Starting Your Job
Search Correctly
When we talked with the professionals who assist Job
Candidates for a living, some striking areas of importance ran through all our
conversations. These were items that they all mentioned at one time or another.
Consider them when you are starting your job search.
Figure Out What
You Want
So you want a new job, but do you know exactly what you’re
are you looking for? At the beginning of
a job search process, it’s important to hone in on exactly the types of
opportunities you’re looking for by thinking about your passions, likes/dislikes,
skills, and needs. What kind of company
or organization do you want to work for?
What activities do you like doing at work? How many hours per week do you want to
work? These types of questions will help
you figure out what roles will be most satisfying so you can adjust your search
to focus on those jobs. Also, it’s
always a good idea to discuss these things with your friends and family.
Know Your Story
And Be Consistent
A large part of getting a new job is convincing a
prospective employer that your “story” lines up with their vision of the future
employee for the role. You have to
convince them that you’re the right person for the job by showing passion for
the role, knowledge of the company and industry, and relevant skills and experience. Your personal story should be supported by
your resume and LinkedIn profile and you must stay consistent in your
communications throughout the hiring process from what you write in the cover
letter to what you say during interviews.
Use Multiple
Approaches To Find Jobs
Company websites, job boards, LinkedIn connections,
networking, conferences, job fairs…where do you start? You can find lots of advice on how to use
each of these avenues to find your dream job, however, the bottom line is that
you should determine which combination is best for finding the type of jobs
that you are seeking in your area. You
can do this by researching the industries and types of roles you’re interested
in and by talking to people in your desired field. Try using different approaches to figure out
what works and don’t be afraid to discuss your search with friends and former
coworkers – you never know who will have a lead on a prime job opportunity.
Recognize Job
Searching Is Difficult And Ageism Exists
A lot of over 50 job seekers haven’t searched for a job in a
while and get discouraged when success doesn’t materialize right away. The fact is: job searching is hard for
everybody and it’s rare to get one of the first jobs you apply for, no matter
what your age. At that same time, you
must face the fact that ageism does exist and it’s something you may have to
overcome. Don’t get discouraged, don’t
get bitter, and emphasize your strengths and the benefits of hiring an
experienced employee.
Stay Motivated And
Establish A Routine
The single biggest point of failure for most over 50 job
seekers is persistence. Many times,
searching for a job requires tons of energy over an extended period of time and
it’s easy to get discouraged. This is
normal! Sustaining a job search is
difficult and the best way to overcome this problem is by establishing a
routine for your job search efforts.
Maybe you devote two hours every Sunday, or one night during the work
week, or even one hour every other day, but no matter what you chose make sure
it’s a pattern you can stick to. A
little planning and repetition can make all the difference in sustaining your
search and achieving the result you deserve.