Mature job seekers can find solace… when they look for it
➔ It’s not uncommon for job seekers to get down on themselves or to lash out in frustration. Let’s face it. Looking for a job – especially over the age of 50 – can be frustrating, depressing and who knows what else?
But there is good news, if you look for it and if you can recognize it when you see it.
Peel back the onion
According to Google and several others, what is the reason most job applicants are turned away or don’t make the cut? Typically, it has to do with experience. Either the applicant doesn’t have enough experience or doesn’t have the right kind of experience.
And how does that help the older job seeker?
It’s simple really. If you’re over age 50, what is usually your strongest point? It’s your experience. You’ve worked for years, or decades. You probably have more experience than several younger applicants combined. If anything, many experts advise older clients to cut back on the experience portion of their resumes in order to not betray their advanced ages.
Many recruiters and job coaches echo those sentiments. They usually tell older job seekers that their experience is their strong suite. It’s something that they should be bragging about.
Granted, experience is not the only reason applicants are sent packing, but being the leading cause of rejection, experience dovetails nicely into the older person’s strength.