roadmap to job search success

http://careerconfidential.com/training-webinars/ 1

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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/




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