Having recently gone through an employment change at 55, I battled my
own demons as I thought about the possibility that somebody would
actually hire me, versus the options a potential employer has to fill
their openings with someone younger and cheaper.
It wasn’t just about finding a job. It was about finding a job I
wanted. It was about taking whatever steps necessary to “stand out”
among the candidates being considered for the role I was interested
in. Preparing myself to compete in a tight job market required me to
take stock of the factors that were motivating me to action.
The first was reflecting on the question, “Why am I still looking to
be gainfully employed at my age?” My dad retired at 59, and he’s
enjoyed his retirement to this very day (he turns 84 this year). In the
generation of my parents, with life expectancy a decade less than it is
today, retiring between 60 and 65 years of age was the norm. Looking at
my generation, many of us “Baby Boomers” lead healthier lives than our
parents did. We eat better, exercise more, smoke less, and take better
care of ourselves. We can expect to live longer. Given this, why not
extend our professional careers at least a decade beyond that of our
parents?
Another factor influencing people to remain employed longer is a financial one.
Not being children of the Depression Era, our spending and saving
habits were not as rigorous as our parents, and many of us extended
ourselves, having taken on bigger mortgages, and paid to put our
children through private high schools and college. Additionally, we may
have gone overboard with the wedding plans for our children. The list of
financial commitments made over the years is staggering.
Whether by choice or necessity, many of us who may have wanted to
retire at the age our parents did could be facing another 10 years of
employment, with retirement more likely closer to 70 years of age versus
60, particularly if we want to live comfortably in our “Golden Years”.
There are many things you can do to strengthen your candidacy when you
are faced with finding employment in your fifties or later. Here are
four areas to focus on:
1) Research the market rates for the positions that you plan to apply for
You need to understand what the market is willing to pay for a person
with your background and experience. Know that your most recent total
compensation package may not represent what the market is willing to
pay. This is particularly true if you were released from a company that
employed you for many years, providing you with annual increases that
brought your total income to a level that is no longer “marked to
market”. This is important. While you may feel you deserve every dollar that you made,
you need to understand that if your goal is to earn “not a penny less”
in your next job, you may be searching for a job for a long time. Make
an effort to understand what the market is willing to pay for a person
with your experience, and prepare yourself to be willing to accept this
level of compensation.
2) Maintain your professional networks
It may be overstating the obvious to remind you that who you know is
more important than what you know. Don’t confuse this point, because
what you know is in fact important, it’s just that who you know is more
important first.
Today, the internet is an easy and effective way to identify
employment opportunities (Monster, Dice, CareerBuilder, Indeed, etc).
Research the companies offering the jobs by perusing their websites.
Find out who is employed at those companies by scouring a source like
LinkedIn and research what is being said about the quality of those
firms as an employer (Glassdoor is a good site
for gathering this intelligence.) Once you have done your research
submit your resume and cover letter. Sounds easy, right? It is not.
If everybody is looking for a job in this manner, you need to
differentiate yourself from everyone else. How can you do so? Use your
social networks! Do you know anybody who is employed at the company
where you are a candidate? Would they recommend you? Have you worked
with them in the past? Have you kept up with them, so they would be
comfortable recommending you? If you’re not great about keeping up with
current and former work colleagues, professional acquaintances,
fraternity or sorority brothers and sisters, etc., then make a renewed
effort at this, as it will most likely pay off for you when you most
need it.
3) Don’t become obsolete
As you age, you must embrace technology and its rapid daily
evolvement. I know you have no idea what makes a “smart phone” smart,
and for the life of you, you don’t understand why your daughter keeps
insisting on installing something called a “router” in your house.
Here’s the best advice that I can give you: Don’t become your
father. Remember how after they stopped making vinyl records, he stopped
having an interest in music? Think about how every time he comes to
your house, he pushes every button on your remote controls, to the point
it takes you an hour to get everything back to normal. It’s safe to say
that at some point, he made a decision to stop embracing technological
change, and now he’s become an outlier when it comes to understanding
how the advances in technology enable and empower the world in which we
live and work. It is imperative you keep up with technological change
and embrace it. Don’t allow yourself to become the equivalent of a
“technology dinosaur.” Today’s companies embrace technology and use it
to their advantage when competing for business. Don’t allow yourself to
be eliminated from consideration for a job you desire because you have
lost touch with technology.
4) Preparation, preparation, preparation!
The great basketball coach John Wooden said, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. I couldn’t agree more, nor could I give better advice. Here are several key components to being prepared:
- Have your resume professionally done for you – There are
dozens of companies willing to help you with this, many of whom will do
it for free. Most employment companies have a “resume production” team
or capability, and can work with you to create a resume that is germane to your experience and highlights your greatest competencies.
- Check your wardrobe – Have you been working in a “business
casual” environment for years? Does your suit or blouse no longer fit
the way it did when you purchased it? Is the style of your clothing
representative of a different time? Spend a little money to make certain
the first impression you make is a quality one.
- Have you researched the company you will be interviewing with – Do
you know what their annual revenue is? Do you know what their primary
product and service offerings are? Are they a public company? If so,
what is their stock trading at? Do you know where their primary offices
are? Do you know who their main competitors are? Have you read their
website? Do you know who the members of the leadership team are? Take
the time to learn this information, as it may distinguish you from your
competitors during your interview.
- Interview your interviewer - This is a must! When the
interviewer finally asks you if you have any questions, it is not ok to
say, “No, not at this time.” Be prepared to ask your interviewer two or
three questions. Asking questions expresses genuine interest on your
part. Here are a few you can ask:
- “What are the strategic plans for growth for the company over the next three years?”
- “Who are your main competitors, and how do you go about beating them, in the markets where you compete with them directly?”
- “What is the company’s commitment to community service?”
- “Does your company have a Mission Statement or Core Values statement?”
- “How would you describe the culture of your organization?”
Conclusion
While the “Baby Boomer generation” is more inclined to seek permanent
employment, the workplace has evolved to a point where most companies
now employ a mix of consultants and contractors as a strategic component
to their workforce. Many staffing companies work with their clients to
place both permanent and temporary workers with them, and can be a
terrific resource in helping you find that next great job. These tips
are equally useful should you desire to pursue contract work instead of
permanent employment. Hopefully I have given you enough information to
encourage you to tackle the employment marketplace with
confidence. Great luck and success in landing your next big role, even
though you’ve moved well through your 50s and your 60s are fast
approaching!
Author: Thomas Hart joined Eliassen Group
as its Staffing Business Development Leader and CMO in October 2012. He
also served as the senior executive for Fidelity’s HR Access Solutions
in Paris, France, from 2004 through 2006.
