1) Don’t feel obligated to share your age.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act makes it illegal for companies to discriminate against workers who are over the age of 40. Questions designed to reveal your age during interviews aren’t legal either, so don’t feel obligated to answer them, or to make it a point to tell potential employers your age upfront. For those looking to work remotely, the initial interview is conducted many times by phone or email, which can be a plus for older jobseekers.
Age tip-offs include email addresses; Hotmail and other ‘older’ email providers can be a clue to age. Open a Gmail account for job hunting. Remove the years from your education – no one needs to know exactly what year you graduated from University, as long as you have that degree (or not) that’s all that matters. Add only the most relevant experience to the job you are applying to on your resume – the last 10-15 years should do.”
2) Do focus on your relevant work experience to the position at hand.
Positioning yourself as a ‘mentor’ or ‘consultant’ in your area of expertise can be a great way to secure remote work opportunities.Reaching out to potential employers and offering to connect with them by phone, video or email to provide professional insight into how you can help their business, and introduce your ongoing services to them is a viable option for seasoned career experts. When confronting misperceptions in your job search, it is always better to “show” than to “tell”.
3) Don’t list dates for education and positions that are more than 10 years old on your resumé.
Jobseekers over 50 should only include the last 10-15 years of work experience on their resume. They should also leave off dates from college (if they graduated over 10 years ago). It’s important to make sure your resume really communicates your value, especially in the summary and the most recent position. Your achievements should be highlighted and the summary should communicate achievements and strengths that are most relevant to the position they are applying for.”
4) Do keep up on technology advances.
The latest apps and technology will continue to change and advance, most likely at a faster pace than the majority of us will be able to keep up with. However, it is crucial that you stay abreast of at least the technology advancements within your own career field if you want to stay competitive. Hiring an older employee usually means extra training cost, which has to be counterbalanced by the fact that the employee will outperform as a result of the aggregate experience you may have gained throughout your career. Become aware of the latest tools and technology trends within your career and take online classes, watch videos and learn to use the technology to increase your productivity.
5) Do exhibit enthusiasm and positivity when interviewing for a position.
No matter your age, negativity won’t shine a good light on you for prospective employers. Bringing up past problems with co-workers or focusing on how much more experienced you are than other prospects won’t get you the job. A negative attitude isn’t good for employee morale or for productivity, so stay positive during your interview
6) Do take advantage of networking you’ve built in the past.
Networking is the most effective way to find and be offered any type of position, remote or otherwise. If you are an older worker, chances are you have created a network of associates and professionals you can reach out to who will be able to connect you with hiring managers currently looking to fill available roles. Networking is key for the over 50 job seeker! You’ve built an incredible network over the course of your career. It’s crucial to activate that network when making a change. Focus on what you are, not what you’re not. Don’t focus on the fact that you’re not 25 anymore. Instead focus on what you have-experience, a strong reputation, great contacts and ideas. The Adler Group in 2016, 85% of jobs are filled through some type of networking, so take advantage of all the connections you’ve made over the years within your career field and seek out potential opportunities with people who can introduce you to the decision-makers of a hiring company.