at Idealist Career Advice are always striving to meet job seekers where they are, whether that’s by answering questions, addressing concerns, or offering expert advice on how to find a social-impact position that’s right for you.

To the end, we hope you’ll find plenty of useful information to help you navigate the tricky situations that pop up throughout your career below:

Resources for those facing ageism

Unfortunately, we expect ageism to continue to be an issue in the job seeking and hiring processes—and because it’s often concealed, it’s tough to combat. These resources offer tips and advice for how older social-impact professionals can tailor their applications, connect with colleagues and peers, or address ageism on the job.

How to Find Age-Inclusive Organizations (with AARP)
Age-Proofing Your Job Search (with AARP)
Top Tips for Learning New Technology After 50
What to Do If You're "Overqualified" for a Job
Senior Corps: In their own words, “Senior Corps is a network of national service programs for Americans 55 years and older, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. Senior Corps volunteers commit their time to address critical community needs including academic tutoring and mentoring, elderly care, disaster relief support, and more.”

Pro Tip: If you’re an older job seeker concerned that a hiring manager may pass on your application materials due to ageist misperceptions, you may want to consider what you can remove from your resume. For example, you no longer need to include Microsoft Office tools (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). And unless you’re actually programming or doing complex data modeling in Excel, you can leave that out, as well (if you are programming in Excel, be specific about that in your resume).

Resources for students or recent college grads

We've spent quite a bit of time discussing AmeriCorps as an option for recent grads. There is an incredible variety of AmeriCorps positions available on Idealist, and a year of service is a great way to get some concrete professional experience on your resume while making an impact.

Here are some other resources for our recent college grads out there.

Pro Tip: If you're wondering how to break into a nonprofit career, check out our recently-published guide: Career Resources for Students.

Resources for sector switchers

In addition to the resources that you’ll find here, you’ll also want to put in the time when it comes to updating your resume and cover letters. It’s important (especially as an aspiring sector switcher) to mirror the language used in the nonprofit sector at large, and more specifically, by the organization that you want to work for.

For example, if they refer to themselves as an “organization” (and most nonprofits do) don’t use the word “company” in your cover letter. If they call themselves a "nonprofit" on their website, don't refer to their "non-profit" in your application materials. You get the idea.