10 Tough Q & A's for Older Workers

You have the "perfect job" interview tomorrow. Your skills and experience look as if they match the job description. But have you practiced your answers to potential questions? Guess what it is more than likely that some of the other potential job candidates did. So grab a mirror and do a dress rehearsal. It will help demonstrate to a potential employer a sense of mastery and confidence. (Editor's Note)


"These 10 questions are examples of some you might be asked. Not all of them are overtly age-related. But each one gives you an opportunity to present yourself as a skilled, energetic worker who brings high value to an employer.

1. Tell me about yourself. Make your answer short and sweet. Stick to experiences and goals that relate to the specific job for which you’re applying. Resist the impulse to stress your years of experience. It’s more important to talk about your skills and achievements that show you can deliver. Emphasize your flexibility and positive attitude.

2. Why are you looking for a job? Keep it brief. A straightforward answer is best. For example, “My organization was forced to downsize.” Avoid negative statements about yourself, your work, or your ability to get along with others. Never criticize former employers or coworkers.

3. You haven’t worked for a long time. Why not? You may have gaps in employment for many reasons. Be honest. Speak confidently about your experiences during the gaps. Some could transfer to on-the-job skills. For instance, if you were a caregiver, you managed complex financial issues. As a volunteer, you might have worked with diverse groups and on flexible schedules.

4. What are you looking for? It takes a lot of thinking to be ready for this question. Don’t speak in generalities. Be prepared to name the type of position you think would be appropriate for you and how your skills would translate to a new employer.

5. Aren’t you overqualified for this position? Even though “overqualified” can be shorthand for “old” or “expensive,” it’s important to stay positive. Express your enthusiasm for the job and pride in your qualifications. Explain what makes you interested in this position at this point in your career—such as wanting to apply your skills to a new field or to achieve more flexibility and work-life balance.

6. We have state-of-the-art technology. Would you be able to jump right in? Show you are adaptable and tech-savvy. Give examples of projects you’ve done which required computer skills and familiarity with electronic media. Emphasize training you’ve taken to keep your skills up to date.

7. We don’t have many employees who are your age. Would that bother you? Explain that you believe your age would be an asset, you are eager to learn, and it doesn’t matter who helps you. Describe recent experiences, whether at work or in other situations, where age diversity has been an asset. Federal law bars employers from considering age in employment decisions. Though it’s not illegal to be asked your age, the question could be a red flag about the employer’s commitment to age diversity. Know your rights under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

8. What’s your biggest weakness? This is a reverse invitation to toot your own horn. Do it with an answer that puts you in a good light. For example, “I’m too detail-oriented, but I work hard to control that.” Keep it simple—and smile.

9. What are your salary requirements? Try to postpone this question until a job offer has been made. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area (sites like Salary.com can help). If you don’t know the range and the interviewer persists, reply, “What salary range are you working with?” The interviewer may very well tell you.

10. Do you have any questions? Show your interest and initiative by asking specific questions about the organization and what you can expect in the job. Use your questions to demonstrate how your skills can contribute to the organization. Answering “no” to this question says you’re not really interested in the job."  More Information see: AARP.org


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Are You Dressing The Part As An Older Job Seeker? Revamp Your Job Search Strategies

Revamp Your Job Search Strategies and Get a Job

Finding a job is tough these days. But it's even tougher if you're over fifty. Here are some proactive steps you can take to boost your chances for a successful job hunt.


Don't waste much time looking in the newspaper for a job. Today's job listings, resume sharing and application forms are online. So if you're not internet savvy and computer literate, it's time to learn. Public libraries, continuing education programs and community colleges are all likely places to find computer literacy courses. Or get your children or grandchildren to show you how.

If you're already computer literate, review and refresh your computer skills. If need be, take courses in the latest software programs used in your particular industry.

Even if you don't Twitter, and haven't joined Facebook and Linkedin, you should know what they are. Better yet, join Linkedin and post your profile.Then add the link to your revamped resume.

Create a website, or pay someone to build one for you, and post your resume and samples of your work there, particularly if you are in a creative field.

Networking is the Real Answer

The largest employment market is not advertised, counsels Bill Belknap, an expert on networking and a Certified Master Career Coach at The Five O’clock Club, a nationwide career coaching and outplacement service. "If you only focus on internet job leads, you'll be missing the biggest segment of the job market," said Belknap in a telephone interview conducted on March 9,2009. Particularly in a tough economy, companies first attempt to fill positions through their network, via employee referrals, because it saves them money, he added.

Review and Revamp Your Resume

Rework your resume to be sure you are using language that's current with today's market, for example, human resources or hiring manager, not personnel department.

Never try to hide your age by leaving dates or jobs off your resume. And never lie about your age, though anyone who asks directly for your age is breaking the law. "There’s no logic in trying to conceal your age," said Belknap. "In fact, it’s naive to think you can fool the hiring manager. Full disclosure will be required when you get to fill out the job application, so why put yourself at risk? "

Show Off Your Energy

The best way to show your energy is to be enthusiastic, said Belknap. Again, take a proactive approach during conversations to advertise your good health, fitness, stamina and high energy level. If you bike, run, dance, lead hikes, swim six miles a week, run marathons, or enjoy walking vacations, say so if and when the opportunity arises.

Dress the Part

Since your age is fairly obvious just from the length of your career as shown on your resume, does it really matter if you color your hair and buy stylish, up-to-the-minute shoes and clothing for an interview?

"You do need to look the part and wear current style, clothing," advised Belknap. But more importantly he recommends that you "find out how the hiring manager dresses and dress one notch above that." For example, if the hiring manager wears causal pants and a dress shirt, show up for the interview in khakis and a dress shirt and maybe a jacket.

The old adage "when in Rome" is still the best rule, explained Belknap. "Do your research on your target company. Understand who it is you would be working for. Sometimes looking at the company web site can give you an idea of the dress code. But if not, call and ask at the switchboard. 'I have an interview how do most people dress?' Or visit the company or find a relative or friend -of- a -friend who works there and ask about the dress code."

Revamp your resume and review and renew your computer skills if need be. If you're not computer and internet savvy, start taking courses. And network to open doors to a potential new job.

Click here to read part 2 of this article

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14 Job Interview Problems & Solutions for Baby Boomers

Those in transition do face uphill climbs in these troubled employment waters. One group particularly impacted dramatically is the “seasoned” worker AKA, the Baby Boomer.

In life, perception is often reality and there are many perceptions of the mature candidate. Those who fall into this category must anticipate what they potentially are and be prepared to overcome them. Let’s examine these areas of concern, both spoken and unspoken, that many employers consider when interviewing the Baby Boomer generation.

Perception #1: Baby Boomers are “overpriced”. Because of this, they are more likely to be made redundant in a bad economy. Younger workers are more “affordable”. Even if older workers are willing to take a pay cut or make a lateral move in regard to money to get the job, employers sometimes fear that their job satisfaction will be compromised at a lower or equal salary and that they won’t stay or be motivated.

Perception #2: They’re settling. Employers fear that if the mature candidate has been unemployed awhile and previously employed in a capacity beyond that for which they’re interviewing, they’re only willing to take the position until something better comes along. In other words, they simply need a job.

Perception #3: They’re looking for a retirement home. Motivations are attributed to having a place to hang their hat for a few years and get benefits. This is usually far from the truth, but can be a concern nonetheless.

Perception #4: They’ve lost the “edge”. An underlying fear here is that older workers won’t have the same drive and determination (otherwise most often referred to as ‘fire in the belly’) as they once did, the belief being that their younger counterparts may be “hungrier”.

Perception #5: Their credentials aren’t equivalent to those of their younger counterparts. Sometimes older workers don’t have the same educational credentials as younger workers. Baby Boomers more often went to the ’school of hard knocks’ as opposed to going the traditional educational route as is more common today. An education back then, though important, didn’t carry the weight it does today in many companies and organizations.

Perception #6: They’re job hoppers. Older workers have more jobs on their resume, leading to the perception that they’re ‘job hoppers’ regardless of time frame involved.

Perception #7: They have too many expenses attached to them. Health insurance costs are higher for older workers. It’s a practical consideration for employers who provide health coverage to their employees, maybe even more of a consideration today with the possible changes in the healthcare system being discussed.

Perception #8: They’re limited in flexibility. Younger workers tend to be more mobile either to relocate or travel, whether now or in the future. In some careers, that can be a benefit to a corporation.

Perception #9: They’re overqualified. This perception can be valid. Older workers often find themselves interviewing for positions with someone they could easily have managed themselves at some point in their careers. It can be intimidating to a younger manager.

Perception #10: They’re likely to be dissatisfied. The longer a career, the more likely a person may have gone the entrepreneurial route at some point, leading to the perception that they won’t be happy in a corporate environment working for someone else.

Perception #11: They don’t portray the right image for the company or fit with the culture. Appearance is a factor, especially in sales positions or any position where you’re meeting with the public. Older people sometimes face discrimination based on the ‘image factor’. Whether fair or not, it is reality.

Perception #12: They’re outdated. Their skills may be outdated, especially in technical areas like computers. Older workers may not be able to keep up with the Gen Y’er’s in terms of computer social networking abilities. This is changing as the mature worker becomes more Internet-aware but it is still a reservation on the part of some younger managers.

Perception #13: They’re rigid. The “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” mentality is a factor. There are concerns that mature employees won’t be able to adapt to new ways of doing things or that they are set in their ways and have preconceived views of how things are and should be.

Perception #14: They’re not moldable. Employers very often like to ‘grow their own’. A younger worker is perceived as more trainable and moldable. Many companies like to train people themselves and older workers are sometimes perceived as coming with ‘baggage’ from their previous employers.

A long list, isn’t it? It can be daunting and also a bit unsettling if you’re getting older. It would seem with all these possible roadblocks, a seasoned job hunter would never get hired. Let’s dispel that myth. It happens every day, but to bust that myth in your own personal situation, being forewarned is forearmed. If you understand the mindset of some employers and interviewers and the possible perceptions you’ll face, you can be ready to deal with and overcome them to your advantage.

What do older workers bring to the table that can overcome these objections? A number of things:

1. Life experience. This can not be bought or learned in a college. Traveling the road of life, you learn to deal with a myriad of situations and gain the ability to overcome obstacles. Common sense can’t be taught or easily gained without experience.

2. Skills to overcome adversity. Mature candidates generally are more adept at problem solving and have a track record of doing so. Again, it comes with experience.

3. Stability. An older person is actually NOT as likely to ‘job hop’ within a year or two. The younger candidate is far more likely to move from one company to another for a slight increase in salary, title, or opportunity.

4. Commitment. Loyalty is usually highly valued by older workers. Their parents worked for decades at companies and had the “gold watch at retirement mentality”. That attitude is ingrained in the Baby Boomer generation as well to some degree. They tend to be very committed to the company they are employed with and have a strong loyalty to their manager. I have seen this many times in my recruiting career. The more mature a candidate is, the harder he is to woo and recruit.

5. The ability to take on a mentoring role. There is research now that indicates that the Gen Yer’s who have a reputation for doing things in an ‘out of the box’ fashion are embracing the traditional as a ‘new way’. They value the input from Baby Boomers in the workplace. They often want to learn from them and use them as mentors in furthering their career objectives.

6. Less conflicts. Older workers are not as likely to have family issues that interfere with their jobs. Their children are grown, gone, and established.

7. High motivation on a practical level. Often the older employee is the sole or primary bread winner. The younger worker is often part of a dual income family.

8. Connections. They likely have business relationships that have deep roots based on longevity. Younger workers have a web of contacts as well, but the nature of that network is different. An older worker’s network of contacts, friends and business associates is often deep, rich, and based on lifelong relationships.

How can you, as a mature candidate compete in this marathon to the job offer?

1. Bearing all of the above advantages in mind, don’t underestimate your value. Incorporate some of these concepts into your interview presentation, especially if you run into objections.

2. Stay abreast of changes in the industry you have experience in. All industries evolve, change and adapt to the fluctuations of the market. Stay on top of the industry trends.

3. Learn to be a social networking whiz. Okay, I never believed personally that I’d be a social networking devotee, but I am. It’s becoming essential in this world. Know that and decide to be aware and active.

4. Take classes to enhance skills you lack. These might include computer skills, technical skills that are industry specific, or enhancing your public speaking if that’s a benefit. Keep learning!

5. Learn to package your skills in accordance with the employer specifications. Past duties and functions are of value if packaged correctly and portrayed in the right way.

6. Stay active in order to demonstrate the ‘fire in the belly’ attitude. Drive and determination are still highly desired in employees, and older workers who can show that they continue to meet and exceed their life goals have a better chance of finding gainful employment.

Above all, keep a positive attitude and remember: you still have a lot to give.

~~Mark Ste. Marie

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Baby Boomer Interview Tips:Do You Know How To Interview With A Younger Generation?

Going through an interview session with the younger generation can certainly present an entirely different set of problems for baby boomers. However, there's no need for older job seekers to get disheartened so easily. In addition to older employees having more job experience, there is also the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act.


Addressing Retirement Issues
Questions relating to your retirement or future career plans are usually asked to candidates to determine whether the job will be used as a bridge to fill in retirement gaps. The question "what are your expectations from the job a few years down the line" is another way of asking the same question.
No matter how the interviewer puts the question, be sure that you tackle it gracefully. While it would be better to discuss the retirement issue honestly, you also need to convince the interviewer that you are looking forward to long-term employment.


Salary Requirements
Although this is a tough question that definitely arises at every interview, dealing with salary issues will require skillful negotiation on your part. This question can prove to be even more difficult for older candidates with years, even decades, of expertise and experience to answer. However, in order to avoid your former income from working against you, you should make every attempt to reply in a firm but cool tone.
At first, try giving a noncommittal answer - but if probed further, give a salary range. Generally, you should refrain from stating exact figures regarding your salary requirements. And, you should always let the employer give the first number.
Needless to say, do some research on the position and its salary before attending the interview.



According to the Act, any kind of employment discrimination against those over 40 is illegal. Listed below are a few common interview questions based on age - and some helpful tips on how to answer or avoid them tactfully.

Click here to read part 2 of this article

Do You Know the 49 Benefits to Hiring an Older Skilled Worker?

20 Ways Older Job-Seekers Can Sell Themselves

There are PERFECT INTERVIEW ANSWERS - Learn them HERE

Are you an older skilled worker who has been through a couple of decades of cyclical job expansion and contraction? Then you should be able to gain a few pearls of wisdom from this article. We sometimes forget the benefits that older works bring to a potential (or existing) employer. You do not have to be in sales to leverage you strengths. So how about selling yourself?(Editor's Note) 


1. You understand recessions: Older workers have seen hard times before -- the bursting of the 1990s tech bubble, recession in the early 1980s, the oil crisis of the mid-1970s -- and they understand that businesses have to adjust. Knowing, too, that expansions always follow, older workers can bring a steady perspective to a jumpy workplace.


2. You have a healthy fear of slowdowns: Sure, you've seen them before. Older workers' steadiness can be accompanied by a fair dose of worry: You know that downturns can last for long periods of time, and you've witnessed the obliteration of job security, so you know that you need to be increasingly ready and willing to do what it takes to keep your job.

3. You're willing to work part time: Older workers most crave flexibility, according to a RetirementJobs.com survey. Many want to spend more of their time doing things they enjoy -- traveling, perhaps, or playing with their grandkids -- and they're often willing to accept a part-time schedule or reduced hours. As employers increasingly cut back on hours, a willingness to be flexible can make a job seeker more attractive to a greater variety of companies.

4. You have real-life experience: Today, employers need workers who can hit the ground running, and older workers have more real-world, less theoretical experience, says John Challenger of Challenger Gray & Christmas. "They've been there before and seen more situations," Challenger says.

5. You want to be challenged: Forget resting on your laurels -- a Penn State study found that challenging work is the thing that older workers want most.

Click here to read part 2 of this article


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20 Years Younger. What Career Would You Choose? Recareering At Midlife:Dr. Helen Harkness (Video) , Part1

Dr. Helen Harkness asks: What would you do if you were 20 years younger?
Learn from a professional what it takes during a midlife career change to move from an old identity to a new identity. She started her new career at age 50. The race is not over. You can hit a new stride with the right midlife career change. The Starting line is here. (note: give it about 10 seconds to start) (Editors Note)

View Part 2 of Re-careering at Midlife Here.

5 Simple Tips to Beat Age Discrimination in Your Job Search - LIVE WEBINAR

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5 Steps To Build A Positive Personal Brand On Facebook

  5 Steps To Build A Positive Personal Brand On Facebook

Learn More Click Here to learn how to use Linkedin to find your new career!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s no mystery that social media is on the rise. Social media has become more than just a pastime for teenagers and college students, and it’s now more important than ever to get in the mix of viewing and sharing user-generated content. In 2016, major social networking platforms (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+) saw a continued growth of new users. In November of 2016, 79% of online Adults were using Facebook.

2017 won't be just seeing continued growth, but, there will also be an increase in user engagement. With increased engagement, you can bet employers will be focusing more on social media to hire future employees. So with that being said, how does one go about finding a job using Facebook?

For those who are new to Facebook, one thing you should decide early on is whether to use it primarily for professional networking or social networking. It is said that Facebook and business don’t mix well. Many younger job-seekers change their online names or deactivate their profiles to hide inappropriate personal content. Still, Facebook is notorious for having confusing privacy controls, so in order to maintain a professional profile, it’s best to always be conscientious of posting only content that you would want a future employer to see. Here, we will show you the first steps of creating a Facebook profile for professional networking.

1.Show your best face.

When you first sign up on Facebook, one thing that will be stressed is to upload a photo of yourself. This is the most basic part, as the name “Facebook” originates from what is literally a book of headshots that is traditionally handed out at universities to identify new students. Find a good quality, semi-professional photo of yourself and use it as your main profile picture. This photo is the gateway to your profile and is the first thing a user will see when you add them to your network.

2.Fill out your personal info.
This is all the information that is displayed on the About tab of your profile. Many people now find out more about someone by looking at their Facebook profile than actually talking to them in person, and you can use this to your advantage. Filling out sections like Work and Education, Living, and Contact Info are the most important because they give a person a quick and easy overview of your background and history.

There are other sections like Family and Interests that are not crucial for professional networking purposes but are okay to fill out (again, use discretion in what type of activities and interests you select). Be wary of Relationship Status; it’s probably best just to leave this blank if you are not using your profile for social purposes.

3.Add a cover photo.
 
The cover photo is a new feature and is the large banner-style photo behind your profile picture. While this cover photo is not mandatory, it is a visually appealing way to display your professional interests or hobbies. Interested in Biotech? Find a beautiful graphic of a DNA helix or protein structure as your cover photo. Do you do freelance photography? Use the cover photo area to display one of your best shots.

4.Choose your friends wisely.
 
The people you are adding to your Facebook network can see who your other added friends are. By mixing personal and professional contacts, you run the risk of a college buddy posting a comment or tagging an old photo that you don’t want your industry colleagues to see. Facebook has the capability of creating and managing lists of friends with different privacy levels, but that gets too complicated to maintain. The best way to keep control of a professional profile is just to not add any “friend” who may jeopardize your chances of employment.

5.Engage!
 
Once you have the first 3 steps down and get the hang of how Facebook functions, it’s time to make your profile come alive. Post daily updates of content relevant to your job search. Find the latest industry breakthroughs from blogs, news sites and forums, and “Like” or post those links on Facebook. Write succinct and informed opinions along with your links. Subscribe to Facebook updates of industry leaders and other relevant figures (facebook.com/subscriptions/suggestions) and comment on their updates when you have something insightful to say.

While you want to drive awareness of your knowledge and passion for the subject, you also don’t want to overwhelm and annoy your Facebook friends with too much activity. Post diverse content that will provide value to your audience more than self-advertisement. Once you effectively achieve this balance, people will start branding you as a subject matter expert of your field.

Being able to brand yourself using social media is an extra edge, but the most basic part of using Facebook to find a job is just keeping your profile clean and consistently updated. On the Internet, you never know just who is looking at your online activity, but if your activity is relevant to your professional goals, getting noticed will pay off. Being well-connected in this economy is the extra boost that many people need to get hired, and there is no better and easier tool than Facebook for doing that.


Learn More Click Here to learn how to use Linkedin to find your new career!

Free:18 Ways To Network As An Older Job Seeker. Learn More

Hiring Managers Seeing More Lies on Resumes

Editor's Note: In a survey of 3,500 employees by HireRight, it was reported that 88% of those tested had lied on their resume compared with 70% five years ago. In this article in Fortune, Anne Fisher interviews Mary O’Loughlin, HireRight’s vice president of global customer experience, to find out why people are exaggerating on their resumes.

Yet another reason for inventing whole chunks of a CV: Embarrassment about having lost a job to the recession. “Candidates think there is a huge stigma attached to unemployment,” notes O’Loughlin. “So they make up things to fill that gap in their work history.”

She notes that it is a far worse stigma to be dishonest than to lose a job! Click here to read more.

NYT: Job Hunting in the Digital Age

(Editor's Note) This article, from The New York Times by Tara Siegel Bernard, is targeting a younger audience, but the message is applicable to job seekers of all ages. It is important to understand that 21st century technology has changed job hunting strategies. If you are in a career transition and not paying attention to sites liked Linkedin or to keywords in your resume, you could be sabotaging your job search.

"Make sure you are carefully reviewing the job description and aligning your experience and transferable skills based on what the organization is looking for, said Mercy Eyadial, Associate Vice President of Career Development and Corporate Development and at Wake Forest University. If you don't, you risk not showing up in the list of potential candidates for consideration which is often based on keyword searches."

Read complete article here.

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10 Easy Steps To Thrive During A Job Phone Interview

 "PHONE INTERVIEW TIPS" FREE Webnar:  REGISTER HERE

"Job hunting starts at the phone interview. To get the job, you need to present yourself well over the phone - say the right things, mind your tone, and be confident overall. To see how you can do this, read this article so you can land a job".


Phone interviews are frequently used by companies to save time by pre-qualifying your interest and expertise. The following are some recommendations to ensure your next phone interview is successful for you.


Isolate Yourself
Phone interviews place you at a disadvantage because you only have one tool of communication, your voice. The interviewer's impression of you is shaped by all the sounds coming through the phone. Insulate yourself from distractions and background noises. Do not have your phone interview when you are surrounded by a lot of noise like an outdoor café at a busy intersection. If the call is on your cell phone make sure the caller can hear you clearly.

When the phone interviewer first contacts you, make sure it is comfortable for you to talk on the phone for at least 20 minutes. If it's not convenient, recommend scheduling another time for the call.

Schedule the Phone Interview
If you can not speak comfortably when the first call arrives, ask the interviewer if you could schedule a specific time for the phone interview. Be sure to define who will call who. It is recommended that you offer to call the company. This ensures you are fully prepared and in a situation where you can speak without interruptions. Schedule the phone interview just like you would any face-to-face interview.

Stand Up
During the call stand up, walk around and smile. All these things make a big difference in the projection and quality of your voice.

What's Next
At the conclusion, ask the interviewer about next steps and timing of their hiring process.

Get Face-to-Face
If you are interested, ask for a face-to-face interview. Remember that your objective (during the phone interview) is to secure a face-to-face interview. You will be most effective discussing your background and assessing the company in a face-to-face meeting.

Click here to read part 2 of this article
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Do You Know The 7 Mistakes Job Seekers Over 50 Make?

FREE WEBINAR: "5 Tips to Battle Ageism" REGISTER HERE

A good portion of the e-mail I receive is from readers over age 50 who are looking for work after a layoff. Many tell me they found their last job more than a decade ago, in the classifieds of their local newspaper. Many more say they're daunted -- understandably so -- by the foul job market, the prospect of ageism and the likelihood of being interviewed by someone half their age

All of them worry about the generalizations some short-sighted employers make about older workers. Either they see you as overqualified and overpriced, or they believe you're inflexible and technologically challenged. Perhaps they suspect you're just biding your time and taking up space until retirement rolls around.

We've all heard countless career experts (yours truly included) offer the same old job hunting solutions for workers over 50:

But platitudes will only get you so far. So let's talk about the top mistakes that hopeful hires over age 50 make and how to avoid them.

Telling Yourself That No One Hires Older Workers

I hear a lot of 50- and 60-somethings make this complaint. Yes, older candidates have to work harder to overcome discrimination, and no, it's not fair. But that doesn't mean every employer is hell-bent on shutting out all candidates over 35.

Example: The site RetirementJobs.com lists more than 30,000 full-time and part-time jobs nationwide with "age-friendly employers." Other job sites that cater to older workers: Jobs 4.0, Retired Brains, Seniors4Hire and Workforce50.com. In addition, AARP offers this list of the best employers for workers over 50.

So, please, don't tell me no one's hiring older workers.


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Putting an Expiration Date on Contacts

You've been on this crazy hamster wheel we call "work" for at least three decades now, so you might as well milk the vast contact list you've amassed for all its worth. It's perfectly acceptable to reach out to former employers, co-workers, vendors, classmates and other colleagues you haven't corresponded with in a decade or two. (Searching sites like LinkedIn and Facebook make finding them a snap.) Not only will your peers understand, more of them are likely reaching out to their long-lost contacts, too.

Get Your Free: 49 Benefits To Hiring An Older Skilled Worker.

Click here to read part 2 of this article

How to Deal With Stress During Unemployment and a Job Search

FREE GUIDE TO GETTING A JOB OVER 50  CLICK HERE

It’s normal to feel hurt, vulnerable, or angry after losing a job. The good news is that despite the stress of job loss and unemployment, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation and maintain your spirits.


You can get through this tough time by taking care of yourself, reaching out to others, and focusing on your goals. Losing your job can also be an opportunity to take stock of your life, rethink your career goals, and rediscover what truly makes you happy

Losing a job is stressful

Our jobs are much more than just the way we make a living. They influence how we see ourselves, as well as the way others see us. Our jobs give us structure, purpose, and meaning. That’s why job loss and unemployment is one of the most stressful things you can experience.

Beyond the loss of income, losing a job also comes with other major losses, some of which may be even more difficult to face:

• Loss of Professional identity
• Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence
• Loss of your daily routine
• Loss of purposeful activity
• Loss of your work-based social network
• Loss of your sense of security

Grief is normal after losing a job

Grief is a natural response to loss, and that includes the loss of a job. Losing your job takes forces you to make rapid changes. You may feel angry, hurt, panicked, rejected, and scared. What you need to know is that these emotions are normal. You have every right to be upset, so accept your feelings and go easy on yourself.

Also remember that many, if not most, successful people have experienced major failures in their careers. But they’ve turned those failures around by picking themselves up, learning from the experience, and trying again. When bad things happen to you— or going through unemployment—you can grow stronger and more resilient in the process of overcoming them.

Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip: Face your feelings

Fear, depression, and anxiety will make it harder to get back on the job market, so it’s important to actively deal with your feelings and find healthy ways to grieve. Acknowledging your feelings and challenging your negative thoughts will help you deal with the loss and move on.

Surviving the emotional roller coaster of unemployment and job loss

• Write about your feelings. Express everything you feel about being laid off or unemployed, including things you wish you had said (or hadn’t said) to your former boss. This is especially cathartic if your layoff or termination was handled in an insensitive way.

• Accept reality. While it’s important to acknowledge how difficult job loss and unemployment can be, it’s equally important to avoid wallowing. Rather than dwelling on your job loss—how unfair it is; how poorly it was handled; things you could have done to prevent it; how much better life would be if it hadn’t happened—try to accept the situation. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get on with the next phase in your life.


• Don’t beat yourself up. It’s easy to start criticizing or blaming yourself when you’ve lost your job and are unemployed. But it’s important to avoid putting yourself down. You’ll need your self-confidence intact as you’re looking for a new job. Challenge every negative thought that goes through your head. If you start to think, “I’m a loser,” write down evidence to the contrary - “I lost my job because of the recession, not because I was bad at my job.”

• Look for the silver lining. Losing a job is easier to accept if you can find the lesson in your loss. What can you learn from the experience? Maybe your job loss and unemployment has given you a chance to reflect on what you want out of life and rethink your career priorities. Maybe it’s made you stronger. If you look, you’re sure to find something of value.

Beware of Pitfalls

• Taking refuge in your “cave” may provide temporary comfort, but is little help if your time spent there is not constructive. Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive family and friends may better help your self-esteem.

• Venting your anger and frustrations may only make you feel worse if you find yourself in the middle of a “pity party.” There are people who actually enjoy misery and the misfortune of others.

• Drinking is at best a temporary relief, and for some people, can lead to a crippling addiction.

Source: Surviving Tough Times (PDF), The University of Georgia

10 Steps for Online Career and Job Networking

         Let’s start with the big question.


Why?
What is the point of doing online networking for your career? How is it any better than simply keeping in touch with people you know via email or at meetings? Isn’t stuff like LinkedIn or Facebook a waste of time, or at least not worth the time you invest in it?


Online networking tools serve two purposes, really.

First, they make it easy for people to find you – or at least find the information about you that you want to be found. Once you set up a proper profile at a social networking site, it’s often the first thing that shows up about you on search engines. Thus, when people go searching for information about you, you can have a lot of control over the information that they find.

Second, they allow you to keep tabs on other people – and allow other people to keep tabs on you. Let’s say, for example, that you’re starting a new project that might interest a lot of people in your field – and you might want input from some of them. Is it easier to collect all their email addresses then send a blanket email to all of them or to just simply update your online networking tool?

Similarly, if you’ve set up such tools properly, you can effortlessly and automatically follow such news and updates about others in your field, which can automatically alert you to any interesting changes without having to hope that that person remembered to send it to you.

Together, these things add up to tons and tons of opportunities to connect with people without having to invest a ton of time continually tracking people down.

Tactic #1: Just Use Google
One problem that many people have with doing this is that there seems to be a giant pile of services available for people to connect to others. Should I use Twitter? Should I use Facebook? Should I use LinkedIn?


Really, though, there’s only one you need to worry about. And that’s Google.


When people want to find other people online, they turn to Google. They type in that name, click on the first few links, and see what they can find out.


That means your focus shouldn’t be so much on which of these services to use. It should be to make sure you’re controlling that top search result on Google.


How can you do that? You need to have a page that’s (a) fully open to the public and (b) linked to by a lot of other people.


Based on what I’ve observed, for professional purposes, the best tool for that is LinkedIn, so if I were just getting started with things, I’d use LinkedIn. Facebook has more users, but it’s a “walled garden,” meaning the general public cannot read your profile. If you’re focusing solely on professional material, that’s actually a pretty big disadvantage.


Tactic #2: Detail Your Profile
When you sign up for such a service, the first step is to add appropriate detail to your profile. The key word here is appropriate.


The purpose for doing this is to attract professional connections, so keep it professional. Describe your career. Enter all of the relevant information and include as much detail as you can, including past places of employment, organizations you’re involved with (that you’d want to share professionally), where you went to school, and so on. Make especially sure to describe your current work (again, in as much detail as you can). Be sure to share it all publicly, too, so that you can easily be found on Google searches.


The more information you provide – particularly interesting information – the more likely it is that people will take an interest in you, follow you, and contact you for further connection, which is exactly what you want.


Click here to read part 2 of this article

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Top 10 Tips for Older Job Hunters

FREE WEBINAR "Stop Applying Online - Get Hired Instantly" Register Here

Thanks to their seniority, folks 55 and older were once less likely than their younger co-workers to be laid off during a recession. Not this time around. Steep manufacturing cuts have hit older workers particularly hard. And even in workplaces where seniority still provides protection, older men have less of it than they used to; only 44% of male workers aged 58 to 62 work for the same employer they were with at age 50, down from 70% 25 years ago.


Here are some tips for older layoff victims.

No. 1: Keep Your Health Insurance

If you have employer-provided health insurance, use "COBRA"--a federal provision that lets you continue in your ex-employer's plan, but without an employer subsidy. It was always essential to stay insured, and now it's affordable too. Under the stimulus package passed in February, the feds will pick up 65% of your COBRA premium for nine months. Warning: If your adjusted gross income is more than $250,000 for a couple or $125,000 for an individual, you'll have to pay some or all of the federal subsidy back when you file your tax return.



No. 2: Consider Americorps

If you don't need too much income and would like to do work such as tutoring, consider Americorps. A law President Obama signed in April slowly increases the number of federally funded Americorps slots from 75,000 to 250,000 and aims to fill 10% of them with folks 55 and older. The jobs pay minimum wage plus a $4,725 education grant (increasing to $5,350 Oct. 1) for each year worked. Under the new law, this grant can be transferred to children or grandchildren. Another senior-friendly change: Americorps slots used to be full-time jobs lasting a maximum of two years. Now they can be turned into part-time jobs lasting longer.



No. 3: Find Senior-Friendly Employers Online

At www.retirementjobs.com, you'll find 20,000 listings from employers that say they're open to applications from older workers. AARP, the 40-million member organization for folks 50 and older, lists 41 companies, from AT&T to Walgreens, that have won spots on its "National Employer Team" and links to those employers' job sites at www.aarp.org/money.


Click here to read part 2 of this article

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10 Things That Will Help You If You're An Older Job-Seeker

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So you are looking for work but are worried that since you are a more mature employee that you might be discriminated against. Here I have 10 things you can do to help this from happening!


The good news: You have vast experience and many employers would be lucky to have you. The bad news: Due to your age and how you handle everything from writing a resume to what you talk about in an interview, you may encounter age discrimination.


Personally I prefer older workers as they are typically more mature, reliable and have vast experience that the team can draw upon, but many employers see older workers as stuck in their ways, unable to learn new software or hardware and not comfortable working for a younger manager.

1. Find out about culture. Employers know better than to address your age, but there is no reason you can’t ask your own questions about how you might fit in. (This ties in nicely with an office tour). Ask questions such as “I have worked in several organizations with diverse ages in each department – can I ask about diversity in this department/company/division?” If the manager is in fact several years younger than you are, you could address it by saying “I just interviewed with another company and we discussed how I might feel working for a younger boss and wanted to share with you that this is absolutely no problem…I did in fact report to a younger manager once and he too was concerned…(then proceed to tell him or her specific examples of projects you worked on where you had more experience than the manager and how it worked out well….)


 Also, ask for a tour of the office during your interview. I used to stress to all of my candidates to do this, but in your case it is very important. The reason is that you get a very clear sense of the type of people already employed – are they happy, seem disgruntled or are they all of the same age group or cultural background? Even the way the employees look (or don’t) look at you and smile will give you a hint as to how you would be received in the company culturally. My recommendation is to ask for a “quick office tour” at the end of your first interview. Look for a company with a good track record of diversity. This means exactly that – if a company is well known for hiring all new graduates, then the chances of gaining employment in such a company when you are older than those in the company may prove difficult.

2. If you have been a manager and the position you are interviewing for is not a manager’s position, write your resume in a functional style but leave out titles as much as possible. Better to say Project Management as opposed to V.P. Project Management. The idea is to get the employer to see how you can do the job rather than thinking about how you might not fit in.

3. Talk about the challenge of the position and how there would be things for you to learn in this position. The employer may fear that not only have you “been there done that” and not be open to doing things differently, but they may fear that you may quickly grow bored and leave. This is not to say to lie and say that something is a challenge when it isn’t, but think of a few things that you haven’t done and stress that in fact you would like to take a few years to learn the role and the company. You may even discuss that although you have significant experience in industry A, that having the opportunity to work within industry B would be a challenge because….The key here is learning and if you communicate that you are a “lifelong learner” and you are not afraid to learn new things, processes and ways of doing things, it will help the employer feel more comfortable in hiring you.

Click here to read part 2 of this article

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Would You Like To Find Your Old Business Contacts?

When Rick Featherstone, 49, was laid off from DHL in August after nearly five years with the company, he dived into his Rolodex to call old network of colleagues and business associates. He figured it would be easy to reconnect. But it turned out that many of his former coworkers had moved on and finding them was a challenge. Mr. Featherstone, who had worked at just three companies over the previous 22 years, quickly realized his contact list was sorely out of date.

Four months later, the former IT manager has found many former colleagues, but in retrospect he says he has learned a valuable lesson: "You have to be ready to move at a moment's notice, you aren't going to work for the same company for 50 years."



Many laid-off professionals who've worked at the same company -- or just a few firms -- over their careers may find that their networks have gone stale. Experts recommend networking be done consistently and be nurtured throughout a career, but that's not always feasible in a world of 70-hour workweeks and family commitments. There are ways to jump start a network that's out-of-date and to rebuild rapport with former friends and colleagues.

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GUIDE TO GETTING A JOB OVER 50

Dead Ends
First, you actually have to find these people. The email address you used a year ago may yield only a bounceback message now. Michael Duncan, 44, was laid off from a software-development firm in late October. While working for the same company for 11 years, Mr. Duncan hadn't done much networking. "I just had this assumption that I didn't need to worry about it," he says.

To rebuild his network he emailed former colleagues, did Internet searches and asked ex-coworkers to reconnect him to people they have stayed in touch with. But Mr. Duncan has had trouble locating former managers for references, particularly a manager who moved overseas, whom he still hasn't found.

Social- and business-networking sites such as LinkedIn and Plaxo are good ways to find old connections. LinkedIn officials say the site has seen a 36% increase in membership over the past six months as executives scramble to rebuild their networks. You can search by name or company to find old acquaintances. Personalize your network invitation request with a memory the two of you shared or a reminder of who you are, says Cheryl Yung, a senior vice president of outplacement firm Lee Hecht Harrison. Once you've re-established your relationship, you can also view the friends of your connections, and request an introduction to people at companies that interest you.

If you already have a LinkedIn account, keep it current. An update on David Stevens's LinkedIn status indicating that he was "up for grabs" spurred one of his contacts to alert him to a job opportunity. He interviewed for the job and within two weeks of being laid off, he was back at work.

Once you've located people in your old network, a simple holiday card to a former manager or colleague -- or calling to wish them a happy New Year -- can reopen dialogue, says Ms. Yung.

It can be daunting or uncomfortable contacting people you haven't spoken to in years -- especially when you've just been laid off. But, you can use the spirit of the season as a crutch; December and January are prime months to get reacquainted with old friends and colleagues. Also, try to attend as many holiday parties as you can; look for people you've lost touch with and speak to people you've never met, advises Bettina Seidman, a New York career-management counselor.

Once you've made contact, arrange a meeting. "Email and networking sites speed up the communication, but they don't do the networking for you," says Liz Lynch, author of "Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online." Career coaches say it's critical to set up in-person meetings and attend networking events. Be mindful of your contact's time; you might not be the only one asking for help. Ask for 10 minutes to chat, or offer to catch up over coffee or lunch, says Ms. Lynch.

Click here to read part 2 of this article

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