You know what confuses and disappoints me most in life right now? LOOKING FOR A JOB. Sure, people and society disappoint me (not that I’m any better), but really, that’s my problem because I’m still for hoping that we’ve moved on as a people to want to actually help each other.
I know. I’m an optimist.
I also understand that companies exist to make money. Maybe they provide useful products or services, but the bottom line is always the bottom line.
As a person tickling age 50 come August, I have been surprised at the ageism that seems to be rampant in the job market these days. I know it’s nothing new, but, when paired with the internet, it presents a whole new challenge set that my parents didn’t have to deal with as young adults and even what I had to deal with as a teenager. Then, add misleading job descriptions, and it makes folks my age step back because we’re not newly out of college or in our 20’s. I understand that in many ways: new grads are easier to train, have fresh knowledge and are more pliable, etc. But they also don’t have the real-life experience that we do [I’m going to refer to applicants age 35+ as “us” and “we”].
I have a master’s degree for goodness sake, and no one seems to find any value in that, even when I say that I am not looking for major money or some kind of superior position in the company. I know that people work hard to earn those positions, and I would never want to just waltz in and take over because I have a degree that required me to complete more years of college than them. Plus, not everyone is made for college.
I have been applying online and in person for a while now for a variety of jobs, and I want to share the most common misleading and inapplicable information out there for people like us so you can save yourself the hassle. This is by no means an exhaustive list and I am not claiming to be an expert. This is just what I have experienced personally. And we always have to start with…
RESUME
Of course, you need to have a great resume. For people like us, we could probably go a couple of decades back to our first jobs. Mine was at 16. I’m 49. You do the math. My resume could be 10 pages long. Some companies ask for your employment history for the last 10 years or so. Even if you were President of Qatar in 1991, that’s probably something you need to leave off of your resume, unless you made a career in International politics, and in that case, why are you looking for a job? Think about it…if you’re listing some place you worked 20 years ago, what is the HR person probably going to think? OLD.
Limit your employment history to the last 10 years, even if you spent them raising kids or climbing Mt. Everest. Also, when you describe your “job duties,” try to use sentences that emphasize your contributions to that organization. If you worked for Hooters, try something like, “I helped my employer deliver superior customer service to the patrons I served and was often revisited and requested by customers that appreciated my attentiveness, my smile and my drive to make sure that they left the restaurant happy.” Highlight the things that you achieved while you were employed there.
There are tons of resume writing companies out there, and many of them provide “testimonials” or “free samples.” Download some of those and use them as guides and you won’t pay anything to revamp your resume or CV. If you DO want to use a service, expect to pay anything from $100 to even $1,000.
COVER LETTER
Using the basic rules of the resume, tailor make your cover letter to the job requirements advertised. For example, “I can bring my experience with Microsoft Office Suite and my excellent customer service skills to help grow or continue the success of COMPANY X.” Don’t ever be generic – for example “…grow or continue the success for your company.” Use the name of the company as many times as you can, as long as it doesn’t sound weird. “I can bring my enthusiasm to X Company because I have the skills X Company is needing to grow X Company.” That’s weird.
REFERENCES
Use references that are applicable to the job. For example, don’t list the foreman in your past construction job as a reference for an Administrative Assistant job, unless you had performed Administrative Assitant duties for that reference. Also, get permission to use the names and information that you list for references if at all possible, so if the company you applied to calls, your former employer (or whomever you list) is not blindsided.
APPLYING
These days, everyone wants applications submitted online. The days of “hitting the pavement” are pretty much over, though I think it’s nice to follow up an online application by stopping by the company you applied to with a paper resume and inquire if you may speak to the hiring manager if possible.
I am not a fan of online applications because they seem to go into some black hole in the internet and it is sometimes difficult to determine if anyone has even looked at it. Many companies have automated systems that will send an email saying that your resume has been received. Some even give you a URL to check the status of your application. My advice to you is, if you have found a posted job that you really feel fits you, follow up with a phone call to the Human Resources Manager (HR).
I think a lot of us are using job finding services like Indeed, Monster and Zip Recruiter. I have found those three companies to be pretty reliable. I’m sure you’ll have great success if you are highly skilled in a trade or want to get into (or back into) sales. I am no good at sales, so I really don’t want to apply for jobs like that; however, this is where it gets tricky.
If you are using a job finding service and get some of these words, phrases and signs, you may NOT be applying directly to the organization you are interested in, if at all. You may be a looking at a phishing website (a place that collects your information and then sells it to whomever pays).
Look for these phrases:
- “Congratulations! You have an interview!” – when you haven’t spoken to, or at least emailed with the company in question, and you get an email like this, it’s probably a phisher. You can click the button to “go on” and you’ll be inundated with websites and offers for resume writing, etc. This is basically what folks call “click bait,” meaning that if you do click on one of these “offers,” than the host company will get some kind of financial reward.
- “You’re hired!” – another clickbait scam unless you have had some history interviewing with the company. If you actually get hired, someone will tell you in a phone call or in person.
- If you’re not looking for a sales job, the phrases, “marketing” and “customer acquisitions” are just another way to say “sales.”
MORE TIPS:
- If the job was posted and says it closes in a week or less, they are most likely hiring from within their existing employee pool.
- Be on the lookout for the phrase “new grads welcome.” Usually, they are not only welcome, but will get the job way before you, no matter how many years of experience you have.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Word of mouth is the best way to get a job. Networking functions and getting to know local business owners can give you a head start. Think about volunteering for your local Chamber of Commerce or a non-profit in your area. It’s amazing who people know.
Good luck out there, my friends. I’m sure you’ll find the “right” position for yourself. And even if you don’t, hopefully you can find something to pay the bills while you keep searching for that position that fits. This is no way an exhaustive list, but I hope that it will help you find a job if you’ve hit that age ceiling!
Stay safe and healthy!