Smartphones- the new way forward?

In a blog I wrote earlier this year I said how contactless credit cards were possibly difficult for some of the older generation to use, as they were so used to using either cheque books or cash. Now they are introducing cashless parking. This a way of payment through using a mobile phone.

This difficulty does not just apply to the elderly but those who are in their 50's. Not everyone in their 50's are familiar with computers or mobile phones. It is so easy to think that everyone is familiar with some if not all technology. Not everyone has a smartphone, or know how to use one.

Applying for a job is mostly done on a computer or a smartphone, as it is cheaper to process the forms and makes it accessible very quickly. Technology changes literally every week and those who are familiar with social networks may, even themselves struggle to keep up with it some find it hard to keep up with it.

There are always glitches with new technology and for those who are older, it can be frustrating. An example of this was told in the Daily Mail 4th June about Mrs Watson who had to pay by mobile phone to park, having done all that was required she thought it had been being successful, she came back after a couple of hours to find that she was given a parking fine as the transaction had not gone through. So she ended up having to fight for her parking fine to be quashed.

While Mrs Watson had been able to use her mobile phone to get a parking ticket in normal instances, there are those who have no idea how to do this. Confidence needs to be inspired into using social media especially for older people, either retired or those looking for a job.

In looking for a job nowadays it is important that the applicant has a good knowledge of social media and are aware of new technology. A Linkedin article encourages older people looking for work to familiarise themselves with the latest or new technology. It is up to the individuals to help themselves to become more flexible when it comes to using new methods, by going online to register with jobsites and setting up a profile. There are so many ways in which people of our age can promote ourselves, and one of those is to de-emphasise our age, as this can be a barrier to ourselves as we are thinking ourselves out of a job right at the start.

In order to get a job we have to be up to date with technology and some of that is by trial and error. Only the other day I was trying to put a picture up on a site, with I hasten to say, success.

There are times when people who are in their 50's who have been out of work for some time to look after an elderly relative and then are faced with trying to understand how the new technology works, without that, they may find it difficult to convince a prospective employer that they are able to do the job.

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