Nancy—I read the article and had the same reaction.  I guess the intern is getting an education in computer skills while working parttime.  That and wowOwow on one’s resume are worth volunteering, I think.

Thank you Nancy! This is exactly what my first thought was. She sounds like a very smart woman and has learned quickly and because of her prior experience….Doesn’t that count for atleast a salary of sorts? I’ve concluded that she should be paid…..Something!

Well, I can tell you why, at the age of sixty, I walked off my job with very little savings in my pocket and spent a year  with AmeriCorps.  I could not stand the environment in which I was working one more minute. Contrary to all good advice about retirement, I did not plan one thing about it.  I walked into my supervisor’s office, she said something, I can’t remember what now, but it ticked me off, and I announced to her that I intended to retire.  It was as though another person was speaking out of my mouth.   Because I have never felt my age, it did not occur to me that, at sixty, I would not be welcomed in another position utilizing some of my other  talents.  Other people may be judged by their age.  Surely, not me!  After a summer of looking for work, I joined AmeriCorps and spent a year as a literacy volunteer.  As I approached the end of my year, I began shopping my resume again and got responses from places where I had, previously, been rejected and  walked away from the year with a new job and a new outlook. It would seem that the year of volunteering made prospective employers look past my gray head and wrinkles and see that I had something to offer. That one line   on my resume did more for my ability to get a new position than another college degree could ever have done.   Three years ago, when I was going through it, the employment picture was no where near as bad as it is now.  However,it is my opinion that  as we age, we must be careful to keep our skills updated and our attitudes flexible.  We need to seize on every single opportunity available to us to meet people who may be in a position to give us a chance.  Plus, I felt that I spent the year helping other people.  What is it they say, ‘Do Good While Doing Well’?