Tips for older job hunters

Older and job hunting?  6 Tips for older job hunters

We are supposed to be in the age of equal opportunities, the age at which we can claim our retirement pension is being increased and no applicant for a job or employee can be discriminated against on the grounds of age, not knowingly at least …

 Private and company pension funds have lost value or failed altogether and older people who expected to be playing with their grandchildren are having to go to work , or indeed go back to work and there is supposed to be no age discrimination.

However, the reality is quite different, with employers getting around the law by advertising their companies as 'A young and funky environment', or choosing to advertise an apprenticeship rather than a job. Even to get an interview the older job applicant needs to resort to some deception.

1.)    When preparing your resume, maybe for the first time in many years, try not to date yourself, once you get a foot in the door with an interview, you can prove yourself wrong to the doubters looking at you and wondering if you are up to the job , but  for now your aim is to secure an interview. In my case and for older job hunters our school qualifications are a giveaway, O Levels rather than GCSE's. Just list your subjects and passes rather than saying O levels. List your degree but not the date of graduation.

2.)    Rather than making a list of every job you ever had, which in many cases is a work history beginning in the 70's, just detail the past ten or maybe fifteen years at most.

3.)    Be prepared to change the way you job search as an older person and use the techniques that are proven to be more successful when you are older. Sitting at your computer firing off the same CV over and over to jobs listed online on sites such as monster and Total jobs often receives no response. A better way for older people to look for jobs is to network and let everyone you know and your online contacts via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter know that you are looking for a job.

4.)    Don't be afraid of social media and say it’s not for you, not your thing, you really do need to get yourself known out there and network. Join forums and groups etc. that relate to your interests e.g. in my case disability forums and those related to age and employment and writing, chat and communicate,  and as you build up contacts you can then let people know that you are job hunting.

5.)    Get involved in community groups and online forums related to your interests, e.g. art and photography, writing etc. and learn from people who have turned hobbies into an income.

6.)    Another way to network is to get job hunting help at Job clubs, which can often be found at community centres and local libraries, or government job seekers schemes such as the Work Programme. It isn’t just the staff who will help you, at such job clubs and projects you are in good company with lots of people in the same position as yourself. It is moral support, and what often happens is that someone else will spot an opening they know meets your skills set, which you may not be aware of e.g., it is in a different local edition of a newspaper, or a paper you don't read, or online job board you are not aware of .People make friends and help each other, it is good to be amongst people in the same situation as yourself looking for a job …you are not alone.

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