Job search tips for boomers over 60

Recent surveys report one in four baby boomers say they'll never saddle up and ride into the sunset. For most, money is at the root of their intent to keep on keeping on in the workplace.

What's more, in a poll taken by the Associated Press and LifeGoesStrong.com, 64 percent of boomers see Social Security as the keystone of their retirement earnings, far outstripping pensions, investments and other income.

Because you're smart enough to think ahead -- just in case you hit the wall -- pick up a new paperback book by Jean Baur, "Eliminated! Now What? Finding Your Way from Job-Loss Crisis to Career Resilience" (JIST Publishing; jist.com).

A humorous and creative senior consultant at a leading outplacement firm, Lee Hecht Harrison, Baur's helped thousands of job seekers reach their targets. She believes you're never too old to land a job and offers a range of true stories and tips to back up her opinion.

While checking with several mini-business people who wear the shoes you'd like to slip into, I heard good things about a new book, "The Entrepreneur Equation: Evaluating the Realities, Risk, and Rewards of Having Your Own Business," by Carol Roth (BenBella Books; benbellabooks.com). Roth's book caught on fast -- within a couple of months it's climbed aboard two major bestsellers' lists.

A few will, most won't. The last time this question came up in this column was in 2008. A survey that year by staffing company Robert Half found that 59 percent of professionals said their employers were doing zip about offsetting the rising cost of commuting.

So how do most employees deal with crushing expenses for work commutes? Most try to find a job closer to home (good luck on that one!), telecommute from home, carpool with colleagues, take public transportation or walk. One new problem: Public transportation schedules and routes are dwindling in many urban areas.

Here are a dozen good bets, noted with rounded annual median pay: registered nurses, $64,000; licensed practical nurses, $40,000; computer support specialists, $44,000; automotive service technicians, $35,000; insurance sales agents, $46,000; real estate sales agents, $40,000; paralegals, $47,000; dental hygienists, $67,000; legal secretaries, $41,000; diesel engine mechanics, $40,000; radiologic technologists, $53,000.

Thanks to "Knock 'Em Dead" author Martin Yate for this response: "Don't give a simple yes or no answer." Instead, flesh it out: "Yes, I usually find it stimulating. However, I believe in planning and proper management of my time to reduce panic deadlines within my area of responsibility."

Expert consultant and coach Alan Weiss has written more books on solo consulting than anyone in history. You'll want to read his new guide, "The Consulting Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Create and Expand a Seven-Figure Consulting Practice (Wiley; paperback).