For those over 50 that are seeking employment the job market is tough. Many companies will not even look at you, as they want a perceived younger more energetic employee.
Lori B. Rassas the author of ‘Over the Hill But Not the Cliff’ as some great advice from an interview in Success Magazine: “The perception about older job applicants by some employers is that they get to a point in their career where they don’t want additional stress and they’re happy to coast until they retire. To undermine this, you need to show the employer: ‘I’m not done yet. I want to continue to learn and grow and move up.’ In the job interview, you should talk about things showing that you’re not at the top of the hill yet, you’re still climbing.”
How serious a problem do you think ageism is for job seekers over 50?
“I think it exists and is prevalent. You should assume you’re going to face it. But a lot of times, I find the cover letters of these people are not so great or they’re applying for the wrong jobs. I look at ageism as one obstacle to getting a job, but it can be overcome.
In some sense, I think the pendulum is shifting a bit, with Millennials moving jobs so quickly. I get a sense that employers want stability and long-term commitments and they’re more likely to get that from older job candidates. So things are almost getting better for older candidates.” Lori B. Rassas
Some advice on what not to do by Michelle Goodman of ABC News
“The No. 1 mistake I see with older candidates is they include too much information in their resume,” said Cathy Severson, a career coach who runs the site Retirement Life Matters. “Clear the clutter, old-dated, irrelevant information from your resume.”
Instead, tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for — each time. Two to three pages and 15 years of relevant experience is more than enough.
Acting superior to an interviewer who’s younger than you or showing up with a chip on your shoulder the size of the national debt.
“It’s not a good idea to tell the person how much you can teach them,” said Cynthia Metzler, president and CEO of Experience Works, “But it is a good idea to tell them if you have any experience working or volunteering in a multi-generational workplace.”
If you haven’t interviewed in a long time, you could probably use some practice . Instead of role-playing with a too-comfortable friend, try going on a few interviews for jobs that you aren’t as jazzed about “because what you don’t want is to go on an interview for the job that you most want and screw up,” explains Art Koff, founder of RetiredBrains.com , which connects older workers with employers. “Every interview is a learning process.”
It’s not over yet!
Remember Grandma Moses didn’t start painting until she was 78. Colonel Sanders started cooking at 65 with only $87.00 that he had to borrow. Julia Childs was 50 before writing her first cookbook. Ray Kroc was 52 when he bought McDonald’s. It’s not over yet. Now is the perfect to do what you always wanted to do.
