You might be needing a date for the “junior” prom
Since the Covid exploded on the scene last spring, the job market has experienced more than just a few tremors of its own.
Almost overnight we went from job seekers being in the driver’s seat to an abundance of candidates for all sorts of jobs. This increased competition for fewer job opportunities has driven many employers to look at senior people for junior positions.
This opens a real Pandora’s Box for older job seekers by presenting questions you never thought you would have to answer. Here are a few of them.
One. The most obvious hurdle for a senior job seeker considering a junior position is financial. Most likely the employer will want a senior person but will be hoping to only have to pay junior wages. It’s a tough question for the older job seeker. How much of a pay cut would you be willing to take? And, how flexible might that employer be in paying you what you’re worth?
Two. For some this won’t be an issue, while for others… Will you be willing to work for a younger boss? It may not be as simple and as easy as one might expect.
Three. If you enter the company at a junior position, how likely is it that you can rise to a senior position that more closely approximates your experience and expertise? And, if so, how quickly could that happen? You really don’t want to be mired in the basement for 20 years.
Four. This may not apply to all senior-junior switches, but for some positions it is relevant. Is the work which had been designated for a junior person be more physically demanding or even too intellectually strenuous for an older, more senior person? Can you run as far and as fast as you did 20 years ago?
For many older, senior job seekers, none of these may be issues. Some may never have crossed your mind. But, for some, any one of them could be a deal breaker and you should be able to make that assessment before it’s too late.
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