Many people return to work after dropping out of the work force and with unemployment low, demand high, and an expanding economy more people are entering the work force.  For those who have been out of the workplace for the last 5, 10, or 20 years a substantial adjustment in skill sets will have to be made to survive.

The major change is in the rise and spread of technology, centered on the computer.  In the modern economy, computer literacy is a must-have for all executives, almost all office workers, and many or most blue collar workers.  According to a study by Forrester Research, 78% of working-age adults in the United States use computers, either at work or at home.

But unless the rest of the population gains mastery over the computer, their careers will by stymied.

This can be a major problem for people over the age of 45 or 50 who did not grow up with computers and are often afraid of them.  But many are conquering their fears.  A recent Pew Internet & American Life Project concluded that 54% of adults over 50 use the Internet, way up from 38% five years ago.  Most impressively, retired people spend an average of nine hours online at home each week.

You need three abilities.  The ability to:

1. Operate a basic computer, by typing on a keyboard, manipulating a small device (mouse) that controls the movement of the cursor on the computer monitor, and navigating the files and menu systems on a Mac or PC.
2. Operate Microsoft Office Programs, especially Word ( a word-processing program), Excel (a spreadsheet program), and PowerPoint (a presentation program).
3. Use essential Internet skills such as employing e-mail, web browsing, and searching for information on the Internet.

Good News!  There are plenty of places that are well-equipped with machines and manpower that are devoted to helping you learn, at low or no charge, including friends, relatives, instructors, courses at local high schools, community education centers, public libraries, and junior colleges.

You may be interviewing with someone much younger than yourself and you need to show them that you really know and feel comfortable with the computer. "Not having an e-mail address or not being able to attach a resume to an e-mail can make a job candidate look uninterested," warns Krista Bradford, who heads her own business research firm in Westport, Conn.  Mastering the computer also enables people to stay in the work orce longer.