Nearly 20% of people over age 65 worked at least part time in 2019 — the highest number in 55 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of them came back to work after a long break from the workforce and missed out on a lot of developing technology.

But getting a job in today’s market usually requires navigating an online application process, on top of maintaining a presence on LinkedIn and social media.

Matthew Dieckman teaches job search basics at the Phoenix Public Library’s Workforce Literacy Center. Most of the people he helps have at least 20 years of work experience but have never gone through an online hiring process.

"That’s the big change that a lot of our job hunters will come in, and be like, 'OK, it’s all online now,'" Dieckman said. "They come in here and it’s usually the complaint, ‘It used to be you could just walk right in with a resume and just talk to people. I just don’t like this new way of doing things.’"

A major corporation might see thousands of applications for a single position. The hiring manager might see only a handful of resumes. The rest are culled by a computer program that most people might not understand.

"We try to keep them aware of the pitfalls of what goes on in online job searching," Dieckman said. "To have success in job hunting, you have to go a little deeper, be a little more specific."

Dieckman says computer and internet illiteracy is one of the most significant barriers to finding gainful employment for most populations, not just seniors.