The Do’s and Don’t Do Too Much’s of Over 50 Jobs Hunts

The Do’s and Don’t Do Too Much’s of Over 50 Jobs Hunts


Hunting for a new job after age 50 is still a challenging and
frustrating task for hundreds of thousands of Americans. In our society,
a 55 year old is hardly old. And yet, older workers are having the
hardest time bouncing back after a job loss. Let’s look at some tips
from those who have been there to see what works and what is not working
out.

Who Is Unemployed?


You may associate unemployment with lower skilled workers. But in
today’s economy, all sorts o oderf people are struggling. This includes
teachers, engineers, accountants and other professionals. There is a
real barrier to entry (the Gray Wall) for workers in their fifties and
sixities. All this is coming down at a time when most older workers say
they have no plans (or ability) to retire at 65.
DO

• Learn to network. Honestly,the old proverb that
  says – it ain’t what you know it’s who you know – has never been more
  true. Remind your old coworkers and friends that you are looking for
  work. If they are employed, they are likely to be in the best place to
  spot a job for you.
  
• Learn to use online networking well. It is one
  thing to sign up for an account on Facebook or LinkedIn. But to really
  use these tools, you need to spend some time figuring out how they can
  work for you. You need to take the time to invite associates and friends
  into your network. Make posts that are relevant to your job search so
  you can get noticed. Use online tools to keep your face in the minds of
  potential job sources.
  
• Make sure your resume is updated and contemporary looking.
  The old rules about developing a resume are not really always true any
  more. You may want to use a professional service or look up free
  information online about how to develop a resume for the 21st century.
  
• Try to develop resumes and cover letters that are specific to each job you are seeking.
  Let us say you have experience as a teacher. You may be applying at a
  private school and a corporate training company. You need to target your
  information to each of these jobs which have different requirements.
  Let the employer, in each case, why you would be a valuable addition.
  This has been more effective, with fewer job applications, than sending
  out dozens of copy-cat resumes to different types of jobs.
  
• Try to understand why you get job rejections.
  Instead of taking rejections personally, try to understand why the
  hiring manager chose another applicant. Was it your age? Was it a lack
  of some of the desired skills? Did you fail to connect in your
  interview? In my opinion, you have little to lose by calling the hiring
  authority and asking the question! These people are human too, and many
  will try to help you. In fact, they may consider your questions as a
  point in your favor and keep you in mind for the next opportunity. I,
  myself, had had hiring managers tell me exactly what to do in order to
  be considered for a specific job.
  
• Can you fix the problem? If you failed to give the
  perfect in your interview, maybe you can work on being better prepared
  next time. If a lack of skills got you passed over, you may be able to
  be trained online or at a local community college.
  
• Be Flexible. Be Flexible. Be Flexible. Sure, you
  may have had your last job for 30 years. But you do not always have to
  take your next job with the thought it will last for decades. Maybe you
  need a “step-up” opporunity in order to get you a paycheck, updated job
  skills, or a chance to move up. You may also need to consider taking a
  step backwards. If you were a CPA, you may just need to preform some
  book keeping to tide you over.
  

DON’T (Or Not So Much)

• Be wary of relying on big Internet Job Boards or Local Job Fairs.
  People do get hired by sending out resumes to online advertisers or
  attending big job fairs. However, I am hearing a lot more negative
  reports lately. This is no job market for the passive. You cannot
  just pass out several dozen resumes and hope you get several decent job
  offers back.
  
• Be wary of Job Scams. Preying upon the vulnerable
  will always be with us, I guess. However, along with increased
  unemployment we have an increased number of reported job scams. Some of
  these scammers hang out on web based job sites looking for fresh prey.
  Some of these offers are pretty tricky, but having to pay any fee to get
  a job shoud set off some alarm bells.
  

http://www.over50web.net/jobs-2/over-50-job-hunt-tips-warnings/

Get Some Tips For A Job Search Over 50




Over 50 Job Hunters



We have posted before that unemployment has hit older workers even
harder than the general population. There is even a phrase for it, and
it is now known as the Gray Wall.
We know that many older workers are searching for new opportunities,
trying to make a career change, or perhaps just trying to make an
income. Since many older workers have been away from the job market, it
may pay to learn about how the job search has changed, and of course,
how it is just the same.
Avoid The Gray Wall
It is impossible to totally avoid age discrimination in some fields.
On the other hand, remember that you do bring years of experience and
maturity to the table. Please do not apologize for your age, but try to
sell it as an asset.
If you think you may lack some skills, because your formal education
long ago, it may be time to find a quick way to pick them up. Online
classes and community colleges make this easier than it used to be!



Also be wary of self-sabotage. How do you feel about
working for a younger boss. These days, you may have to get used to that
idea, so be wary of projecting any uncomfortable feelings in a job
interview.
Network
The old saying is as true today as it ever was. It is not what you know, but it is who you know.
Offline, you have probably built up a network of friends and past
business associates. These days, you can use the internet to help you
reinforce and add to that network with websites like LinkedIn and
FaceBook. These online resources are a great way to get back in touch
with your old associates, and also to build upon those relationships to
form new ones.
Online Job Sites
If your network is dry, you may try online job sites like Monster.com
and CareerBuilder.com. You may also look at more specific, industry
related sites. For example, computer people like sites like Dice.com.
This is a quick way to find job postings, and also to get your name
noticed by headhunters who may have more leads that are not posted.
State Unemployment Offices
Every state has employment offices. They have job listings and job
training. Sometimes we tend to forget about this valuable, tax supported
resource, but it can be very helpful.
More Job Hunting Tips For People Over 50?
If you have more suggestions, we’d be very interested in reading your
comments. You can register for free and post them here. We do moderate
new posters, to make sure they are high quality (not SPAM) but love to
publish the good ones!

Why hide the fact that you are in your fifties? They are going to find out eventually. Save your time and gas and be upfront. This way you only go for interviews with companies that are going to hire you. I will be 53 in September and do not hide the fact. Gas prices are too high and my time is precious...