roadmap to job search success
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If you’re over 50 and in the job search, you may be encountering a few
challenges. Maybe you haven’t job searched in a while, or maybe you are
experiencing some age bias, or employers telling you you’re “too qualified” for
the job.
The good news is that because you’re over 50, you have a few advantages in the
job search that younger workers don’t have. And it’s easier than you think to
overcome the obstacles in your way. I’m going to show you how to make the
most of the advantages you do have, and how to knock down the obstacles in 3
places: your presentation in the job search, in your specific job search strategies,
and in your job interviews.
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Presentation in the job search
As an older worker, you do have a stereotype to deal with. The perception is that
older workers can’t take orders from younger bosses, they don’t do technology,
they resist change, they lack energy, maybe they have health problems, and they
cost too much. Let’s hit these one at a time:
They can’t take orders from a younger boss.
For some people this is a huge sticking point. It can be hard to take direction from
someone young enough to be your child. And that person may be nervous about
giving you that direction. This is just an attitude issue. If you can believe that the
person in that position is there for a reason and it really is going to be possible to
learn something from them, then you are in a much better mental place for this
job search. And your positive attitude will make you more attractive to
employers.
They don’t do technology.
Make absolutely sure that you are up to speed on whatever the latest technology
or software is within your field. Take a class if you need to. This is an important
point for everyone in the job search, but it’s even more critical for older workers
because of this perception.
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They resist change.
If you’re keeping up with the latest technology, this is going to be less of a
problem for you. But go ahead and make sure that you’re on LinkedIn and
Facebook and that you know what you’re doing with them. Be active and join
groups. Your actions will speak louder than your words here.
They lack energy.
The best way to fight this misconception is to constantly be learning. Be able to
talk about the latest book you read or the class you took or whatever you’ve done
to maintain or upgrade your skills. And I love to have candidates talk about their
hobbies like dancing, hiking, or volunteering or anything that gets you up off the
couch and projects an image of energy.
They have health problems.
The hobbies I just talked about will help you here, too. If you’re active and
energetic, you won’t have so many health problems to begin with. And if you do
have health problems, don’t get so comfortable in the interview that you talk
about them. Keep any mention of them out of the picture.
They cost too much.
You could easily run across employers who will assume that you won’t work for
what they’re paying. Their position doesn’t pay as much as what you’ve earned
before, and they can’t imagine that you would take a pay cut. To make it easier
to get a job, your whole attitude needs to be, “I want to work and contribute. The
money is a secondary consideration.”
The other presentation tips I have for you are the same as what I’d tell anyone
else: Take care of your physical self, because it will make you more attractive to
employers. Get a fresh, updated haircut. Get a stylish but conservative interview
outfit. Shine your shoes. You must project confidence in your body language and
smile.
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And remember that the job search is a sales process, so what do you have to offer
as a product? If you’re an older worker, you probably have a truckload of
experience you can draw on to solve problems. Present yourself as a solution to
their problems. You have the knowledge, you have the experience, and you are a
resource. You don’t have to be trained. You can produce from Day One.
Those are all huge pluses for you as a candidate. Concentrate on selling yourself
as that in the job search.
Specific job search strategies
Use your network
The biggest advantage you have as an Over 50 candidate is that because of your
age, you probably have an enormous network. You’ve probably forgotten about
all the people you know from school, from various jobs you’ve worked, from
social groups, from churches, from your kid’s school, from all kinds of places. A
good network is one of the greatest job search resources you can have. Tap that
resource by calling, emailing, or messaging as many people as you can. Touch
base and see how they are…maybe even send them some article or something
you’ve seen that you know they’d like. Let them know you’re in the job search,
tell them what you’re looking for, ask if they know of anyone or have heard of
anything, and offer your assistance to them. The more people who know you’re
looking, the more ears you have to the ground to find out about any new
opportunities.
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Grow your network
I already told you that you should be on LinkedIn. Everybody should be on
LinkedIn, whether they’re in an active job search or not. There are just too many
opportunities there in terms of contacting people that you don’t want to miss. But
don’t just set up a profile. Join groups. Participate in the discussions that come
up. As your name gets to be known, you’ll likely pick up new contacts.
Talk about your job search on Facebook, too. The possibilities there are practically
endless. Your friends have friends, and they have friends…you just never know
where that ends. It’s very likely that someone knows someone who knows
someone you need to talk to.
And take steps to grow your in-person network, too. I think that volunteering is
an excellent way to pick up new skills or meet new people who might lead you to
fresh opportunities.
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Edit your resume
If you’ve been employed for a long time, you have a great problem: how to edit
down everything you’ve done into a summary of your experience. Most over-50
people I talk to have no idea how to edit their resume so that it is less than 2
pages. But it must be less than 2 pages. The great news is that your editing is
going to leave only the best, most impressive stats for the hiring manager to look
at. You’ll probably have to edit it for each job you apply for. But that means that
you can have a true marketing document that sells you for the position.
Don’t put the dates of your education on your resume, and only go back 15-20
years of your experience. Probably those earliest jobs don’t have a lot to do with
your current job, so they don’t matter that much anyway.
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Interviewing tips
There are probably two biggest obstacles you face when you interview.
The first one is that you might not have interviewed in a while. The only cure for
that is to practice.
They can let you know how you’re coming across in your answers. You probably
won’t like doing it, but I guarantee you that the practice of answering those
questions and the chance to refine your answers before you get to an actual
interview will be worth it.
The second obstacle will be when you have to interview with someone younger
than you. I’ve talked to more than one candidate who faced an interviewer who
was obviously scared to death to be interviewing, much less hiring, someone old
enough to be their mother or father. If you find yourself in that situation, it’s up
to you to make that situation more comfortable. Smile at them. Talk about
things that show you have energy, like volunteering or the hobbies we talked
about. Try to project the attitude of: “I haven’t done this job before” or “I haven’t
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worked for this company before, so I’m sure that there’s a lot I could learn from
you and I am excited to be learning it.”
And then draw on your experience to answer those interview questions. What
stories can you tell that demonstrate that you’ve solved those kinds of problems
before and you can do it for them, too?
If they tell you you’re overqualified, come back with, “I do have a lot of
experience, but that’s great news for you. You’re going to have someone who’s
done this before, who understands what it takes to be successful and can do that
again for you.”
Or you can say, “The truth is that I am overqualified for this job. But the reasons I
want it are X, Y, and Z.” And those reasons need to be your own personal reasons
why this job is a good fit: because there’s no travel, because there is travel,
because the commute is shorter, because the work is something you’ve always
been interested in and never gotten the chance to try before.
Make them feel better about hiring you. Give them a reason to hire you.
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The truth is that if you’re over 50, you have a lot of advantages that younger
candidates don’t have…like experience, knowledge, judgment, and even things
like fewer childcare issues and a more flexible schedule. Stay positive and
concentrate on communicating why you’re a solution for their problem. Present
yourself with energy and enthusiasm, use the resources you have available to you
(like your network), and interview with confidence. You have a lot to offer.
Additional Resources for You:
Job Search and Interview Training Webinars
http://careerconfidential.com/training-webinars/
Career Confidential Products
http://careerconfidential.com/job-search-tools/
Peggy’s Personal Coaching
http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/interview-coaching/
Total Access Club (TAC)
http://careerconfidential.com/total-access-club-product-reviews/