The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Now, a job portal for senior citizens

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Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Now, a job portal for senior citizens

CHENNAI: The old and the aspiring have reason to cheer. Dignity Foundation in partnership with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched www.dignitysecondcareers.org the first job portal in India meant exclusively for senior citizens.

The portal is a unique platform for the estimated 80 million senior citizens of India to find suitable opportunities. Speaking at the launch of the job portal in the city on Saturday, Founder President of the Foundation Sheilu Sreenivasan said, "All retirees in any part of India can access this portal for job opportunities." She said the Foundation had already written to the CEOs and HR managers of several companies asking them to register with the job portal.

The job-seeking "old" can put up their profiles online, elaborating on their skills and interests so that potential employers can find them. Any employer interested in tapping the potential of senior citizens can similarly register at the website.

For senior citizens, a second career is usually meant for being meaningfully occupied rather than just make money. So, the job portal also provides old persons with opportunities to volunteer for various social causes, Ms.Sheilu said.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Shikha Sharma said, "There are some jobs where experience and patience count. Who else can be a better candidate for these but senior citizens?"

She said corporations today needed a balance of youthful energy and the wisdom of age and that several companies today were scouting for employees who would not be "impatient" and "in the race for promotions". "Senior citizens can easily find jobs as administrators, consultants, advisors and insurance agents," she said.

At the launch, former Chairman of Murugappa Group M.V.Subbiah urged senior citizens to be active. "If you don’t use it, you lose it," he said and advised them to not just seek opportunities but create them as well.

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