I’m 58 years old and recently lost my job. Most employers only accept job applications online and disregard my resume because of my age. What should I do?
It may not sound pleasant, but you can do little to change the situation. As a general rule, businesses cannot consider an applicant’s age while making hiring choices. It is illegal to discriminate in hiring on the grounds of age against job applicants over the age of forty, under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
Like other types of employment discrimination, the issue is that facts and evidence must back accusations of ageism. When submitting a job application via an online portal, it might be challenging to track down specific reasons why an applicant got rejected for a position. If you suspect ageism, calling the company may be your best course of action.
The court will ask for direct proof of age discrimination if they admit they rejected your application because of your age. But the thing is, very few company owners are willing to accept they violated federal laws. However, If you come across any proof of discrimination in your workplace, you should ask an employment law attorney for help.
If you’re 58 and searching for a job, it would be better to apply for jobs that allow you to leverage your expertise and years of experience. Also, try to study current on the software typically used by professionals in your field. It’s essential to target organizations that need what you have to offer and also show that you are updated on your skills. Optimize your resume to ensure your application is competitive.
This might not be a popular idea, but I am not one to hide age on my resume, nor do I believe you should hide experience, how long you have worked, or the year you graduated. Covering up information signals a red flag, and a recruiter or HR thinks what else the candidate is hiding.
That is not at all what you need happening. Present your experience and background in a way that emphasizes everything you have to contribute. Here’s the thing, say you remove graduation dates on the resume and try to overlook that you are older. What do you think will happen when they see your LinkedIn profile or invite you into an interview?
But when you can make your mark from the start, they’ll know you are an older candidate, but you fit well into their company based on your vast expertise. Don’t be scared of your age in the job search. Will some organizations push the concept of ageism more than others? YES, sadly, they might. But take that confidence in your skills and stand out as a top-tier candidate. You’ll find the right job for you!
1. Update Your Skills
A mistake most people over 50 who are searching for a job make is that they are not suitable for the job after reading the résumé because they need software abilities. “Do not withdraw a job before knowing what the job is,” says Addie Swartz, CEO of ReacHIRE, a program in Concord, MA, that associates with a large company. This company helps women gain abilities, instructions consultancy when they return to work after staying home to take care of a loved one. You might not know the software, but you have other abilities needed for the job. Try to learn using the software with YouTube or an online course. Swartz says that you can use online classes to get a license in most popular software programs such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Systems Applications and Products (SAP), Hootsuite, and Salesforce.
2. Optimize Your Résumé
If you’ve been seeking a job for a long time and updated your résumé, it’s better to show your experience to make your application better than others. Most resumes are not read first. Employers use ATS (applicant tracking system) to categorize information about candidates and know which résumé to read. Ensure your résumé is superior to others by highlighting the keywords in the job description and a design and formatting that will not make an error in the software. Although age-related unfairness is illegal, it’s better not to write about your age in the résumé. Older people usually try to write all the jobs they had on their resumes. According to Diane Flynn -co-founder and CEO of ReBoot Accel, a firm in Menlo Park, CA, delivering training and placement programs- only the last 15 years of experience should be mentioned unless the earlier work had a title or skill related to the job posting.
3. Find the Right Environment
All organizations will not friendly greeting older people. You have to make sure you find the right job. See which companies consider experience. Many people work at a big-name tech company or a well-known startup. Flynn says, “Choosing those places if they do not want to report to a younger manager will not be the right environment.” A good fit is a college or university that considers the skills of the employees. Also, a small firm looking for seasoned employees is good. Pay attention to how the company treats people of all kinds of backgrounds and ages and the criteria you have.
4. Leverage Your Experience
Brush says, “People should be clear and embrace everything about themselves.” “ Their experience is not a superiority, but showing their ability is an advantage,” Swartz says in the interview; talk about your abilities and how you can help younger employees grow. Mention everything you can do from managing people or budgets. Tell them you can mentor youngers newly started working. Many companies develop younger staff by pairing them with older ones.
5. Demonstrate Your Knowledge
To show you are updated, make clear you understand the most critical cases in your field, says Carol Fishman Cohen, chair and co-founder of the Boston-based career reentry firm iRelaunch. Cohen suggests asking your coworkers in your field about books, articles, and podcasts. Knowing them will show you are active in your area and give you topics to discuss during interviews. But that’s not enough! You must demonstrate your knowledge about the company and its products and services. Show that you are following it very closely and say what the company is tweeting. Cohen says. “Say, I was looking at the Twitter feed and saw what your chief economist wrote, and this is what I believe.” Consider that you are not just excited about the topic but also interested in others’ opinions.
6. Practice Answering the Hard Questions
Brush says, “You should know how to answer comments as being overqualified or too expensive.” These comments are used as an excuse whenever they ask them just say I am not overqualified, but I can bring the skills and knowledge to the company.
7. Learn How to Use Video Meeting and Other Tools
You should be good at communication, project management, and productivity tools-from Slack to Trello to Toggl. Zoom, Google Meet, and other video chat platforms are necessary for the employing processes, so learn how to use them, Cohen says. Showing the ability to use them can ensure the manager hires an older worker who knows how to use new technology.