5 Tips For Finding A Job In Your Later Years
Guest post by Kat Krull
Today’s job search is very different from a job search 10 or 20 years ago. The majority of opportunities will require you to fill out an application and submit your resume completely online. If you suddenly find yourself looking for a new position, but are unfamiliar with modern job search tactics, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Leverage your extensive network. Because of your years of experience, you likely know a lot of people in your industry and community who can help you land a new job. Use these connections to your advantage–after all, it’s often who you know that can help you receive an interview offer (or just a second look).
Today, keeping in touch with your network is even easier because of social and professional networks websites and communities. Join LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter and start finding people you know, including family members, friends and past supervisors and co-workers — anyone who might be beneficial to keep in touch with during your job search and career.
Join professional networking groups and communities. See if there are events or conferences you can attend to not only meet new people, but also help you brush up on your education and skills. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, either — in fact, many of these events and communities exist online now. Check out Twitter chats, LinkedIn groups, Facebook pages, industry webinars, and other niche networking sites to connect with others and learn something new.
Don’t point out your age. It can certainly be valuable to have many years of experience under your belt, but you don’t want to turn off hiring managers with a five-page resume. Unfortunately, a lot of employers might see dollar signs when they see extensive experience, and if they can’t afford you, they won’t give you a second look. Along the same lines, don’t include your college graduation date if it was several decades ago, although it is necessary to be truthful if asked during the hiring process.
Tailor your experience and accomplishments to each opportunity. Your resume shouldn’t detail every job you’ve ever had. It should show the employer why you’re the best candidate based on past experience, accomplishments, skills and education. When you’re applying for new opportunities, make sure that your resume is formatted correctly in order to get through an employer’s applicant tracking system. You should also tailor your resume to the job description
by comparing them to one another and eliminating irrelevant information. (Our online resume builder, Resunate, can help you do this.)
Show you’re tech-savvy. Technology is important in most jobs nowadays. Employers need to know that you’re comfortable using new technologies and willing to learn new ways of doing things. Play up any experience you have with new technology by including it as a skill or accomplishment on your resume. You can also build an online portfolio and include a link on your job search documents.
What other tips would you give older job seekers?
Kat Krull is the Marketing Manager of Resunate, the world’s only automatic resume tailoring tool. You can find Kat and Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.
