The job market is showing signs of recovery, and if you are Baby Boomer who has given up, it's time to get back in the game.
The job market is showing promise this year, and for many people, it is time to start thinking about putting their job search in high gear. This is especially true for the Baby Boomers who have given up on finding a new job.
Unfortunately, over the past two years, as the job market got tighter, the people who had the hardest time finding new jobs were older, more established professionals. In fact, many of them gave up altogether. But, now is the time to dust off those resumes and get back in the game.
If you are trying to get on track with your job search, here are a few tips to help you put your best foot forward:
- Polish your resume, or hire a professional – Resumes have changed a lot over the years, and now they are a much more condensed advertisement of who you are and what skills and experience you have to offer. If you are having trouble trimming up and streamlining your resume, consider reading a few recent books on resume writing or hire a professional resume writing service, like the one offered at Nexxt. Your resume is your first impression, and its a worthwhile investment (and tax deductible in some cases).
- Plan to overcome age bias if you're over 50 – Age discrimination is illegal, but that doesn't mean that it never happens. A good way to overcome the bias is to highlight your unique skills and experience. You also should be sure to give off the impression of someone who is physically active and willing to adapt to new methods of doing thing.
- Be prepared for an interviewer to say that you are overqualified – The best way to overcome this stereotype is to prepare for the objection ahead of time. If a hiring manager expresses concerns about you over-qualifications, be sure to highlight your unique experience and assure them that you would be happy working at the position. All it takes is a little bit of spin for an interviewer to see that they would be the ones to gain when they choose a seasoned employee for the position.
- Update your skills – Take a look at your skills and certifications to see where there are areas that could use updating. Take some advanced computer classes or other training courses. Not only will this add to your desirability as a candidate, but it will help overcome any age bias by showing that you are willing to change and update your skill to handle a changing workplace.
- Stay positive – If you give up inside, but keep going to interviews, it shows. Employers want to hire enthusiastic employees. If you are feeling discouraged, find some healthy way to channel those feelings and look for things to be positive about. When you are confident, it shows in everything you do.
If you haven't had luck finding the right job so far, don't give up. As the job market continues to improve, there will be more job openings, and one of them may be the job of your dreams.
What do you think is the most important thing to do when you are getting back into the job market? Let me know in the comments.
If you are looking for a job in Sales, visit SalesHeads for the best Sales job listings.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for SalesHeadsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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