How Do You Find a Job When You Are Over 60? | JobSearchTV.com
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Here I talk about the best technique for finding a job when you are over 60.
Recession-Proofing Your Career: Can You Help Your Organization to Be More Wolf-Like?
The question I received last week, “Is it possible to find a job when you are over 60,” is really the predecessor to this one– “How do you find a job when you are over 60?”
I really think it comes down to the fact that networking is really the way that most people find work these days. Thus, when you think about networking,
LinkedIn is really the ideal tool, but probably not in the way that you are thinking of it.
I want to acknowledge that ageism exists. I know it exists, although maybe not the degree to which people think it does but it certainly exists. It exists both ways but here we are dealing with someone who is over 60.
What do you use LinkedIn for?
Answer. Since networking is probably the way that you are going to find work, you want to be looking for organizations to hire people who look like you and are your age. You want to identify the organizations that you would like to work for and then look for profiles and backgrounds of the people who work there to see whether there are workers there who are over 60.
Clearly, there are going to be people there who are under 60 as well as workers who are in their 20s and 30s. We know this already. What we are looking for are profiles of people who work there currently who are in your age group.
From there, what you want to do is reach out to them and do some networking. Even if they left there a few years ago, they fit a similar profile.
“How did you find it working there?”.
“I noticed that you are not 24; you are more my age. What was it like working there? How did you find your position? I see you worked there for 3 years. Who are you reporting to? Your background and mine are pretty similar. How would you suggest I try to gain entry into the organization?”
Obviously, you can do this with current employees, as well. That’s really ideal. You do a search for people with your background to work a particular, reach out to them, talk with them, and set up an informational interview just like you have a million times already.
I want to be clear. When I talked to job hunters who want a solution to their situation, they want something that works every time. Sorry, this will work every time. No technique works every time.
Yet this is really the best way because the statistics say that 70% of all jobs are filled as a result of networking. In addition, 70% of the 70% (or almost half) are filled as a result of introductions and relationships to people who you’re introduced to and didn’t know at the beginning of your search.
You have to get past your comfort zone and start talking to strangers and the ideal stranger is someone like you who is your age or a general contemporary of yours who is working for an organization that you are targeting. Speak with them, ideally if they work there, or at least recently, about who you might try contacting (not in HR. Go to hiring managers directly) and see if you can networking way into a firm. That’s really going to be your best bet.
As you interview, you want to proactively raise the subject of age and talk about situations in your past. When you answer questions and tell stories, you talk about working for someone who is less experience than you and were great support person for them. You tell them that you are not trying to take over any place in the what you’re looking for is an organization we can put down roots.
Shifting Your Mindset During Your Job Search
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. He is hired to provide No BS Career Advice globally. That can involve job search, hiring staff, management, leadership, career transition and advice about resolving workplace issues. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2500 episodes.
I do a livestream on LinkedIn, and YouTube (on the JobSearchTV.com account) Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 PM Eastern. You can send your questions about job search, hiring better, management, leadership or to get advice about a workplace issue to me via messaging on LinkedIn or in chat during the approximately 30-minute show.
Website: www.TheBigGameHunter.us
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter
Courses: www.TheBigGameHunter.us/courses
Main YouTube: www.JobSearchTV.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jeffaltman
Facebook: http://facebook.com/nobscoachingadvice
Podcast: anchor.fm/nobsjobsearchadviceradio
Video Podcast: Spotify
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffaltmancoach
Medium: jeffaltmancoach.medium.com
Resume & LinkedIn Profile critiques www.TheBigGameHunter.us/critiques
My courses are available on Skillshare
CareerFitter offers a free test and if you want career recommendations, upgrade to the paid version https://www.TheBigGameHunter.us/career
We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included to www.TheBigGameHunter.us and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator.
