Over Forty and Unemployed: Dispelling the Age Myth
What can you do if you are over forty and unemployed and come up against an interviewer's concerns about your age?
By Annabelle Reitman, thingamajob.com Staff Writer
Cheryl Thomas, over forty and "between successes", states that even though the job search for the over 40 unemployed can take longer, don't become discouraged. "Use any alternative search methods, not just the traditional ones. Find other ways to use your skills during this time (i.e., volunteer, mentor, consult, etc.). Relate your value to the organization's regarding how your strengths will impact their bottom line."
Where to Begin
Dispense age biases by emphasizing your strengths and value that comes from the breadth and length of your work experiences. A major trend in today's job market is the aging of the workforce. With increasing bankruptcies, downsizing, reorganizations, and mergers, many people in their 40's and 50"s are finding themselves looking for another position and coming up against some barriers, mainly age discrimination.
However, the impression that people over a certain age will be less effective and efficient in the workplace is a myth. Dr. David Helfand in Career Change, states that chronological age is not a factor in your ability to perform competently, that research indicates workers over 50 have, "a stronger work ethic, higher productivity, more patience, more willingness to learn, and better attitudes than their younger associates."
Dispelling the Myth
What can you do in your approach to resume development and job interviews to dispel the age myth and thereby, market yourself affirmatively and powerfully? Middle-aged people, due to their experience have strengths that younger persons do not have or have in smaller amounts. As a seasoned worker, your qualifications are based on the length and breadth of your experiences, varied job positions you may have had, and your exposure to various types of people, work settings, and situations. These strengths can include:
- Skilled in finding solutions to a wide-range of concerns and questions
- Proficiency in making presentations and writing reports
- High work standards and expectations
- Specialized industry expertise
- Employee reliability/stability
- Ability to see different situational angles based on "being there before"
- Extensive practical application knowledge
- Knowing what works and what doesn't in a specific situation
- Patience, steady, good judgment and common sense
- General life wisdom that comes from age and involvement in the world around you
Prime Time
Remember you are in the prime of your career. And, as long as you have kept up with advances in your field and your technical skills are current, you can reassure an employer that you can be a valuable asset to the organization. Furthermore, given your experience and familiarity with the responsibilities, you will be up and running with minimal downtime.
If for any reason, the age question is still pursued in some form or another, face the interviewer's worries head on by asking, "Why is it exactly that you are concerned about my age?" and then proceed to respond point by point. The professional image you want to project in the screening process is one of positivism and absolutely being the right person for the job.
RESOURCE
Career Change: Everything You Need To Know To Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career, Helfand, David. VGM Horizons. Chicago.
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