The More Things Change

The more they stay the same

There is an old saying that goes something like this: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Believe it not this applies to your 2021 job search.

Sure there are a lot of things that are different today. Automated Tracking Systems (ATS), LinkedIn, Zoom interviews, just to name a few. While some of these can be challenges for the older job seeker, none of these things are insurmountable.

With care, diligence, attention to detail, and perhaps a little help from a friend, colleague or family member, you can achieve proficiency in whatever the job-search world can throw your way. Some may be tougher than others, and some you may never “master” (but being proficient may be good enough) but none of them should be deal breakers.

On the other hand, let’s take a minute to look at what hasn’t changed in the 2021 job search.

Data published nearby shows that 70 percent of all jobs are not published. This fact may take ATS and online jobs boards off the table. Granted, finding them may not be easy, but finding them wasn’t easy 40 years ago also. But they were found. Actually, with today’s technology, finding those unpublished jobs may be easier today than it was 40 years ago.

Also – and you may not think that this is good news, but it is – research indicates that, in 2021, at least 80 percent of all positions are filled through networking. The bad news, of course, is that most in-person networking (temporarily) has vanished, but online networking is still happening and actually may be better for you. Think about it: no bar tab, no drive time, you easily can attend more than one meeting per evening. There’s a lot to be said for that.

Finally, the best news for the older job seeker is that, just as before, employers still value what you have to offer most: experience. You’ve been there; done that. And you can’t Google experience.