Challenges Faced by Older Workers
By Michele Blandino
Losing your job is never a pleasant experience. Amid the self-doubt and feelings of failure, you need to try to summon the courage - and energy - to find another job. It's a long process and involves updating your resume, scouring the classifieds, and firing off scores of cover letters to prospective employers. To be sure, job-hunting is not a task for the faint of heart.
The task becomes even more difficult for job-seekers who are over the age of 40.
Problems Unique to the over-40 Crowd
There are a number of problems faced by older job-seekers. One of the biggest issues they confront is proving their ability. Often perceived as "over-the-hill" by many younger managers, "mature" job-seekers have the added burden of convincing prospective employers that they are just as capable of completing the job as younger candidates. Add to this the concern that some managers have about the ability of an older worker to "fit in" to the corporate culture, and it becomes easy to see why older workers have such a difficult time securing a job.
Interestingly, these same managers who are reluctant to give older workers a chance will be the first to say that they believe older workers are far more dependable and productive than their younger counterparts.
So, what's a recently unemployed 40-something to do?
A Change in Strategy
Before jumping head first into the job market pool, it's best to take the time to do some research. By recognizing that the job-search strategies typically used by a 30 year-old job-seeker may not have the same success for those over 40, you will be one step closer to landing your next job.
For instance, in most cases it might be wise to limit your resume to the jobs you have held over the last 10 years. Besides providing further illustration of just how long you have been working, chances are, the jobs you held over ten years ago required skills that are now obsolete.
Likewise, in the "Education" section of your resume, list any relevant training you have completed before your formal education. Not only will this illustrate your commitment to remaining abreast of current trends, it will help convince prospective employers of your ability to learn new skills.
And speaking of current trends, before heading out for an interview, you will greatly increase your chances of receiving further consideration if you take the time to learn about the latest industry developments. Scour the company's website as well as the sites of their major competitors to learn about the latest technology, products and issues facing the company.
For More Information:
Here are a few sites that cater to the needs to the "mature" job-seeker:
