Age discrimination can be an issue for job seekers, even for those in their thirties or forties. Here are strategies which can address age discrimination issues when job searching.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Several Hours
Here's How:
- When writing your resume, limit your experience to fifteen years for a managerial job, ten years for a technical job, and five years for a high-tech job. Leave your other experience off your resume or list it without dates in an Other Experience category.
- Consider using a functional resume rather than a chronological resume.
- Ditch the dates. There is no need to list when you went to college, especially when it was years and years ago.
- Make it clear in your cover letter and when interviewing that you're willing to be flexible and interested in learning. Be able to give concrete examples of your flexibility.
- Keep your skills up-to-date. If your technical skills haven't kept up with the times consider taking a course or seminar to keep current.
- Consider salary and benefits packages. Are your expectations realistic? An employer isn't going to pay you more than a younger candidate simply because you have been in the workforce for thirty years.
- Project energy and enthusiasm to counteract the misperception that older workers don't have it. When interviewing, be positive and energized.
- Don't blame your age if you don't get the job. It certainly might be the case, but, continue your job search, ensuring that your resume, cover letter and interviewing skills are all top notch.
What You Need:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Interviewing Skills
- Technical Skills
- Positive Attitude
