About Us
With the help of AARP Foundation’s BACK TO WORK 50+ program, Tamara Burchette found a job she loves. Watch her inspiring story.
Struggling to Find a Job?
Being over 50 can make it tough to land a job, especially if you’ve been unemployed for a while. That’s why AARP Foundation created BACK TO WORK50+, a free program that equips workers over 50 with the skills and confidence to compete in today’s fast-changing job market.
About BACK TO WORK 50+
BACK TO WORK 50+ connects older jobseekers with the information, training, support and employer access they need to get back into the workforce. The program provides in-person and online sessions led by trained career coaches who understand the unique challenges facing jobseekers over 50 at no cost to them.
When you participate in this program, you’ll:
- Build job search skills and strategies that increase your chances of getting hired.
- Get career coaching designed for workers over 50, including progress check-ins, virtual interview tips, and guidance on standing out to hiring managers.
- Receive a newly revamped seven-step guide to getting back to work after age 50.
Put Our Expertise to Work for You
Since its launch, BACK TO WORK 50+ has helped more than 100,000 people get the resources they needed to find a job in all fields — from customer service and administrative roles to accounting, IT, health care and human resources. People like Tamara Burchette.
Navigating a job search in her 50s was intimidating, but BACK TO WORK 50+ helped Tamara update her digital literacy skills. “I had to relearn the computer,” she says. “Everything is online now — unemployment, job search, everything!” She learned the importance of active and accessible social media accounts. “Even though you don’t think so, people are looking at you online. When I was growing up, you didn’t worry about that stuff.”
“I went to all the meetings and learned everything I could,” she says. “The classes are so well designed. They teach you exactly what you need to do, step by step: interviewing, keywords to use for your skills, how to dress, what to include on a résumé. Everything you need to know.”
Tamara took what she was learning in the coaching sessions and applied it to her job search. She kept coming back to one piece of advice her coaches had given her. “They would say, ‘Don’t be afraid to try something different,’” she remembers. “‘Don’t be stuck just because you did the same kind of work all this time.’”
Though she learned many valuable skills, it’s the emotional support from the coaches that really stands out. “Looking for work is a hard thing to go through, but they were always telling us to stay strong, not to get discouraged,” she says. “It’s important to hear that.”
Community Partners
BACK TO WORK 50+ is currently being administered in the following locations:
- Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency
- Rockledge, Florida: CareerSource Brevard Flagler Volusia
- Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
- Torrance, California: El Camino College
- Slidell, Louisiana: Tri-Parish Works Workforce Solutions
- Miami, Florida: Youth Co-Op, Inc.
Connect With Our Career Coaches
If you’re struggling to find a job or are underemployed, help is available. To learn whether there's a local BACK TO WORK 50+ site near you, dial toll free 1-855-850-2525. You can also search for a free Overview Workshop hosted by AARP Foundation or a community partner in your area.