How to Combat Age Discrimination as a Job Seeker

super-heroApparently it’s not just Hollywood that has a love affair with youth. Many employers seem to as well. I’m reminded of the problems older job seekers face every time I talk with them at a workshop or interview them for a resume or LinkedIn makeover.

So, these tips are especially for you if you were born before 1965.

If you are unemployed because you were laid off, resist the temptation to take a vacation. Don’t act retired. Instead, dive into the job hunt! Doing so demonstrates your strong work ethic and youthful enthusiasm. Employers love a positive attitude and a passion for work.

Face it: some industries are going to be more receptive to boomers than other industries. Therefore, be practical about where you look for jobs. Smaller, more traditional organizations, including nonprofits, trade associations and niche educational programs, usually have smaller staffs, and are more likely to value experience and expertise.

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5 Steps to Planning Your Job Search

daily_plannerIf one of your goals for 2015 is to advance your career with a better job, let’s get started!

For most people, just the thought of looking for work – the research, the applications, the interviews, the networking – seems daunting. But if you break the process into manageable steps, you’ll feel in control, be able to track your efforts, and have better “luck” finding that dream job.

Here is my list of the five most important steps to get a new job.Read more

How to Look for Work When You Have a Job

look-for-work-copy“If my boss thinks I might quit, he won’t trust me. He won’t give me any big projects or more responsibilities.”

“My current company has an informal policy to fire you if they learn you are looking for a new job.”

“If my co-workers know I’m thinking of leaving, they won’t see me as a team player anymore.”

“My supervisor will be so mad he’ll never give me a good recommendation.”

These are some of the concerns I hear from clients who are planning to look for work while they are still employed. Clearly, job hunting while still employed is tricky.Read more

If You Think You’ll Lose Your Job

I talk to people all the time who have been fired. Sometimes they see it coming, and sometimes it’s a surprise.

Kaitlyn worked as a research lab technician. She told me, “I noticed I was being left out of key decisions and meetings.” She suspected that a change was coming.

But for another client, Carlos, an events coordinator, the pink slip came as a shock. He told me, “I didn’t even realize the company was in trouble and getting ready to downsize.”

Because it’s always easier to find a job when you have a job, having your resume up-to-date is just plain smart. Even if your present position isn’t in jeopardy, you never know when opportunity—a better job—will come looking for you.Read more

50 Ways to Be a Better Networker

hello-im-new-copyMore than a third of all people found their last job because of someone they knew.

If that’s not enough to push your networking efforts into high gear, I don’t know what will.

Networking isn’t a skill that comes naturally to everyone. Most people have to learn how. Making connections with other people can be especially difficult if you are shy, introverted, young, or lacking social skills.

Whatever your business experience or social comfort level, it’s not difficult to improve your networking skills. You don’t need a teacher or a seminar, just some new habits.

Here’s a list of 50 habits to master. Learn these and you’ll be on your way to building a the kind of network that advances your career.Read more

How to Ace the Phone Interview

Do you dread the phone interview? Afraid your voice will sound weak or nasal?

Or you’ll get tongue-tied?

Or say something stupid?

Or not have time to elaborate on your qualifications?

Or that the interviewer will call when your children are fighting, the television is at full volume cartoon soundtrack, and you’re in the middle of stir frying dinner?

There are ways around all these problems. And they are all simple solutions. You can score high on a telephone interview with a little know-how and prep work.Read more