How to Get Hired After 50: 7 Tips That Will Help

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy Marx 

The job search process is not a piece of cake. From crafting a resume to networking to interviewing, it’s stressful. But add the challenges of applying for jobs after 50, and it can feel like you’ve entered a new, tougher arena. Let’s review some strategies and tips to get hired after 50 that will give you an edge.

But first things first.

How to Get Hired After 50: Your Mindset

Before I share strategies and tips to land a job after 50, let’s talk for a moment about the mindset you need for your job search.

Time and time again, I encounter people who are ashamed of their age and feel it will hold them back from landing the job they want. I know I’ve been there myself. Maybe you had a bad past experience or worry that everyone applying is so much younger.

This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

First, we need to break this chain.

Forget about your age. It is, after all, just a number.

Instead, focus on the experience you have and skills you’ve learned along the way. That experience is something younger candidates lack. And that is one of your biggest assets.

Beyond your experience, you have wisdom. You have learned some hard truths including how to establish and maintain professional relationships that younger people still have to learn.

Take the time now to shift your point of view. Learn to see your age as a positive asset that will make you more valuable to your future employer. This mindset, plus the necessary resources, will make it easier to find and land the job you want.

Questions About How to Get Hired After 50

Now let’s talk about the specifics of landing a job after 50.

1. Update Your Resume

Give your resume a competitive edge by updating it for a modern job search.

Nowadays, your resume doesn’t just go to another human. Before it crosses someone’s desk, it’s usually reviewed by an applicant tracking system. This software organizes your information and scans it for industry keywords. If your resume lacks these keywords, it will likely be weeded out.

How do you combat this? Ensure you are current with the latest resume best practices. This includes knowing what keywords to include in your resume. To uncover the proper keywords do a brief Google search for resume keywords in your industry. Scan a company’s job description. Often, the words in their description are the ones that they seek in resumes.

And although it’s illegal to discriminate against someone based on their age, it’s best to safeguard your resume against such discrimination. Here are a few ways you can do this…

• Go back only about 10-15 years in your job history.
• Remove graduation dates from your education section.
• Focus on the skills and experience you have.
• Use a gmail account instead of hotmail or aol or other outdated email platforms.

2. Invest in Personal Branding

Personal branding might be the biggest key to how to land a job after 50.

What is personal branding?

Personal branding is the practice of marketing and promoting yourself just as you would a brand. A personal brand is more than your name and job title — it embodies your personality, values, and expertise.

Here are some ways to establish your personal brand.

First, establish a digital presence. Whether it’s on your website or on a network like LinkedIn, build up your brand by featuring your skills and experience. Create content that showcases your expertise, perhaps in a blog post or a LinkedIn article.

Then, use other social media networks to connect with others in your industry. Join groups on social media networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. Seek ways to engage others, perhaps by commenting on their posts or answering questions that pertain to your expertise.

This might seem like a lot of work, but it pays off. A personal brand has the power to give you name recognition within your industry and to distinguish you from other job candidates.

3. Use LinkedIn

While I’ve already mentioned this as part of your personal branding strategy, it deserves a separate point. LinkedIn is a powerhouse for any older professional. Consider some statistics. 55 million companies are listed on LinkedIn and around 14 million jobs are posted at any given time. 87% of recruiters report using the site regularly. You’ll even notice that many online applications ask for your LinkedIn URL as part of the process.

Post your profile and work experience on LinkedIn. If you haven’t been on the network in a while, update your profile with the most recent information and skills you’ve acquired.

Connect with others on the network, engaging with other professionals in your industry. You never know when such networking will work in your favor.

See all 7 tips and the complete Business 2 Community article

 

 

Over 50? Here’s 6 tips to get recruiters to notice you

Kaitlyn McInnis

The experience that workers over 50 bring to the table can be very valuable for a company—but unfortunately, oftentimes recruiters or hiring managers are quick to dismiss older applicants without real reason to do so.

That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck, though. If you’re over 50 and looking to start applying to new jobs, there are a few key ways to put yourself ahead and get noticed. Emphasizing your value is a good first step to getting a recruiter’s attention, but it can also help to proactively assuage some of the concerns they may have about recruiting older workers.

Below, we spoke to a handful of hiring managers and directors to get their top tips on exactly how applicants over 50 should approach the job search, initial interviews, and skeptical interviewers who may unintentionally be dismissive before hearing you out. 

2) Address the “overqualified” concern

“An experienced applicant applying for an entry-level role is almost always going to be overqualified for the position,” explains Hill. “This raises concerns that the person will get bored in their role or be unsatisfied with the lower salary it earns and demand more or move on.”

The best way to overcome this is to explain why you want this position, whether you’re looking to expand your skill-set, pivot careers, or simply want a more relaxed role for a better work/life balance. 

3) Focus on the recent past, not your whole career

You don’t want to lie about your age, of course, but you don’t need to draw attention to it, either. According to Hill, generally speaking, things should “age off” of your resume after about 10-15 years.

“This is good advice for anyone who’s established in their field, but is especially important for workers over 50. Similarly, you don’t need to list your graduation date in your education section, especially if it was several decades ago.”

5) Focus on your relevant transferable skills

Bring attention to highly sought after skills such as organizational skills, communication skills, and sales skills.

“These skills are crucial for any entry-level position,” says Paul French, Managing Director at Intrinsic Search. “Show how you used these skills to meet the needs of the employer in your past positions and how you will use them in the current position.”

See all 6 tips and the complete The Ladders article

 

Job Search Tips When You’re Over 50

Caroline Ceniza-Levine

I have received several recent reader questions about job search tips when you’re over 50:
When you are an older unemployed professional in your late 50's how do you survive and what strategies should you use to navigate through these difficult times we are currently in? – Thea

What are the best career pivot options and tactics for workers over 60? — Ken
Is there a point in pursuing/reigniting a career at my age?... Not looking to start a business but I miss being part of something, getting out of the house and feeling productive and saving money for the future. – Wendy

I write about job search tips regularly and don’t normally break out tips by age group. The mechanics of the job search are similar across industries, functions, levels and ages. I recommend a six-step job search approach:

1. Identify your targets
2. Create compelling marketing (e.g., resume, LinkedIn, networking pitch, cover letter)
3. Research companies and industries
4. Network and interview
5. Stay motivated and organized and troubleshoot regularly
6. Negotiate and close the offer

I would still recommend these steps for job seekers over 50 (or right out of school). That said, life circumstances and your career path to date influence your job search, and these will be different when you have decades of life and work experience. Here are five ways I would modify a search plan for a job seeker over 50:

1 - Start reconnecting socially ASAP
Reaching out to people generally comes later in your job search when you are clearer about what you want and have prepared how to talk about yourself. However, you never want your first approach to be about your job search, when you have not been in touch for years (or decades). Furthermore, with more experience comes more connections (hopefully) and more reconnections to be made as you likely have fallen out of touch over the years. 

Therefore, while you’re gearing up for your search – identifying your targets, creating your marketing – start reconnecting with your network on a strictly social basis. Just say hello and ask about what people have been up to. Focus on having genuine interactions without talking about your job search at all. An additional practical benefit is that it cleans up your database so you can see how many people you already know and can readily contact when you are ready to kick off your search. Your network, especially with decades of contacts, will be much more critical to landing a job than unsolicited applications to job postings (one reason to stop reading job postings).

4 - Summarize your unique value proposition
Whatever you decide to go after, you will have to convince others. To find a job, you need to convince employers. If you go into business for yourself, you need to convince clients. Having decades of experience is one qualifier, but it doesn’t differentiate you from others who also have extensive experience. What is it about your experience, skills and expertise that sets you apart and solves a problem for your employer or client? For example, your decades of work mean that you have experienced both up and down economies. Have you also worked across industries, with big and small companies, in growth market and turnaround situations?

Don’t make hiring managers guess or plow through years’ worth of information to pinpoint what your superpower is. Design your story with the highlights readily available. Have clear examples and metrics to share. Be able to talk about yourself with enthusiasm and confidence. If you don’t feel competitive for a job, then do more work around your marketing, research or interview practice till you feel ready. In order to convince people to hire you, you must first convince yourself.

See all 5 Job Search tips and the complete Forbes article

Job Hunting Advice for People Over 50

By Karen Wickre

My new book, Take the Work Out of Networking: An Introvert’s Guide to Making Connections That Count,  is for job seekers of all ages, but I’d like to offer some advice here about networking and job hunting specifically to people who are 50+.

It’s easy to understand the reluctance people this age sometimes have about networking — meeting strangers, especially those who might be younger and may represent the change they fear. Not unreasonably, the older worker might think: Why would they help me? What will we have to talk about? What if they say no?

I’ve seen quite a few work veterans set their sights lower or stay in a stale longtime role, playing the waiting game for a severance package, because of such fears.

Job Hunting Advice About Age Discrimination

To combat age discrimination of employers, when you’re job hunting look closely at the diversity and inclusion record of companies you’re interested in, search LinkedIn to see if people in your age range work there and make connections to get a reality check.

An efficient way to learn about a new industry or pick up a variety of skills quickly is to join a specialist consulting agency (for example, marketing and advertising, tech support, communications) that has clients across a range of businesses.

Or you might consider roles in firms that are not brand names, less well-known companies outside the spotlight where you can get the skills you need to transition into a new area.

The Networking Advantage People 50+ Have

Two more points about job hunting and networking when you’re in the 50+ club:

First, the longer you’ve worked (and lived), the more contacts you’ll have from a wide variety of backgrounds. Your weak ties (people you know very slightly at best, perhaps worked with briefly or met through a friend) are especially useful as you explore new options and locations.  Think very broadly about who you know, including people you may have met in passing or who are colleagues of friends, to learn about opportunities that are not familiar.

Second, think about how you can position yourself as a “men- tern” — a neologism that describes someone who can mentor others while learning new skills as an intern does (not that you have to actually be in that role).

In his new book Wisdom @ Work: The Making of a Modern Elder, the seasoned hotelier and entrepreneur Chip Conley tells the story of joining Airbnb at age 52. Though Chip has earned plenty of EQ (emotional intelligence) over his career, he says he came to the young company with no discernible DQ (digital intelligence). As he tells it, his time at Airbnb helped him gain DQ as he was able to impart EQ to younger colleagues.

If Your Network Is Dormant -- Read the full article for more advice, tips, and tricks...

Job Hunting After 50: The Power Of Creativity And Persistence

Chris Farrell

Brave New Workshop is an improv theater in downtown Minneapolis. Several years ago, I participated in its 55+ improv class taught by theater veteran Jim Robinson. A dozen students and I went through classic improv exercises, including spinning a tale one sentence at a time by saying “yes, and” before adding to the story.

The big lesson I took away about creativity from those classes is how vitally important the “yes, and” mindset is. Lately, I’ve come to realize that’s especially true when you’re looking for a job after 50.

Most of us, at work and at home, often respond to others with “yes, but,” pointing out what’s wrong with what we hear. The “yes, and” response instead encourages openness to new ideas and opportunities.

Tom Zitzmann

Then: Laid Off Travel Group Trainer; Now: Gold Mine Truck Driver

I thought of the importance of improv and the “yes, and” approach to the job search in the second half of life after recently meeting Tom Zitzmann in a coffee shop in Plymouth, Minn. Zitzmann, who’s 66, drives a truck in an underground gold mine near Elko, Nevada. The job isn’t something he ever imagined doing. But he loves the work, and the income has stabilized his household finances.

“I was able to talk my way in,” he says. “I really like the job.”

For 23 years, Zitzmann worked with the Carlson Travel Franchise Group, mostly training owners, managers and agents. Then, he was unexpectedly laid off in 2009 at 56. Money was tight. Zitzmann kept applying for full-time positions while making ends meet with a variety of part-time jobs — for the 2010 Census, Best Buy and a small marketing company where he poured liquor on weekends. He was putting in 60 hour work weeks and not getting ahead. In 2011, his wife — now 68 — got laid off from her job at a computer company.

By January 2012, “I knew it was time for a big change,” Zitzmann says.

And that’s where his story takes a twist. Zitzmann, who was adopted right after birth, had later in life contacted members of his birth family (his birth mother and father had died). One birth brother lived in Elko, Nev. and owned a small trucking business. He encouraged Zitzmann to come and be a truck driver at one of the area’s underground gold mines; Zitzmann had some experience driving trucks and construction equipment, mostly in high school and college.

So, on April 15, 2012, he took a chance, drove to Elko and started some creative job hunting.

“I’d call people on the phone establishing contacts. I’d apply online with all the major mining companies working in Northern Nevada. I kept notes on everyone I talked to and used their name when I contacted someone else from that company. Jobs were there, but still tight for a rookie like me,” Zitzmann recalls.

To make himself a stronger job candidate, he read all the mining journals and newspapers he could find. That way, he’d know some of the jargon and be able to use it in job interviews. And, Zitzmann says, “I’d tell my story to everyone and try to make connections.”

It worked. He landed a job and started on June 7, 2012. Since then, he’s been driving a truck in the mines for seven days straight followed by seven days off, typically working 84 hours a week. Household finances have definitely improved and he’s contributing to the company’s 401(k). He returns to Minnesota whenever practical on his off weeks.

In 2018, he won a Safety Champion award from the Nevada State Mining Association.

I’m consistently amazed at the creativity some people over 50 exhibit when looking for work that offers them purpose and a paycheck. Park ranger. Housesitter for wealthy families. Work-camper, or modern-day nomads in RVs holding jobs at seasonal businesses.

But this kind of creativity and persistence by older job seekers is pretty unusual.

“Ninety-five percent of the time, people are conventional in their job search,” says Steve Jewell, a Twin Cities-based human resources consultant and corporate recruiter. “But five to ten percent say: ‘I’m going to get what I want in a different setting.”

Read more examples and the complete Forbes article

Job interview tips for older workers

Dawn Papandrea

Older workers, you have solid advantages when it comes time to find a job (years of amazing experience), but it can also be a challenge—especially if you haven’t had to interview for a job in a very long time.

“It is a very different landscape than it was even 10 years ago, and for many in that demographic, it has been longer than 10 years,” says Regina Rear-Connor, a New York–based talent acquisition leader and consultant. “The key is to make sure that you are presenting yourself for today's market. There are those who think finding a job is the same as it was in the 1980s.”

With 55% of workers saying they plan to work past age 65, according to a recent Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies survey, that’s all the more reason to keep your job interviews fresh so you can keep striving for new career goals in your 50s and beyond.


Here’s what you need to know:

Stay on point

In a behavioral interview format, older workers likely have many experiences to discuss. “The key is to answer these questions in a very tight and clear STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format,” says Rear-Connor. What you don’t want to do is bore your interviewer. “You must remember that the human attention span is much shorter these days. When you go down that rabbit hole, you lose the attention of your interviewer.”

Be confident, but humble

The age and experience of older workers bring insight and a new perspective, and you need to draw confidence from that, says Rear-Connor. However, humility can go a long way, too. “Acknowledge that while you bring a lot to the table, you are sure there are things you can learn,” she says. Doing so will help ensure that you’re not looking to come in and step on anyone’s toes.

Prepare for the virtual interview - Read the rest of the Monster.com article

 

How To Get A Job When You're Over 50 - 10 Tips

1) Pull yourself through the transition period.

Many older workers feel it's their turn to take it easy if they've been laid off after a long time at one job. This can lead to depression. Let yourself go through that stage, but do make sure to move forward.

2) Overcome the notion that you are out of the loop.

Just because you worked in the same job for many years doesn't mean the world has left you behind.

3) Use the "seven stories" approach.

Make a list of seven achievements you're proud of. This will help you build self-esteem and clarify your skills and values.        

4) Let people know you're looking.

One of the first steps of a job search if you're over 50 and have been unemployed for a while is telling people you are seriously looking for work.   


See all 10 tips and the complete Forbes article  

        

For Older Workers, Here Is Where the Jobs Will Be

By ANDREA COOMBES

Growing numbers of older adults are finding a nice surprise in the workplace: a "Welcome" sign.

The number of workers age 55 and up grew by 3.5 million from September 2009 to September 2012. That represents the lion's share of the gain of 4.2 million for all workers 16 and older, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two factors help explain the trend.

First: demographics. In the three years ended in July, 86% of population growth among people ages 25 to 69 came in the 55 to 69 age range, says Richard Johnson, director of the program on retirement policy at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research group. That increase comes mostly from the baby boomers, who began turning 55 in 2001.


"There are many more Americans turning 55 in recent years than turning 25," Mr. Johnson says.
Second: changing attitudes. More employers are recognizing that older adults bring skills and experiences to the table that can help the bottom line.

It's not all good news. While older workers' unemployment rate is lower, when they lose a job they're unemployed longer—a median of 35 weeks versus 26 weeks for younger folks.

"The problem of age bias hasn't been solved yet, but attitudes do seem to be improving," says Sara Rix, senior strategic policy adviser with the Public Policy Institute at AARP, the Washington advocacy group.

Here are several industries where experts say the outlook is bright for older workers:

Education


School reform at the K-12 level, in particular, may provide opportunities for older workers, says Jackie Greaner, North America practice leader for talent management at consulting firm Towers Watson 

"Expectations of teachers are much higher," she says, "but in a way that provides opportunities for other talent to enter the school system—[individuals with] other types of skills and knowledge."

Financial Services

"Banks and insurance companies have been forward-thinking about…the aging workforce and what that means for their organizations," says Jacquelyn B. James, director of research at Boston College's Sloan Center on Aging and Work.

"They've been trying to offer more possibilities to older workers to work more flexibly, to reduce their hours when they decide that's what they want to do," she says.

One example: Principal Financial offers a "Happy Returns" program to enable retirees to return to work without interrupting their benefits.

More job areas and complete WSJ article

In the Job Search & Over 50: Closing the Deal (Part III of III)

by Amanda Augustine


Age discrimination doesn’t disappear once you’ve made it to the interviewing phase with a job opportunity. Read on for tips to help you maneuver around interview questions designed to reveal your age.

INTERVIEWING & FOLLOW-UP
Before you head into an interview, do your research.  Visit Vault, Glassdoor and the company’s employment page on the web to get a better sense of the company culture. If you have any connections to the company, reach out to them for an informational interview to help you prepare. Depending on the company, you may need to adjust your interview wardrobe. For instance, if you walked into an interview at Google wearing a full suit and tie, you would look out of place.  Set a Google News Alert for the company in the days leading up to the interview so you stay up-to-date with relevant news.

Know your rights. There are certain questions that are off-limits – including those about your age. Oftentimes the interviewer isn’t aware of these laws, and is naively trying to break the ice by asking about your family, which may lead to inappropriate questions. In these cases, the best thing to do is redirect the question back to the interviewer. For instance, if they ask about your marital status, you can reply by saying, “It sounds like family is important to you. Are you married?” You’ve kept up the friendly chitchat without having to divulge any information about your personal life.

You are not required to submit a photo ID (which has your date of birth on it) during the interview process. If asked, you can simply not include it when filling out the initial forms, or tell the interviewer that you have concerns about identity theft and would prefer not to hand it over until it’s determined whether or not you will be joining their team. Keep the conversation light and friendly – you don’t need to come off as angry or defensive.  Be conscious of how you answer even the simplest of questions, such as “Are you at least 18 years of age?”  If you make a joke about your age, you are drawing negative attention to it.

Prepare to overcome any objections you expect to hear in the interview, such as your salary requirements. Don’t be afraid to be proactive during the interview to ensure no assumptions are made about your candidacy. Interviewers will often assume your near-term plan involves retirement, which may not be the case at all. If they don’t ask about your long-term plans, bring it up. Make sure the employer knows you’re in it for the long haul, recommends Elizabeth Mixson, career coach for TheLadders, and explain how this role fits into your long-term plans.

Also, stress your flexibility regarding work hours and availability for travel. Candidates with young families may not have as much flexibility to offer, Mixson points out, so emphasize your ability to work outside of the conventional nine-to-five box.

Read the rest of the Ladders article Plus pts I and II

Resume Tips For Your Post 50 Job Search

Mary Eileen Williams

Technology has altered the hiring process significantly, especially when it comes to resumes. Due to the overwhelming volume of responses to posted positions, most mid- to large-sized companies are now using applicant-tracking systems to perform a first-level screening of incoming resumes.

Although the software has been around for a while, many job-seekers are unaware of how it works. This mistake can be costly because applicant tracking systems process today's massive numbers of resumes, whittle them down to a manageable size and select only those that are suitable to pass along to reviewers and recruiters. As a savvy applicant, you should presume that the resume you submit to an online posting will be screened in or out by this software.

In order to ensure your resume gets passed along, you'll need to:


Learn the rules of the game. Applicant tracking systems are programmed to allow only those resumes that match the search criteria (i.e. keywords) to make it through the screening process and eventually wind up on the recruiter's computer screen. If yours does not reflect what they're looking for, it will disappear into the black hole of cyberspace, unseen by human eyes.

Give them what they want. You'll need to match your skill sets to the skills advertised in the posting. Whatever you put on your resume needs to be 100 percent truthful; however, it is your decision as to which skills you choose to emphasize. So ignore your creative urges and repeat the words you find in the posting. Remember, software cannot make assumptions -- your resume needs to duplicate the advertised skills as closely as possible.

Make your resume eye friendly. If your resume does make it through the screening process of the applicant-tracking software, it will eventually be viewed by a human screener/recruiter. Most reviewers claim to give a resume only a 30-second scan to determine whether or not it is worth reading. Your key skills and experience, therefore, need to be readily visible and literally leap out at the reader. This means you'll not only need to match the skills and keywords in the ad but also place them at the top of your resume, surrounded by plenty of white space, and use bullet points to catch the eye.

More Tips and Complete Huffingtonpost article

Your Post-50 Job Search: An Argument for Optimism

Mary Eileen Williams

Author, 'Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50'

The statistics can be frightening for older job applicants: lengthy search times, limited opportunities, and the unspoken but ever-present reality of age discrimination. So give these unfortunate conditions, how could optimism possibly play a role in one's job search? Actually, it does, and this role is a major one. In fact, an optimistic, positive attitude is perhaps the greatest factor that will determine your chances for success.

Anger, resentment and depression -- understandable as these feelings may be -- are a giant turn off to networking contacts and, more importantly, to potential employers. In fact, I can pretty much predict which job seekers will find work and which ones won't, solely based on the attitudes they express. For those who believe they can't and won't find a job simply because of their age -- they're right. This negativity will show and eliminate them from the candidate pool.

Therefore, how can you be realistic about the ups and downs of a job search today, yet maintain a positive outlook as you move forward? Here are four tips that will help you do just that:

#1 Take care of your physical health. A job search takes vigor and stamina, plus you'll need to make a positive impression at every opportunity -- and that takes energy. Older applicants have to work even harder at this. So make certain to exercise regularly, get sufficient sleep, eat nourishing foods and keep to your general routine as much as possible.

#2 Refresh your skill sets. In my latest post, I listed several low-fee and free sites where you can update your technical skills. Many libraries also offer sites such as Universal Class where you can take a number of classes for free by just entering your library card number. Also check out local community colleges, adult education and community centers for low-fee classes in areas that are of interest to you and which will support your career direction.

Then create a list of the skills you bring in each of the three skill areas:

• Your knowledge-based skills -- those that relate specifically to your line of work, including any training or formal education you've had.


• Your personal traits and strengths -- the qualities that represent your added value as a unique individual.


• Your transferable skills -- your broad-based skills (such as organizing and coordinating) that will transfer from one arena to another.

Also write out several examples of how you've used these skills to make a difference: saved time or money, increased profits, turned around a disgruntled client, etc. And remember that mature applicants generally bring greater proficiency in such skill areas as people management, problem solving, leadership and decision-making skills.

Such examples require thought and effort because you'll be drawing on these statements throughout your resume, while networking, and during your job interviews. Therefore you'll want to constantly refine and add to your list of accomplishments. And better yet, you'll find that focusing on the skills you've mastered and the contributions you've made will prove an ego-boosting activity that will help you maintain a positive outlook.

Tips 3, 4, and job sites specific to 50+

Make Your Age An Asset: 7 Job-Search Tips If You're Over 50

Deborah L. Jacobs


Friday’s jobs report caused the markets to surge. The August unemployment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that job growth continued in July with 163,000 jobs added to nonfarm payrolls. Still, with the unemployment rate essentially unchanged at 8.3%, many mature workers worry that their age will work against them in a job search.

In fact, their years of experience can be a huge asset to future employers. Some new jobs data suggests that older workers are actually in demand. A recent Challenger, Gray & Christmas study shows that of the 4.3 million jobs created in the past three years, nearly 3 million have gone to people over the age of 55.


Older workers can improve their success rate by focusing on the value of their experience. Here are steps you can take to make age an asset.

1. Network across all platforms. Harness the power of your personal, community, and business network. Mature workers have the advantage of a developed network, both online–for example, through LinkedIn–and offline. Think about your connections and who can potentially refer you for an open position. If your application is marked as a referral, it triples your chances of securing an interview.

Don’t procrastinate when you find out about job openings. StartWire research shows that 50% of successful new hires applied within the first week of a job being posted; 75% applied in the first three weeks. If you find out about a job opening from a contact, send in your application immediately and have the contact mark it as a referral. (See “How to Grow Your Network Without Really Trying.”)

2. Focus on relevant, recent experience. There is no need to list on your resume every position you have held since you entered the workforce. That will put the spotlight on your age, rather than your talent. Instead, focus on work experience that shows you have the skills needed for the job you are targeting.  If you can’t make that connection, in your description of a past position, consider downplaying or removing it from your resume.

3. Find employers who will value your know-how. Many employers seek out older workers. Far from being a blemish, your age will put your resume on top of the pile. Financial services firms, for example, have a primarily older client base. To best reflect their clientele, they often prefer older employees.

Other companies, constrained by the current economy, do not have the time or resources to extensively train new hires. They want to bring someone in who can sit down and produce work on day one. This is a growing trend across multiple industries. And don’t overlook startups and non-profits. (See FORBES contributor Kerry Hannon’s post, “Nonprofits Are Hiring–But What Does This Job Pay?”)

4. Don’t ignore glaring resume gaps. While you shouldn’t list every experience held, try to fill in recent resume gaps when possible. Employers will wonder what you were doing, and in the absence of information could assume the worst. If you were forced to take time off to care for a loved one, it is okay to put “caregiver” in place of a gap. If you’ve filled time with volunteer work, include that detail. It’s a bonus if you’ve honed skills while volunteering, so feel free to mention it very briefly. (See too, “What To Say On LinkedIn When You’ve Been Laid Off.”)

Tips 5 - 7 and complete Forbes article

Right or Wrong: “if you are 50+, nobody will hire you anymore”

This is a tough one. HR Directors and (most) recruiters will tell you that age makes no difference, 50+ people who have lost their job will say the contrary. What is the truth? Are you really professionally finished as a 50+ for a corporate career?




Alyssa from the US writes “I think the field of expertise is an important variable, and in some cases, somewhat negates the ageism. For example, my 60-year old brother is a mega-star XYZ with credentials hard to find in the U.S. He has NO problem with employment. In fact, he is constantly pursued by employers and has never been laid off. He just makes more and more money. In his industry, the pool of qualified candidates is very small so they cannot afford to discriminate on age.”


But Nadia in the Middle East tells me tells me “I have been searching for a job for a while now. Instead of asking 10% more than my previous salary, I am willing to accept 70% less and roles lower than my actual level but that still does not help. I cannot progress to a higher role and I can no longer hold the same roles as before. I have concluded from my interviews where line managers are younger than me and less experienced that they are frightened by my age. I am able to reconsider the elements that I can influence but I am not able to do anything about my age, gender ornationality. What would you advise me? Most of the job advertisements in this region set an age limit, and are allowed to specify gender and nationality. I discovered sadly that women have no chances after 40 and I don’t know what to do. Shall I go for an operation to become man??”


Myth and Truth about baby-boomers:
Whilst prejudices say that 50+ workers are less flexible or tech savvy and more often on sick-leave, statistics show that older employees have in fact a much lower sick-leave level and are 5 times more loyal than their peer group in their twenties. Regarding performance, an OECD survey concluded that verbal skills, communication and intelligence remain unchanged as a person ages. And it has been proven that 50+ are more efficient than their younger “competitors” when it comes to problem solving, people management and good judgment. The fastest growing group of Internet users is over age 50.

According to a recent Harvard University study, the ability to use an accumulated body of knowledge keeps rising throughout the lifetimes of healthy people. Older employees have more skills and are more experienced which leads to better quality and better decision-making. Regarding innovation, a Harvard University and Babson College study supports the statement that age-diversified work groups enhance innovation. And – this was a happy surprise for me – the largest and most successful group of new entrepreneurs are over age 50, according to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity!



Outlook:
About 94 percent of employers say they think it is important to keep older workers because their companies need their skills (Bloomberg). The trend is clearly in favor of baby-boomers and if talent shortage is already a problem today, it will severely endanger the competitiveness of organizsations tomorrow. According to the US bureau of labor statistics, employment of workers 60 and over increased 101 percent, compared to a much smaller increase of 59 percent for total employment (16 and over) from 1977 to 2007. It is a fact that in many countries such as USA, Canada and most European countries, the unemployment rate of 50+ professionals is 30% lower than the one of entry-level candidates. In Canada, the majority of men aged 55 to 59 were attached to the labour force in 2006 (76%) (www.statcan.gc.ca). This number will increase in the future (for you too, ladies, but I don’t have the numbers).


Conclusion: - Read the complete article to get the conclusion and more advice

Career Change After 50: Tips from an Expert

Nicholas Lore, author of The Pathfinder, shares six tips from his new book.

Nicholas Lore is a pioneer in the world of career coaching.

For one thing, he actually coined the term "career coaching" back in the early 1980s.

Before then, coaches were for athletes. In the years since, he and the career coaches at his company, Rockport Institute  have helped more than 15,000 people find the right career path for them.

In 1998, the first edition of his book The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, put his new methodology into print and became a bestseller, recommended by Presidents and Ivy League schools. This week, the long-awaited updated and revised edition came out, with new chapters and updates.

I had the chance to talk with Nick Lore about the new book and his advice on choosing and changing careers, which is a special passion of mine as well.

He's a delightful example of what is possible when you consciously create the career change you want.
He made a major career change himself thirty years ago, when he was running an alternative energy company but realized it wasn't actually satisfying for him. Seeking out traditional career planning resources to find a new direction, he found the methods were too limiting.

Wanting a more holistic and personal look at what he wanted to be doing—and with the support of a remarkable friend and mentor, future-thinker Buckminster Fuller—Lore created a new methodology for people to see the elements and pieces of what it makes to make "a spectacular career choice."

I asked him what advice he had for people making career changes mid-life or later.

He answered, "What I tell them is that you can do it. Even though there will be voices discouraging you—some of which might be your own—voices telling you to stick with that job you hate because it pays well or whatever… you can do it. Thousands of people have changed their careers entirely, and you can do it, too."

Career changing at any stage of life can have a happy ending. Success stories for the Rockport Institute include an attorney who now runs a music school, and an economist who became a consumer product designer.

Nick was emphatic about the need for knowing what you're looking for if you want to succeed.
"The trick is that you have to be absolutely sure of your new career direction, because equilibrium and homeostasis is powerful. If you're at all vague about what you want, your mind will talk you out of it."
He shared some great tips from the new book for people over 50 who want to find a job they love:

1. Make it a project.
Design your career before you start job hunting, so you know exactly what you're seeking.

2. Become a career detective.
"Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and look for clues about the best fit for you and the workplace," he told me. Look for what you do happily, naturally, perhaps even brilliantly, and notice your innate talents and a lifetime of experiences.

Tips 3 -6 and Complete Article

Help for people over 50 to score jobs

By ROBIN KAMINSKI Hour Staff Writer


For those who have been fired after the age of 50, the fear of not being able to find a new job can quickly set in, especially during a down economy.

Coupled with forms of age-related bias in the workplace, the future for out of work, older executives can seem downright bleak.

There is hope, however, and it comes in the form of a new book penned by Tucker Mays of Westport and Bob Sloane of Greenwich titled "Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Job Search Challenge."

With real-life examples of advice given to former executives navigating the job search, Mays and Sloane unveil tips on how the unemployed can land new jobs in a relatively short amount of time.

"Imagine a 52-year-old executive that is doing nicely, has a couple kids and a good sized mortgage," Mays said. "Then, all of a sudden, there's a reorganization at the company, or maybe it's through no fault of their own and they're let go. It can become depressing, especially when no one is calling them (for jobs). They feel lost."

That feeling of hopelessness can be quelled through step by step guidance, according to Mays, who said he and Sloane, co-founders of Darien-based OptiMarket, LLC, have instructed those over 50 to market their age as an asset to a new company and to stand out from the rest of the pack.
"There isn't any fluff in the book, just lots of detail and solid ideas," Mays said. "Bob and . . .


Read the rest of the article 

Getting hired when you're over 50

True, older job seekers face a few extra obstacles. But you may be able to overcome them by turning your age to your advantage. Here's how.

By Anne Fisher, contributor


FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I read your recent column on bridging the generation gap in the workplace between young bosses and older employees. It struck a nerve with me, because, frankly, I'd be delighted to work for a young boss if I could just get one to hire me. I'm 53 and I was laid off last year from a senior marketing management position at a bank. Luckily, I have enough savings to live on for a while, since my job hunt seems to be taking forever.

All goes well until I show up for an interview with a 30-something hiring manager or HR person, and then I hear, "Oops! Sorry, the position has been filled, but thanks for coming in." I'd like to think this isn't because, like most people in their fifties, I have a few gray hairs and laugh lines, but it's hard to draw any other conclusion. Do you and your readers have any suggestions for me? — Not Dead Yet


Dear N.D.Y.: Cold comfort though it may be, a long job hunt is perfectly normal these days, especially for anyone seeking a senior management job. "The higher your rank in your last position, the longer it takes to find a new one," says Mark Anderson, president of ExecuNet, a national career network for $100,000-a-year-plus senior managers.

ExecuNet's research shows, for example, that a vice president over age 50 takes 20% longer to get hired than a 41-to-45-year-old job seeker at the same level. But age is only part of the story. The main reason it now takes the average management job candidate at least 10 months to get hired is that "companies are taking longer to fill positions," Anderson notes. "Many companies who have management openings are not aggressively looking to fill them."

He points to a new ExecuNet survey that says that only 16% of employers plan to hire executives over the next six months, a big decrease from about 30% earlier this year.

Job interviews can be especially difficult for executives over 50 who have spent their careers moving up through the ranks, or being recruited for better jobs, and thus have had little or no practice at selling themselves while unemployed, say executive coaches Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane.

Sloane and Mays are the founders and principals of OptiMarket, a Darien, Conn., coaching firm that specializes in helping older executives find jobs quickly. They also wrote a book, Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Executive Job Search Challenge. They offer four tips on making sure your job hunt does not, in fact, last "forever" (even if it seems that way):

1. Preempt the age issue. "If you're over 50, your age is the elephant in the room. Should you try to sweep it under the rug and hope it doesn't come up, or wait until it does and address it then?" asks Sloane. The answer: Neither. "All effective salespeople know that the best way to counter an anticipated objection is to address it first."

Instead of being defensive about your age, make it an asset. In cover letters, on your resume, and especially in interviews, "describe the abilities you've gained from experience that will give you an advantage over younger, less experienced candidates," he says. One example: Problem solving. "At age 50-plus, there are probably few business challenges you haven't faced," says Mays.

2. Describe your flexible management style. "There is a perception that over-fifty job seekers are set in their ways and reluctant to change. So talk about how you modified your approach to fit different situations and varied corporate cultures," Sloane suggests. "You can also mention how you responded to unanticipated problems like a product recall, the loss of a major client, or a new government regulation." The point is to show that you can roll with the punches as well as, or better than, any 35-year-old.

More Tips and Complete Fortune Article

Older Job Seeker:Does Social Media Confuse You?

7 Secrets to Get a Job Using Social Media - do you know them?

Editors Note: Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, The Baby Stalk and mailing resumes to HR. As an older worker do you ever feel that all the good fantasies are dead? What do you think?

Between current economic conditions and the technological evolution of the Internet, the traditional approach most job seekers have taken in the past is no longer viable.

The approach — developing a resume and cover letter, locating jobs on and submitting your resume to corporate sites and job banks, and crossing your fingers in hopes of receiving a call from a hiring manager — is, for the most part, a thing of the past. The new approach is far different. It boils down to the fact that there are fewer jobs available, more competition for those jobs and more touch points for recruiters and seekers to interact.

The current environment

There will be 1.5 million college graduates this year, yet the job growth rate is at a six year low, at 1.3%! The amount of jobs posted online is decreasing at over 13%, which has all led to the ratio of 3.3 job seekers per each job.

Social networks are starting to become part of the criteria that both hiring managers and college admissions officers are using to weed out applicants. One in five hiring managers conduct background checks using social networks (primarily Facebook), while one in ten college admissions officers do the same.

It’s time for you to be open-minded and think differently about how you’re going to get your next job and keep it. I’m not saying you shouldn’t submit your resume to job banks, corporate websites, vertical job agents (Simply Hired/Indeed) or attend job fairs, but these should only consume 10% of your time. The other 90% should be concentrated on the following seven social media secrets, which will not only get you a job, but help you create your own dream job!

1. Conduct a people search instead of a job search

The majority of jobs aren’t posted online. Hiring managers get a list of employee referral candidates before they even bother to view resumes from those who submit them online. Sometimes the listed jobs aren’t available or never existed in the first place. Many studies have noted that 80% of jobs are taken through networking, but few have sought to use the web to search and locate people they would actually enjoy working for at companies that they get excited about.

The 3-step people search:

1. Identify the top five companies that you would like to work for.
Use a focused approach instead of flooding thousands of inboxes with spam. You want to brand yourself, not just as the person of best fit for a job, but as someone who is eager and ecstatic to work for the company.

2. Use search engines to track employees that currently work there.
There are over 130 million blogs in Technorati and you can search through them to possibly find someone who works at one of your top five companies. You can search through corporate groups, pages and people on Facebook. You can even do the same on Twitter. Then there are people search engines such as pipl, peek you, and wink. Once you find a contact name, try googling it to see if there is any additional information about that person.

3. Connect with the person directly.
Social media has broken down barriers, to a point where you can message someone you aren’t friends with and don’t have contact information for, without any hassles. Before you message a target employee, realize that they receive messages from people asking for jobs all the time and that they might not want to be bothered on Facebook, where their true friends are. As long as you’ve done your homework on the company and them, tailor a message that states who you are and your interest, without asking for a job at first. Get to know them and then by the 3rd or 4th messages, ask if there is an available opportunity.

2. Use attraction-based marketing to get job offers

The traditional way of searching for a job was proactive, forcing you to start a job that you might not have enjoyed. The new approach is about building a powerful personal brand and attracting job opportunities directly into your doorstep. How do you do this? You become a content producer instead of just a consumer and the number one way to do that on the web is to launch a blog that centers around both your expertise and passions.

You need to be passionate to be committed to this project because it requires a lot of writing, creativity and consistency in order for it to actually help you. A blog is a non-intrusive, harmless and generous way of getting recruiters interested in your brand, without you even asking for a job! Make the recruiters fall in love with you and only send you opportunities that are related to your blog content, so you end up happy in the end.

This works a lot and is expected for new-age marketing jobs that require experience in social media and can even help you jump-start a new business off of your blog platform. By pulling recruiters into your world, you are able to impress them with what you want them to see and they can make a quick decision whether to hire you or not, without you hearing about rejection. Start a blog today using Wordpress.com (for beginners) or install Wordpress.org onto your own host (such as GoDaddy or Bluehost).
Click here to read part 2 of this article

Job Search Over 55, How to Battle Back

Peter Macnab

Found yourself without a job after many years of service? Statistics continue to indicate that the job market remains tight. Reports of some positive movement on the job front are quickly tempered with specific stories of employers not wanting unemployed applicants or of extremely long job searches encountered by older workers.



Job Eliminations
A shocked economy forced many organizations to reduce their number one cost, payroll. Realizing the largest savings meant laying off those with the heftiest paychecks. Unfortunately in most cases these were the employees with the longest terms of service and older in age. Corporations strapped with large bank commitments and diminishing sales routinely reduced their payroll costs in this manner.

Job Search: Assessment of Qualifications
It is an emotional time after a lay off or position elimination. Frequently missed is the importance of the resources available for displaced workers. Many corporations will offer access to outplacement services. While helpful in assembling the documentation needed for a job search, these services offer little in the way of actual help finding employment. Further, they do not cover some key basics that will really help as you begin a search for a new position. While hiring is slow to recover, there are some tips that may help accelerate landing a replacement position.

Know what you have to offer
Start looking into positions on the many job sites. Find out what employers are asking for as requirements for applying. Experience alone is no longer a guarantee of resume acceptance. Additional requirements now usually require at least a bachelor’s degree. Once you know what the requirements are for application consideration, begin an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.

1. Credentials: Compare your credentials against the requirements and make your list. If you are lacking in an area of education, training or certifications now is the time to find out. Do you have a required degree? Do you have certification in a certain process? Are you trained in a specific area? Knowledge is power here, if you need additional training to boost your qualifications, it is best to know right away.
2. Resume: refresh your resume as soon as possible. If you have been given access to outplacement services that include resume writing, use it. One note of importance is that a resume needs to be targeted to the position being applied for. If you can, choose several similar occupations and see if you can come away with several targeted “generic” resumes that can be modified as needed.
3. References & Recommendations: Collect as many recommendations as you can from associates, colleagues, business relationships, and friends. These are invaluable to have on file if needed, but are usually forgotten until much later on in the job search process.
4. Network: Catalog your personal and professional network of associates. Everyone you can think of that you have connected with throughout your career and personal associations. A great place to start is your address book and contacts. Fill in the gaps, these contacts are invaluable in ways you have not thought of yet.
Know Where to Go:

Read more at Suite101: Job Search Over 55, How to Battle Back http://www.suite101.com/content/job-search-over-55-how-to-battle-back-a349059#ixzz1EXQl2hQk