Article by Ceri Wheeldon
I often get asked this question ( I have enjoyed a long career as a headhunter). No one is pretending that looking for employment is easy in today’s economy, but stay positive and with the right approach it should be no more difficult at this age than any other decade.Most of the aspects of your jobsearch have been covered in previous articles, so here is a quick summary with links to appropriate resources:
- Planning your jobsearch. Be structured in your approach- treat looking for employment as your job!
- Updating your skills. Do you have the skills employers are looking for in today’s marketplace? Do you need to update professional qualifications or technical skills? Are you proficient in the relevant software packages and social media applications – if not how quickly can you get up to speed?
- Embrace the Internet. Using the internet to find your next job.
- Putting together a CV. Are you highlighting relevant, marketable skills? Does your CV include the keywords employers would be looking for to match your skills to their job? Are you using the correct job titles to describe what you do?
- Preparing for interviews. Preparation and practice are key – don’t waste the opportunity to impress at interview.
- Coping with rejection during the jobsearch process. Learn from rejection and build on the positives.
- Portfolio working. Finding it difficult to find full-time employment? Many people today are embracing at ‘portfolio’ working – looking at a mix of part-time employment and self-employment. If you have skills which are of interest to several companies on a part-time basis rather than one company on a full-time basis then self employment might be a way forward for you. For example many small businesses need help with administration , diary management and social media opening opportunities for individuals with skills to offer support in this area. Others may needsales and marketing help on a part-time/freelance basis.
- Have you always had a dream to turn an idea or passion into a business? Then why not evaluate if your idea is viable as a business.
Remember, women over 50 make great employees – you are far from being at the end of your career and still have plenty of opportunity to progress.
Ceri Wheeldon
Ceri is Founder and Editor of Fabafterfifty.co.uk She is also a headhunter with 20+ years experience working on international assignments and offers a jobsearch coaching service to jobseekers
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I would say that it is simply down to the HR people/interviewers and how they perceive age. Some will immediately pigeon hole an older person and view your age with negativity or others will disregard it and think of it positively and think about the advantages you have to offer, like a wealth of experience.
I dont want to sound negative, but it simply is not easy. I had to retrain in another career. It seems that if you have been raising your children for a while, you are penalised. One employer many, many years ago, told me to go and have children!!! I was about 27 at the time, sadly, it does not seem to have changed very much. Now I am 54, and I am working in the Security industry, as I jobsearched for 4 years for a role in Administration (which I had experience) and often done volunteering as an Administrator. My CV was filled with experience and skills, but no job joy!! When I was asked whether I would consider Security work, as they were crying out for females, I then decided that I would give it a try. I worked for 1 year at a Wine Bar as a Door Supervisor. Now I am starting work on the Olympic Village. It is not for everyone. To be honest, my children have grown and dont live at home anymore, and I just want to carve out a career for myself, and make some money to have holidays and treats, which I hadn’t had for quite some time. I cant see myself retiring anytime soon. Getting out and meeting people really stops you from isolating yourself, which is what I did.