Older worker: Job-seeking advice

It should always be possible to initiate changes in your career life. However, for people over 40 or 50, this idea is likely to sound like a pipe dream in this realm. The reason for this is the juniorization of jobs and age discrimination as a result. We have successfully tackled the issue of discrimination in the past decades; however, the enemy isn’t giving in. The economic situation and retirement age, which stands at 67, just add fuel to the fire. Job seekers who represent the older generation are caught between two fires and should either forget about getting a new job or get themselves ready to go through a rough patch while meeting with potential employers and competing with younger candidates. That’s why we’ve collected the most relevant and essential information and tips to help older workers get the grips with job hunting and find their dream job despite anything. Let’s get started!

Benefits of older job seekers in the job market

Every cloud has a silver lining and belonging to the older candidates league isn’t an exception. Younger workers do bring novelty or a new breath of freshness into business; however, older employees have some cards to offer up their sleeves too:

• Mountains of relevant experience and expertise. A person who has worked 10+ years or more in the industry is a valuable asset for any business. They have seen a lot and have dealt with many issues; they lived to tell the tale. They may know how to solve new problems based on their previous problem-solving strategies. And most importantly, they won’t have a fit if something goes wrong because they already know every problem is solvable.
• Highly developed soft skills. People 40 and above have experienced life well enough to understand that soft skills make up 50 percent of your success everywhere. Not only understand but also implement this knowledge in their life. Young people may be tech-savvy; however, they’ll only get a position if they possess the extremely highly valued soft skills in modern companies. Isn’t a company going to benefit from hiring a worker who possesses maturity, wisdom, strong work ethic, punctuality, and interpersonal and teamwork skills?
• Higher loyalty and engagement rates. Older workers usually have families and responsibilities, so they must maintain stability. It’s more about young specialists who are okay and even interested in jumping from one workplace to another in the pursuit of better job opportunities like a higher salary or more appealing perks.
• Their own network. No matter if a person wants to change company but remain in the same sphere or change the field itself, they definitely have some contacts to reach out to and offer services or products. Young specialists have no network in most cases and will spend time creating one. Experienced and wise employers know that it takes work and effort.
• Bring in diversity and a different outlook. Diversity of views, backgrounds, and experiences creates an extremely favorable environment for creativity and non-standard decisions. Managers tend to hunt only young people believing they have some cutting-edge ideas; however, an employer with practical experience will always have something to say. At least if these groundbreaking ideas are feasible and realistic to bring to life.
• Contribute to a company’s brand and reputation. A company that promotes inclusiveness automatically demonstrates its strong position against discrimination. They show that they focus on their workers’ professionalism, talents, and abilities first and foremost but not on their personal characteristics. Therefore, a company becomes more appealing to talented and skilled candidates.

Challenges associated with being an older worker

It’s worth mentioning that the pandemic of 2020 has made some significant adjustments to the American employment scene. According to research from the University of Chicago, there were about 20 million lost jobs by the beginning of April, including those who decided to retire. Of course, many did it for safety reasons, still another explanation could be the crisis that wreaked havoc on many businesses. They were compelled to turn on the cost-cutting mode erasing the middle management represented by people of age 40+. Those people were experienced and knew their value very well, but companies switched to younger applicants that turned out to be more responsive and eager to get a job at all, without paying attention to salary rates and excessive responsibilities. This was the beginning of the youth-obsessed culture and, at the same time age bias during the interview process. So, there are the most ubiquitous reasons to explain why older workers can’t find a job:

• Lower productivity and health issues. If a job is not connected with brute physical strength, there is no solid evidence that older workers are less productive.
• A new technology gap. Older workers may not belong to the digital native generation; however, creating a Gmail account or AOL email account is hardly rocket science for anybody now. Actually, they can acquire the necessary tech skills. Especially many of them are willing to do so to stay up to date.
• Over qualification. Usually, it’s just a disguised excuse to reject an older applicant to avoid paying high salaries that respond to their qualification. Younger applicants are easier to get underpaid.
• Being out of touch with modern trends. Older employees may speak a different language and wear different clothes. Still, it doesn’t mean their fall behind in terms of professionalism or expertise in a subject.

Job searching over 50: working methods

Leverage Your Experience

1. Present your experience in such a way that it highlights how a company can benefit from making you their employee. Use the job description to find out what exactly they are looking for.
2. Demonstrate that your experience is still relevant by providing an example or examples from your previous workplace. You will definitely sound more convincing and impress your potential employer with practical proof of its relevance.

Networking for Older Workers

1. Take advantage of traditional networking events, as true wealth is measured in friendships. One of the participants may turn out to be a hiring manager and may be looking for a new regular contributor to their inclusive company. An informal environment and face-to-face contact can help you make a better impression and get invited to a job interview.
2. Utilize online job boards and social media to network professionally. They are an indispensable part of the professional world now. Whether you like it or not, you have to master social media like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or even TikTok, as most job recruiters look for talents or make job posting right there.
3. Leverage your connections to get the word out about your skills and qualifications. Job searching always works better if you provide actual evidence of your professionalism. Feedback from your boss or colleagues you’ve ever worked with will contribute to your search like nothing else.

Tailor Your Resume & Cover Letter

1. Highlight your experience – remain laconic but informative and streamline your experience according to the sphere you want to work in. Pick the most relevant information that fits the requirements of the job posting.
2. Write a concise yet compelling resume and cover letter – address the hiring manager personally and demonstrate a sheer interest in working for them.
3. Showcase your knowledge and skills – use illustrative examples of your professionalism by providing statistics or precise profit numbers resulting from your contribution.

Additional Job Seeking Advice for Older Workers

Invest in Professional Development & Training

This point will come in handy for all employees regardless of age. If you aim at being competitive in the market and getting a new job easily, consider acquiring new skills or regularly boosting your current ones. Yes, it costs money and requires you to allocate time and effort; however, the game is worth it.

Develop a Strategy for Your Job Search

Feel free to use the strategies we’ve mentioned above to come up with your own feasible job search approach. Try to use all of them, as familiar as trendy ones, like on social media platforms. This will be another sign for potential employers that you understand the game rules and are keeping yourself up-to-date.

Be Prepared to Answer Questions About Your Age

According to a study presented by the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2020, if an applicant’s age was mentioned at the beginning of the interview process, together with the other information, the job offer rates for applicants over 40 were 68% lower than for younger applicants. This is the bitter truth of nowadays that proves that age discrimination exists. However, you should not be afraid to hear and answer this question – their reaction will reveal how inclusive the company is.

Keep an Open Mind

If you’ve faced numerous rejections, there is still a better time to throw in the towel. Stay positive and go to the following interview. Some companies value older workers and seek to hire them. The next opportunity won’t make you wait for long if you know your self-worth and believe in your success.

Take Time for Self-Care

Every career coach will agree that taking a break between jobs is a good idea. You may have difficulty finding a new position because the Universe wants you to slow down and breathe out. Before starting a new job, it’s equally important to be professionally and mentally ready. Using this time to enjoy yourself will only play in your hand.

Conclusion

We can summarize that age discrimination is still relevant today. It often occurs when older workers want or are compelled to change their career life and embark on a job search. Due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic 3 years ago, the situation got even worse as companies resorted to a cost-cutting mode and the juniorization of jobs began. However, it’s still possible for older workers to find a job, and our article includes feasible tips on how to do it. By leveraging your experience, networking, and tailoring your resume & cover letter, you’ll get higher chances of being noticed by inclusive companies. Investing in your development and training makes you competitive in the market. The abundance of learning opportunities allows you to quickly become tech-savvy if your industry requires it. Follow our tips, believe in yourself, and eliminate the fear of job search – it’s just another adventure in your life!