It's been reported that baby boomers are the new "unemployables." That's fixable. Senior professionals who have the competitive spirit of a 20-year-old, and who also have vast experience, are indispensable.
You simply have to prove the myths wrong and showcase your willingness to evolve with the developing workplace, as well as your enthusiasm to take the company to new heights. Keep in mind some sacrifices might have to be made such as a pay cut, increased work hours or enrollment in further training to refresh a dated skill you may have previously excelled at.
To land the position, senior job seekers need to differentiate themselves from the younger crowd by pinpointing companies and industries instead of appealing to the masses, and below are five tips on how to successfully do just that:
1. Reduce your Resume:
Remember your goal is to compose a resume that is congruent with what the company desires without fabricating your professional experience. Rather than displaying a multitude of skills and expertise, you need to deliver only what the employer asks for in order to get noticed. It's more effective to exhibit passion and expertise about one or two skills related to the position than a multitude of unrelated talents.
2. Customize your Cover Letter:
One of the largest mistakes job seekers make is not dedicating enough time to their cover letter or introductory email. Ninety percent of job seekers have generic cover letters that reiterate bullet points on their resume. A cover letter or intro email is the first document an employer reads, so make it stand out. Create a niche for yourself. Whether you are a .NET developer, customer service representative, or accountant, the recruiter or hiring manager is seeking something specific, so give it to them. Use the company website and research current events that pertain to the industry and incorporate this information showing what value you'd add from day one.
3. Work Backwards:
Focus your attention on five companies you are interested in and go from there. Locate current and past employees on LinkedIn or check out company websites and schedule a meeting. Don't look desperate and immediately ask about job openings. Rather, take this meeting as an opportunity to pick their brain and find out about their company's culture, growth strategy and business practices.
4. Be Honest with Yourself:
Were you really good at what you did? You were good compared to whom? Remember, if you've been out of a job for a while, you might not be the "best" at everything. If you weren't good at a certain aspect of a past position, then try to focus on a job search that emphasizes your strengths. The sooner you are able to come to terms with this, the sooner you can begin searching for a job that requires a different skill set -- yours!
5. The Interview
You need to examine your interviewing skills from how you present yourself to how you dress and how you communicate. If you can't speak in detail and drill down into the specifics of how you did something, then you're not going make a good impression. Be able to explain what you did and how you did it, along with how those beneath you did.
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