Lots of us get laid off throughout our careers. But, it’s so much worse when he happens after the age of fifty. The thought that you have to know how to find a job at such a late stage in your career stings. I know, I’ve been there a couple of times myself. It’s no fun and despite the fact that you have all the credentials in the world, you find it difficult to find a job. And sadly, as time goes and you get older, it gets more difficult.
Ageism exists. It’s a fact of life. So, my first piece of advice to you is to acknowledge that age discrimination is a very real thing, come to terms with it, and get over it. Don’t let that thought hold you back. Don’t make that an excuse. There are a lot of great companies out there that hire workers regardless of their age. They only care about bringing quality people in that will make a true difference in their organization. So, just keep at it. Eventually, they’ll find you. Here’s a few tips that can help.
Truncate Your Resume
Yes, lop it off. You don’t need to have all 30 years of experience listed. Take out major hints that will tip off your age – the year you graduated from college, references to deprecated software that has been around for twenty years. Leave about 15 years’ experience on your resume. The goal here is to not put anything on your resume that will hint at your age. Sure, they’re going to guess your age at some point in the process, but let it be after they find out that you are the awesome candidate for whom they have been looking.
Don’t Make Your Age a Big Deal
Recruiters are notorious for avoiding good candidates once they become aged candidates. After you hit fifty, you’ll get calls from recruiters, but typically they are looking for candidate referrals. And while they’ll say to you, “for you or anyone you might know,” they are looking for the latter, not the former. You simply are not on their radar for a position, unless it is a very senior position within an organization, like CEO or COO. And in those rare opportunities, they won’t touch you if you are out of work.
But, when you do get the call from the recruiter, don’t make your age a big deal. Don’t remind them of your age by constantly whining on about how you know how difficult it is to place a card-carrying AARP member. Just stick to the qualifications and let that, and your great interviewing skills do the work for you. Assure them that you are the candidate that they should present because after all, a commission is a commission. Young or old, if they place the right candidate, they’re going to make a pretty handsome sum.
Lower Your Salary Expectations
The truth of the matter is that after looking for a job for over a year, you aren’t going to be in a strong negotiation position on salary. There are a lot of great jobs out there, that might not offer what you formerly made. But look at it like this. You can continue to eat away at your savings and 401 K, or you can lower your salary expectations and take a job that could turn out to be the best position you’ve had in your career.
Volunteer
While looking for work, volunteer. Do something to help others. Not only will you find it fulfilling, it will also give you the opportunity to get out of the house and have interactions with other people. You may even find out that your volunteer work might turn into permanent work. Or, at the least, it could be a great networking opportunity. But despite these benefits, nothing is more personally gratifying than helping others.
Consider Starting a Business
Heck, you’re spending your life savings trying to live. You may already be tapping into your 401-K to stay afloat financially. So, since you are eating away at your only means, you might want to redirect a few of those dollars into starting your own business. Getting a job after fifty doesn’t have to mean working for someone. It could mean working for yourself. There are many great franchising opportunities out there that don’t require a boat-load of money. Equally, there are many businesses that have very low start-up costs. Some, can actually be started with little or no money.
Be an Excellent Salesperson
When you are getting a job, you are selling yourself. You know this. You’ve been in the industry for over twenty or thirty years. Now, you just have to remember those tools and learn to sell yourself all over again. Know that every employer that is trying to fill a position, has a specific reason for filling that position. Something is off in the organization, and to make it right that position must be filled. Figure out what those pain points are and go in that interview and make the pain disappear.
Don’t Act Your Age
I don’t mean that you need to pretend to be young, not at all. But, be energetic and willing to do what it takes to grow in an organization. In the interview stay away from “back in my day” types of answers that telegraph to the interviewer that you are stoic and unwilling to change. Be flexible. More than anything, be up to date on EVERYTHING. Don’t go in talking about MySpace when you should be talking about SnapChat. No one uses floppy and tape drives anymore. Don’t talk about MP3 players, even if you still own one. And for gosh sakes, don’t tell them you’ll back it up on a DVD. The world is digital. It is moving very fast and change comes rapidly. And to be a part of that change you must embrace it quickly, else you’ll get run over and left behind. Don’t let you age be an excuse to live in the past. Be a part of the future. Embrace it. Make sure that comes across when you are interviewing.
Don’t Be a Pompous, Arrogant, Asshole – Be Humble!
I’m sorry if I offend anyone with the asshole header. But, I’m making a point. You are unemployed for a reason. Perhaps, like most, you were laid off. Then again, maybe you were fired. Whatever the reason, you are out of a job. And if you want to continue being that person that must find a job after age fifty, then come across as a know-it-all asshole. Don’t go around correcting the interviewer – even if he is making a glaring mistake. Don’t try to tell her how it is done the right way. Answer the questions and give her solid reasons why she should hire you. Be humble. Always.
And after the interview, fall back on the stuff that got you your first job – send a thank you email. Promptly.
How to Find a Job? Take On a Temporary or Part-time Job
There are a lot of 1099 jobs out there that will give you experience with newer technologies and with companies that don’t care about your age. In today’s digital economy, there are organizations that hire temporary workers to evaluate social media posts, determine the efficacy of search terms, teach online classes and other great contracting opportunities. Simply do a Google search for contract work and you’ll get a ton of hits. The great thing about this temporary work is that it will give you additional experience, it shows potential employers that you don’t like being idle, and finally, you’ll earn a few bucks.
Look, I’m not suggesting finding a job will be easy. It’s hard work to find a job after the age of fifty. In fact, it’s hard work to find a job at any age. For older workers, it’s increasing more difficult, but it can be done. There are countless of us that have done it, and, with today’s rapidly aging population, there are many more to come. So, be proud of who you are, don’t let this get you down, and go out there with a furious determination to win your perfect job!
