National Job Network

50-somethings: Find Meaning

Job-hunting in your 50’s can really be tough. Not only is the job market already competitive but you also have to contend with younger job seekers, downplay your age and try not to appear to be too big of an investment. And while going for a lower-paying, lower-titled job may seem like the solution, many employers hesitate to hire anyone who is overqualified for the job.

So what can you do? Actually, there are several strategies that can be used to counteract some of the bias that comes with age and land a new job.

First, you should try your best to de-emphasize your age. You can do this by emphasizing what matters most to employers – your accomplishments and experience. Also, avoid including dates, like graduation, on your resume and only include employment history from the past 15 to 20 years.

Next, call attention to your experience by offering concrete examples. For instance, instead of telling the employer that you have good communications skills, show them that you do by giving an example of how your abilities boosted your previous employer’s sales. When job hunting in your 50’s, while you might experience age discrimination, you also have something that younger job seekers don’t – a professional lifetime of experience to offer the employer.

Now it’s time to show the employer that you’re ready for a position that has real meaning. You’ve gained enough experience in the past, now you need to be able to show the employer that you’re ready for your next challenge.

Your 50’s are a time when having meaning is important to really be engaged in what you’re doing. This doesn’t necessarily mean a big job title, but a job that is interesting enough that you learn something new, are challenged on a daily basis and makes use of the skills and experience that you’ve acquired over time.

Overall, keep in mind that in your 50’s, the rewards are more in the work that in the paycheck. So do all you can to downplay the factors that might prevent you from finding this kind of fulfilling work.

While you may be an excellent company negotiator, the fact is, most people seldom face a personal negotiating experience. So when negotiating your next job offer, wouldn’t it be nice if you had a little guidance?

Diana Brewer discovered how effective it was to have someone in her negotiation corner recently when she landed her current position. With the help of ERI Personal Marketing, Diana was able to negotiate a 15 percent increase in income, a signing bonus and other benefits that weren’t initially included in her offer.

Diana told me that she doesn’t have a single complaint about the offer she negotiated. Where her initial offer was for an annual salary of $80,000, after negotiations she accepted an offer for $92,000 a year.

Additionally, she was able to negotiate a signing bonus and the option of flextime in order to benefit her and her family.

“Not only did I get support with calls, which was a great help,” Diana said. “But getting assistance with negotiations was welcomed and used.”

Diana’s marketing director at ERI Personal Marketing taught her about their 7-step negotiation system, which Diana said made all the difference.

“With the help of my team at ERI I knew what kind of attitude to have during a negotiation, what to avoid discussing and what type of things I could negotiate,” Diana said.

Diana said she ended up accepting the job offer solely because of what she had negotiated. Now, she said, that it’s her ideal job and provides her with more challenge and enjoyment, less travel and more promise of a comfortable future than her last position.

If you would like to learn more about ERI’s secrets to negotiating, read other client reviews or employ their services you can visit their website at www.executiveresumes.com.

40-somethings: Make an Impact.

With age, comes experience. This is one of the main differences between job hunters in their 20s and job hunters in their 40s.

By mid-life, most people have laid a solid career foundation, which will significantly impact your job search.

Whether you’re looking for a better opportunity in the same industry or to start fresh in a new trade, what you have done in the past will affect where you will go in the future.

With a solid foundation built, your 40s are the time to start looking for a career where you can make an impact. You have the experience, now it’s time to make the best use of the skills you have learned and the knowledge you have. Now is a good time in your life to start defining yourself not just by who you are but also by what you do.

By now, you have a multitude of skills that you can sell to employers. Now it is the time to show potential employers that you have effectively managed your career in the past and you’re ready for the next step and to use all those skills that you’ve built and refined throughout the past.

Potential employers will be able to look at your work history over the past 20 years when you apply for a position. So what does yours say about you? Does it show a forward progression of accomplishments and bigger roles? If it does, employers will know that you’re getting more expensive and be questioning whether or not you’re worth the cost. So it will be your job to prove to them that you are and that you would be an indispensible asset to their company.

Job-hunting in your 40s also means that you should be investing more time and energy into the tools you’ll be using while job searching. This includes your resume, cover letter, interviewing skills and personal brand.

One factor that does remain constant though, no matter of age, is that job hunting is in today’s market is highly competitive. And although with age, comes experience, with age also comes discrimination.

When job hunting in your 40s, be prepared to face age discrimination and prove to employers that, although you may be older, your age is actually an advantage.

Job-hunting at the executive level is entirely different than it is for entry or mid level candidates. Just ask Eric Mayes, an executive who was hit hard by company layoffs and was forced to re-enter the job market.

Eric, out of sync with new job-hunting tactics, didn’t know where to start and after dabbling in an unsuccessful job search for a few months by himself, he finally enlisted the help of SET Personal Marketing.

After Eric posted a raving review about his experience with SET on a company review website, I decided to contact him to find out more. You can read more about the services SET offers at www.executivejobhunting.com.

He said he that despite his initial hesitations about hiring a firm to help him find a job, he’s thankful that he did.

“SET was instrumental in allowing me to gain the business intelligence to target the executives I needed to speak with,” Eric said.

He said that thanks to the assistance he received from his marketing director at SET he was offered several executive level positions. Additionally, Eric was able to transition to a new field of work – one that has provided him with more job security, a better location and more opportunity for advancement.

“The materials were great and the marketing team especially have been top notch,” Eric said.

He said that because people often hear horror stories and complaints about career services they’re usually skeptical of what they are offering. However, Eric said that he has recommended SET’s services to many of his friends and colleagues going through similar struggles and was more than pleased with SET’s support throughout his entire job search.

“I, without a doubt, would still be unemployed if I hadn’t gotten in touch with SET,” Eric said. “I would vouch for them to anyone.”

30-somethings: Think long-term

Jobs in your 30s are going to be the basis for which you establish your career.  Therefore you should be conscious about how they will appear on a resume and if they will be a positive contribution on your career path. You want your work history to tell a story about the professional you.

In addition to setting yourself up for the future, 30-something job seekers usually have families to consider when job hunting. Consequently, you should look for a job that will provide benefits and not demand too much of your time. Unlike in your 20s, for this reason, you probably won’t be able to take as many risks in your career.

By the time you’re in your 30s you’ve also probably built up many personal and professional relationships, so don’t be afraid to use those on your job hunting. Tap into your contacts and let the past 10 years you’ve been working on building your reputation work for you.

Similarly, you should be working on building your personal brand. When job-hunting in your 30s you can help yourself stand out by having a strong branding statement. Because these are hard to come by when it comes to most 30-something job seekers, this can give you an edge. Without clear branding and positioning, your resume will fail to grab employers’ attention or communicate your hireability.

Likewise, you should also freshen up your resume. Because technology and your skills have probably evolved quite a bit since your last job search it’s important to review your resume and include any new skills you have acquired.

Overall, because you’re in your 30s you’ve now built enough skills and confidence in your abilities that you should be looking for a job that will best utilize these. You should be looking for a role that allows you to have a good work/life balance. In your 30’s you want to establish professional respect for your skills and abilities in the workplace.

Whether you’re 24 or 64, there’s a good chance in today’s economy that you’re either currently engaged in a job search or have one in your future.

And while the age range of job seekers is wide, a job search for a 20-something should look very different than a job search for a 60-something. Your job search strategy should be heavily dependent on your age, whether you’re unemployed, looking to improve pay or wanting to change careers. So in the following series of posts we will give you a few tips for job searching at every age:

20-somethings: Get your foot in the door

Job seekers in their 20’s have one distinct advantage – freedom. Often job seekers in their 20’s have a limited amount of family and financial responsibilities to tie them down, so they are more able to take chances in their job search. Because of this freedom, it’s also a good time for 20-something job seekers to explore where their talents are best suited.

They also have one distinct disadvantage – lack of experience. While you might have plenty of education and drive to succeed, those things will only get you so far on a job search. That is why you should avoid the common mistake most 20-somethings make and start your job search before you graduate. Build a professional network of people while in college and take advantage of the fact that you can easily gain experience through internships during this time.

Then, after you graduate, continue to stay connected to you college. Most universities have multiple services that can be valuable to you during your job search. Take advantage of your school’s career center with services like resume-writing advice, interview preparation and job boards. Also, consider joining your alumni association because they often host job fairs and networking events where you can connect with potential employers.

When you do find a job, keep in mind that the first job you land probably won’t be your dream job. Everyone wants a job with a great base salary, substantial time off, a corner office and a personal assistant. But the truth is, these jobs are few and far between, and usually not in the works for 20-somethings just beginning their careers.

So while your first job might not be perfect, keep in mind that you’re in your 20’s and it’s an accomplishment to just be getting a foot in the door. Therefore instead of focusing on what your job isn’t, look at the positive aspects of your new gig, like the benefits offered or the advancement potential. Your job may not be ideal but keep in mind your long-term goals and where it can lead you down the road.

(The New York Times) – The United States economy added a meager 18,000 jobs in June, compared with a gain of a revised 25,000 jobs in May, the Department of Labor said on Friday, while the unemployment rate edged up to 9.2 percent from 9.1 percent in May.

The numbers showed the continuing challenges of adding jobs to the economy even at a rate that keeps pace with population growth, two years after the official end of the longest economic downturn since the Great Depression.

The report said that 14.1 million people were out of work in June, among them 6.3 million who have been jobless for six months or longer. In May, the total number of unemployed people was reported as 13.9 million, with the long-term unemployed at 6.2 million.

The monthly jobs report is seen as a gauge of how well the nation’s job market is restoring the more than eight million jobs lost during the recession.

Continue reading here.

With a bleak job market, more and more college students are discovering that they can put themselves in a better position for future success by doing one thing – an internship.

Did you know that over 80 percent of all college students now graduate with internship experience? With 1.7 million students graduating from college this spring, most are realizing that they not only gain real world experience through an internship, but they also can set themselves up for full time employment.

Many organizations use their internship programs as an applicant pool from which to draw on when hiring full time employees. So if you have an internship or are planning on getting one, don’t just think of it as an addition to your resume. Look at it as an audition for a full time job.

In addition to the prospect of a full time, there are several other benefits to taking an internship:

• Practical, hands-on work experience
• The opportunity to see first-hand whether a particular field is a good match
• The chance to practice what you have learned in the classroom
• First-hand knowledge of an organization
• The ability to earn academic credit
• The potential to earn money while also taking classes
• The opportunity to network and make valuable connections for future jobs
• Experience in resume writing and interviewing

Internships give you the opportunity to contribute to the company and show how valuable you could be as a full time employee. So if you want to turn your internship into a full-time job, here is how:

Be proactive. No one else can take charge of your career for you. So make a point to build relationships, establish a professional image, learn everything you can and exceed the employer’s expectations. Let them know that you take the internship seriously and would like it to lead to something more.

Be a team-player. Be humble and flexible, no matter what the task. Go out of your way to go the extra mile and prove that you would be a great employee. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Show the employer that you want to learn and grow and that you have a genuine interest in the company.

Network with co-workers both during and outside of working hours. Get to know as many of the people you work with as you can, and socialize with them outside work, as well. Building connections within the company that will help you and by aligning your personal interests with the company’s interests show your true dedication to the company.

If the internship doesn’t turn into a job offer right away, keep in contact and be persistent. There are several reasons why you may not be hired full time after the internship ends. Maybe the company isn’t in a position to hire or maybe you’re not a position to take on a full time position. If that’s the case, be sure to leave on the best possible terms and keep in contact. Let the employer know how much you appreciated the opportunity and that you would be interested in working for them in the future. Keep in touch periodically and ask about openings and stay connected with the other contacts you have developed a relationship with during your time there.

The New York Times – Two years into a fitful recovery, unemployed Americans are getting painfully accustomed to the notion that it will take years to bring back the jobs eviscerated by the financial crisis.

In some regions, those years are in danger of turning into a decade. According to a report to be released Monday, nearly 50 metropolitan regions — or more than one out of seven — are unlikely to bring back all the jobs lost in the recession until after 2020.

Among those areas are Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio; Detroit; Reno, Nev.; and Atlantic City, according to the report commissioned by the United States Conference of Mayors.

Continue reading here.

In today’s technology-driven society, having just a stellar resume and attention-grabbing cover letter is usually not enough anymore in order to land a job. Because the internet has been incorporated into every aspect of our lives, including job hunting, being present online has become even more important.

If you’re currently hunting for a job, you should be well aware of your online presence. What does this mean? You should know how you appear online, which includes your online profiles and search engine results.

One easy and influential way to take control of your online presence is to build your own website. And the good news is you don’t have to be super tech savvy to effectively create a page that employers can go to find out more about the professional you. By simply creating a page that includes an overview of your skills, education and work experience, keywords that represent your expertise and the type of position you’re seeking and contact information, you can significantly stand out from other candidates.

Still not sure if a website is right for you? Here are a few more reasons why if you are a job hunter you should have your own website.

It will help employers find you.

What do you find when you Google your name? If you’re like most job hunters, your search results probably include a few random links to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and then a bunch of other links to websites that are unrelated to you personally.

But, if you build a personal website with your name in the URL, when employers search for you, this website will appear in the top results, which can significantly influence their opinion of you as an potential employee. More importantly, by having this website appear prominently, unlike your social media accounts that also pop up, employers will be able to see a professional image of you.

It’s a great supplement to your other employment materials.

Although a resume is still necessary, by having a personal website you can tell potential employers more about yourself in a more interactive way. Whereas resumes are usually limited to a one page, plain white piece of paper, you can make a sharp, eye-catching website that includes a portfolio or links to all your work, a personal biography, information about your references and any other relevant information you think employers may want to know. It gives you more freedom than a simple resume and helps you stand out from the crowd.

It’s easy to build.

If you’re not tech savvy the thought of building a website can be intimidating. But building a website can actually be quite easy. You don’t have to be an expert at HTML or programming to build a site that is professional and informative. There are platforms out there, such as Blogger or WordPress, which offer templates that you can use that essentially do all the work for you. If this still sounds too intimidating, LinkedIn is a great alternative.