Finding a new career or even a temporary position in today's workplace can be an exhausting routine of sending resumes and making follow up phone calls. If your generation is closer to that of a baby boomer, you may have a distinct advantage over the Gen X and Gen Y job seekers. The following is a good starting list of how to tackle the woes of a job market we now find ourselves facing daily in South Florida.
Experience is valuable- Changing your mindset is a good place to begin. Try describing your workplace skills as seasoned or experienced rather then old or on the way to retirement. Most baby boomers are well rounded in the areas of sports, national news and current events. Use the ability to relate with real life experience as a plus. During an interview, take advantage to discuss areas such as strong job tenure. You are no longer a novice, years of valuable skills are a major plus for hiring managers and wisdom and common sense are attributes sometimes not found in the "fresh out of school" candidates.
Your Resume Speaks Volumes- Try condensing your resume to no more then the past 15 years. Too much emphasis on dates and career history can be overwhelming for a hiring manager. Try to avoid being redundant and boring with verbiage that could give away your age. The resume should provide enough skills to tempt the hiring manager to call you in for an interview. Don't give too much information about yourself. Focus on the job you are applying for and leave off unnecessary position or job titles you held for a short period of time in your career. Do not give an employer a reason to screen you out.
Working the Interview- Dressing for success is an attribute baby boomers seldom disappoint in. No one needs to remind you to look your best and be prepared with resume in hand and how to dress for success. Articulate the positives and take advantage of your lengthy work history during the face to face meeting. Turn your age into an advantage by stressing your can-do attitude, attention to detail and commitment to the task at hand.
The little things that count- You would be surprised how many candidates fail to follow up with a thank you after the initial interview. At the end of the interview, be sure to ask for a business card and send an e-mail or better yet a hand written thank you note. It shows you have strong follow up skills and makes a lasting impression.
A Fresh Set of Eyes- It never hurts to contact staffing agencies for an extra set of eyes to review your resume. Make contact with a local recruiter and obtain a second opinion. Recruiters are good middle men and will utilize your stable work history to impress their clients who are being charged a fee. Agencies often receive last minute job orders and being a reliable candidate can help land you more assignments. Even with a tough job market, many organizations still use agencies and want immediate experience to fill an immediate need.
Senior Centers and Workforce- Don't rule out senior community centers or Florida's Workforce One programs. The state of Florida has a senior citizen division within the unemployment offices that provide free skill training on computer programs such as Microsoft Word and Internet skills. In addition, Workforce One is utilized as a free recruiting source for companies where laborers are needed. Also check with AARP for employment opportunities.
Comments
The article makes great points for "baby boomers" in the workforce. However, it is becoming increasingly evident the one critical element that no career coach, employment expert or interview expert is taking about.
What is that you ask? Educating and raising awareness of "baby boomers" and other career seekers about their basic employee rights! Every high school and college student should learn what their rights are in the workplace before seeking and accepting employment.
For those already in the workplace it's never too late. For example, a "baby boomer" accepts employment with XYZ Corp. only to find out days, weeks or months later that her workplace is a hotbed of harassment, bullying, age discrimination and more aimed right at her!
Now the "baby boomer" is in an adverse employment quagmire. She has no clue how to navigate the process of protecting her employee rights. Without "workplace readiness" "baby boomers" and job seekers will be at a disadvantage in the workplace.
Updating resumes and tweaking job interview skills are important to getting the job. Learning your basic employee rights is critical to keeping the job!
nice piece, but i will tell you this: when i reached 40, finding a good job, was extremely difficult. now that i am approaching 60, it is nearly impossible. experience doesn't matter. being younger does.
i've been romanced over the phone by potential employers (as recently as a couple years ago) who gushed endlessly about my accomplishments. i was willing to relocate, and they even started to plan where i was to live!
i never tried to hide my age, but i would only go back about 10 years on my resume.
all it took was the on-site interview, those very few seconds of recognition by the potential employer who realized i wasn't 25 - or 35. no amount of "giving great interview" could ever overcome the fact i was older than the person interviewing me, older than they perceived me to be.
suddenly, the skills they loved and gushed about over the phone didn't matter. i was old. and btw, i have no gray hair, and certainly don't dress like a resident of a nursing home.
i've also been directly ASKED my "age range" over the phone and in an email, pre-on-site interview. it was masked within "we want to set you up for lunch with others in your age range."
it's a young world. you will be screened out due to age, especially now when there are many people out of work. if you are a baby boomer - first wave - expect to fight for a job at walmart, even if you have two degrees and years of experience.
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