Job Search Advice and Strategies for People over 50
Job hunting in today’s world is vastly different than in the past. This is because the landscape of today’s working environment and the forces that push and pull the culture of the working world are ever-changing in the present day of modern, fast-paced change.
Technology has altered the face of nearly everything we do and job hunting is no different. Combine this with the fact that very few people remain with the same company for most of their career, and you have a lot of obstacles in front of you to finding a job. When you are over 50, a few extra speed bumps pop up before you get to the real work of job hunting.
Two main differences must be recognized, first. There are those who have been in the workforce and those who have not, for whatever reason.
Keep on Keeping on
If you have steadily progressed in employment throughout your life before reaching 50 and you are simply continuing to pursue employment, you are in a boat that rocks less than someone who hasn’t. So, consider yourself fortunate. You are already familiar with what the latest trends are (even though you might not like them because things aren’t what they used to be). You already have experience in something. And, chances are you also have some kind of a network established with connections that can help you. Your biggest impediments are an updated skill set and the culture barrier.
Like those over 50 who have been out of the workforce for a while, you too will have to deal with cultural issues, namely the assumption that an older person is going to be unable to mesh well with a younger person who is within the same position or profession.
This is where your updated skill set comes into play. To begin with, you should have all of the latest qualifications for your profession. Take the time to get them. Do the work of strengthening networks that you have already spent years formulating. Get endorsements from those connections, in particular for your recently advanced qualifications. This will have a two-fold effect. One, you will meet the criteria and requirements needed for the job you are trying to obtain. Two, you will be viewed by HR departments in a stronger light as being a matching talent with people in your field who are younger than you.
The next step will be to brush up on your interview skills. Obtain a membership to a Toastmasters group, if there is one in your region or any club that specializes in practicing public speaking. Anything that can strengthen your ability to communicate will boost your potential to get hired. Equally, make the effort to analyze media and become familiar with the latest trends in management, business, and social culture.
Once you have done these things, your previous experience will shore up any preconceived notion that you are out-of-date. You will be viewed as not only someone who is currently in development and capable of matching wits with those who are younger, but also as a potential associate who has the chops to back it all up. Leveraging the latter with the former could actually give you a greater advantage over someone younger.
Evict the Spiders
On the flip-side, if you are someone who has been out of the workforce for quite a while, or possibly never even in it (stay-at-home moms and dads, for example), you will have a little more work to do, but still within achievable reach. It will be time to dust off those cobwebs and make those spiders homeless.
Your main goal, in the beginning, will be to catch yourself up to speed. Once you have determined what kind of profession you want to do, you must take a hard look at everything you have done in the past, even if it’s not workforce-related. If you have raised children, you have communication skills. Anyone who can explain to a screaming child why they can’t have another piece of candy has very adeptly developed strategic means to convey information, and this can be translated into actual communication skills. Have you run an entire household on your own for a number of years? You have management experience. Likewise, if you have experience with any kind of employment, this can be gathered up as your current list of skills and abilities.
All of this information needs to be placed into a resume. There are nearly limitless resources online, many of which are free, that provide guidance on how to effectively translate your skills or qualifications into a working resume and cover letter (these will need to be revised for each job applied for). This resume can be submitted in person or online at a company’s website. It can also be submitted electronically on a job listing posted on multiple websites dedicated to companies who want to hire, such as Indeed.com, SimplyHired.com, Careerbuilder.com, and many others. A quick Google search will turn up several to choose from. Your resume and cover letter will need to reflect keywords listed in the job ad, as many are run through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) now that search for these words before a human ever looks at it. Guess what happens when the ATS doesn’t find those words? Answer: The human never finds your resume.
You also will need to establish a network, to help you locate jobs. Consider joining LinkedIn, create a profile and upload your resume. Then, connect with others you might know or those who you find working in the industry that you are interested in joining. A network can help bridge the gap by introducing you to someone that might be interested in the services you offer.
Don’t forget to ensure that you have taken courses that update all needed prerequisites and abilities to communicate effectively. You need to be able to interface with people face-to-face, in most cases, which you might not be used to doing.
Above and beyond all, don’t let your age be something you need to cover up. Your age comes with benefits that others don’t have. The biggest one of all is experience. You can have all the education in the world but with no experience, education doesn’t help as much. You have that time in the trenches – the time spent doing the work. Exploit this as an asset, not a detriment. You would be surprised how many people out there have little-to-no experience in the same line of work that you are attempting to pursue. Use that age to position yourself as the one who has wisdom and knowledge, derived from actual practice and know-how.
If done correctly and with enough time and patience, being over 50 could be a huge asset.
Copyright 2018 - Business Training Media
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