Let's Not Make Ageist Correlations

Between Age and Business Success or Failure

Doing so is not just ethically challenging, it's factually incorrect

by Abby Miller Levy at businessinsider.com
 

There's no arguing that there are legions more younger entrepreneurs than those with more years of life and work experience. But that isn't because younger founders are inherently better at business creation. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, "When you look at success rates conditional on actually starting a company, the evidence against youthful entrepreneurial success becomes even sharper. Among those who have started a firm, older entrepreneurs have a substantially higher success rate."

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Looking for a job is exhausting – physically, mentally and emotionally. Physically, a job search takes time, hours per week on a regular basis for months. Mentally, you need to stay on top of the industries and companies you are targeting, the people you have met and where you are in the process for various jobs. Emotionally, there will be ups and downs as some applications turn into interviews, but some go nowhere.

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Job searching is always a challenge, but when unemployment is high, pay reductions are widespread, and anxiety is rampant, it’s even more difficult. Worse yet, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the number of unemployed persons per job opening was almost 4 times higher in April compared to March. As more Americans lose their jobs and cash-strapped employers administer hiring freezes, more candidates will compete for the same position.

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How To Find Hope During A Career Crisis

5 proven strategies from 4 career-coaching experts

by Nancy Collamer at nextavenue.org
 

How do you stay hopeful about your career during times like these?

    It’s a tall order. Unemployment is near record highs. Hiring is sluggish. And the triple whammy of continued economic volatility, civil unrest and COVID-19 has us all on edge.

    Yet whether you’re out of work, overworked or stuck in a dead-end job, the key to change is to believe that change is possible.

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When you’re feeling at your lowest ebb, job seeking can feel like a lonely endeavor. While those feelings of abandonment can be justified, the reality is that a successful job search is nothing like a solitary pursuit.

    Let’s start close to home. Your spouse, your family, your immediate relatives aren’t just capable of providing moral support, any one of them may know someone. Or they may know someone who knows someone, etc.

    On a more professional level, there are recruiters, job coaches, et.al. They are all there to advance your best interest. But these are people whom you have sought out. These are people who themselves have something to gain when you succeed in landing that next position.

    But let’s not stop there. You have former co-workers. There are probably vendors with whom you’ve worked over time. There may be people you’ve come to know who are technically competitors. All of those people can – in one way, shape or form – help you in your job search.

    But there’s a catch. There always is.

    In this case, the catch is that you need to tell them that you’re looking, that you’re available. If you don’t tell them that you’re seeking a new position, they won’t know. And if they don’t know, they won’t be able to help. They won’t recognize what could be an ideal opportunity for you.

    When it’s appropriate, make certain that they’ve have (or have seen) a copy of your resume; that they can find you on LinkedIn. Be sure that they know how to introduce you to anyone who might cross their paths.

    But don’t stop there. Maintain contact with all these potentials. A word to the wise: be certain you know how comfortable these individuals are – not just with you contacting them, but also how often it is appropriate for you to contact them. That frequency will vary from person to person. But learn what it is and adhere to it. There is fine line between being assertive or aggressive, and being a pest.

    In the end, there any number of people out there who can help you in your job search. But you have to tell them.