Job Trends for Boomers: The Mobile Workforce

Near the top of important job trends for boomers is the rapid growth of the mobile workforce.  The mobile workforce involves the use of technology including smartphones such as the iPhone 3G S from Apple, Blackberry Bold from RIM and the Palm Pre; netbooks from HP and Acer; all of which are designed for access, computing and publishing on the go, turning wherever you are into a virtual office environment.   If you are age 50+, your ability to productively and comfortably engage as a member of the mobile workforce, is a key differentiator that can add to your employment security during tough times and reduce your downtime should you lose your current job and need to search for a new one.

As part of the mobile workforce, you are more attractive to employers because, with mobility, you aren’t tethered to a particular location thus you can help them save them real estate and other infrastructure costs and deliver greater productivity.  With the current recession is motivating many employers to implement enterprise mobility strategies, it’s BYO, bring your own, even to a office setting. The gain here is a win-win.  Employers benefit from the aforementioned infrastructure savings and potential productivity gains, employees leverage their familiarity with devices they may already own and flexibility.  Further driving the mobile workforce trend is the fact that technology has emerged that harmonizes devices owned by individuals with the corporate IT.  Everything is tied together securely  including mobile phones, IM and social networks.  

The challenge for boomers is to embrace this technology and become adept at its use.  There is no better way to do this than through practical immersion by getting on social networks, acquiring a smartphone and/or netbook and developing a mindset  and behavior that clearly communicates that you are part of the mobile workforce.  All indications are that trend toward the mobile workforce is will only accelerate after the recession.  Aligning yourself with this trend now will serve your career interests in the immediate present and in the future.