Taking a step back might be in your best interest
Any job search can be an emotional roller coaster, a mental grind, and even physically draining. That’s true for anyone, but even more so for an older job seeker. At our age, a job search – especially a protracted one – can be devastating.
For most people in this situation, the first reaction is to get right back on that horse; immediately start looking for a job. Unfortunately, that initial burst of job seeking energy is usually focused on recapturing what you just left. That’s understandable.
But things are different today. Different from the perspective of the job seeking world where LinkedIn, ATS, online interviews, et.al. have come to dominate.
Job seeking is also different from your perspective as well. Let’s face it. You’re no longer the bright-eyed, energetic young Turk you were in years back.
Don’t misunderstand. You’re still valuable; you’re still bringing a lot to the table; you still have a lot to offer. You’re just not the dynamo that you once were. The advantages of hiring you today are much different that they were.
Before you charge off in ten different directions at once, it might wise to take a step back and re-evaluate yourself. Take some quality time to accurately assess your strengths and shortcomings. Seek input from wherever you can find it: spouses, former co-workers, friends, etc.
The sooner you do this the better. It won’t take long to get caught up in the day-to-day of the job search so much so as to lose your focus, your direction.
Wasn’t it Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat who said, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there”?