Finding a job when you are over 50 is hard work. There’s plenty of competition out there in normal time and this is definitely not normal time.
You will be competing against your peers, young people just starting out, and folks who have lost their jobs because of the down turn in the economy.
Whether you are looking for full-time or part-time work you need to be smart about how execute your job search. Here are some things you can to make your search more successful and less stressful.
Start networking: This is one place where being older is an advantage. You have probably built up an extensive network of professional and social contact. These are likely to be people who know your accomplishments and skills. Many of the best job opportunities are first spread via word of mouth.
- Strategy: Activate and extend your network. Join alumni groups, social communities, and networking sites. Participate in meetings and other gatherings that sound interesting. Who knows, these may be the places may be just the places where you get a job offer. Check meetup.com to see if there are any meetups in your area that could be useful for networking. Consider volunteering to keep your skills up and expand your network.
Think outside the box: Consider the job areas that are strong or likely to benefit from the economic recovery first. If you’ve worked in an industry that is unlikely to recover any time soon, you need to figure out how you can transfer your skills to another field. Healthcare, education, retail sales, and government are likely to be stronger than manufacturing or financial services. These are some of the top sources of jobs for retirees.
- Strategy: Rework your resume to highlight skills that are currently marketable. If you have been working for a buggy whip maker, your resume should emphasize the accomplishments and skills that can be transferred to another arena.
Become tech savvy: It’s hard to think of a job today that doesn’t require some level of computer and internet competence. Word processing, spreadsheets, and email are basic skills that are as important as reading and writing.
- Strategy: Strengthen and expand you tech skills. If your computer skills are rusty or non-existent, take some courses at a local community college or even online.
- Use the internet: Join LinkedIn and Facebook and setup professional looking profiles. Be sure to explore other members profiles to get ideas for things you could put on your profiles. Remember these profiles are part of your job hunt and not a vehicle for self-expression. In business a little bit of creativity goes a long way.
- Participate in online forums in your field or region: Strengthen your network by being helpful to others and maintaining a positive attitude. Try not to share your frustrations online because anything you say could come back to haunt you. It’s not just kids that need to be careful about what they reveal online.
Practice for interviews: If it’s been some time since you’ve been on a job interview, you have to prepare. Spend some time preparing for interviews by learning from professionals. Just Google “job interview tips” and you will find plenty of useful tips. Click on the video option and you will find lots of short YouTube videos on job interviews.
- Strategy: Ask a friend or family member to help you go through a practice run a few times. Maintain a professional attitude and respond to the questions directly. Highlight your accomplishments and how your skill set fits the job opening.
Looking for a job can be stressful, but it can also be an opportunity to expand your horizons, retool your resume, and upgrade your skills. You can find a job when you are over 50, but you will have to use all your smarts and connections to do so. Perseverance is the key in business and in life. So whatever you do, don’t give up.
