There are, thus, plenty of opportunities for skilled, able, and experienced older workers in the current job market, provided these old hands approach their job searches in the right way.
Useful Career Tips for Older Workers
- Highlight your efficiency, decision-making abilities, and supervisory skills. Employers value these skills in their workforces.
- Assess your past experience and put a clear emphasis on what you can bring to a job that is unique in terms of talent, experience, and knowledge.
- Keep your skills current. You came out of school with specific skill-sets which you have used during your professional life. If you feel that your skills no longer fit with what employers are currently looking for in your industry, remember that it’s never too late to go back to school. Take a course to recover your skills or pick up new ones that are needed in the marketplace today.
- Older workers often try very hard to hide their age when they go for an interview, losing focus on their skills and abilities, which makes for a losing battle from the start. Don’t forget that your knowledge and experience are what the employer is interested in. You should highlight these strengths during the interview.
- Creating an online presence will help in your job search. This is just as true for older workers as it is for younger professionals. Employers often hire professionals based in part on any background information available online. So, include links to articles about you or testimonials from colleagues and supervisors in your online space.
- Impress potential employers and enhance your social presence by giving speeches at local clubs, helping out with charity work, or joining industry associations.
The rules of networking change if you are over 50. Handing out business cards at professional meetings is an option which might not be of much use to you at this point. However, networking is definitely important for older workers as job vacancies at senior positions are often not advertised. Networking also gives you a good opportunity to demonstrate your achievements, professionalism, and unique strengths to people before they know that you are job hunting.
A job search is never easy, irrespective of your age. If it takes a while to find a job, don’t give up. There is a big market for the kind of skills and experience older workers have to offer. A positive attitude and a strong belief in your skills and potential are most important while approaching your job search, so believe in yourself, and success is likely to follow.
