Is it possible for an older person to overcome ageism and succeed if they have the skills?
As a senior citizen, work experience is like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have more knowledge, leading to better performance. On the other hand, your experience will cost recruiters more money. So, as a mature worker, consider using these tactics to bypass ageism in the business industry:
• Be ready to talk about how much longer you hope to work.
Interviewers are not allowed to ask for your age directly. However, they can convert the question by asking how much longer you intend to work. Answer these questions with something like this: “I like working, but I feel like I’m still learning, and I plan to stay in the workforce as long as possible.” The goal is to show your passion for working.
According to experts, you need to strengthen your knowledge and skills. They improve your performance at the workplace, and someday you might need to teach them to the younger workforce. All in all, people live longer and are more healthful these days. Many of us choose to keep working either for financial purposes or because we enjoy what we do.
• Catch up with technology.
To keep up in your industry, you should be aware of the latest trends and technology. It’s not necessary to learn about every platform. No one expects you to know all the camera filters of Instagram. Understanding the essential tech doesn’t mean you should become a tech whiz. Still, it would be best if you weren’t unfamiliar with social media either. Write down all of your social media profiles on your CV so that the recruiter knows that you know your way around the current technology.
Try to pay attention to the programs, platforms, and apps used in your field of expertise and get comfortable with them. You might be a professional in what you do. Still, if you’re not familiar with the relevant technology, it’ll end up hurting your career. Look for someone who knows their way around technology and ask for their help. You can also sign up for a local or online tech course.
• Look for the right company.
Even if your employer is not ageist, it doesn’t mean they’re your best option. Some companies only look for a young workforce, and you might not like the idea of being the oldest guy in the room. Plus, working in some businesses won’t be worth your time. You don’t need to visit a company to realize that it discriminates against older people. By reading online reviews on websites like kununu, you can learn about previous workers’ career experiences—including the company’s stance on hiring older adults—before applying for the job. Another viable option is to weed out better workplaces through networking with people. If you’re a senior, doing so is particularly important since it’s the only way of understanding a company’s stances and culture. You might realize that certain companies are not worth your time at all.
Try to keep an eye on other workers’ ages. If you learn that a company favours a younger workforce, remove them from your list. There’s no denying that a job’s responsibilities determine its relevance. But to win the best spot, you should find the intersection between more senior-friendly companies and jobs that suit your abilities the best.
Yes. Like all forms of discrimination, you can take some skills or actions to stand against ageism. You have to speak up. In all kinds of gatherings where people of all ages can be found, you might tend to be in the shadows and watch, but don’t be afraid and try to participate.
Ageism can be easily defeated by staying mentally and physically active. Follow the news and stay tuned. And more importantly, display this information to your people to indicate your awareness of what is happening these days. Use social media and email to show your family and friends that you can communicate like them. If you presume that you can’t do some particular things because of your age, you actually won’t be able to do them.
Age is not something that can stop you from anything. Try to do your daily shopping and go where ever you want. Hang out with younger people or be present in places that younger people can be found more often, like gyms, clubs, bars, etc. This can transfer the energy everyone gets among more youthful people to you and motivate you to stay positive and active.
To overcome ageism and succeed, you must look outside the box. Creating value is the key to a successful transferable career. First, you need to keep your technical skills current, stay in shape, physically and otherwise, and demonstrate that you can apply technical skills to solve problems important to the business.
Be alert, excited, animated, glad to be there, interested in what they do, have good stories practiced, and ready to recite that relate to your vast experience in that field.
Most resume writers will tell you to include “value” statements in your resume. This is true as far as it goes, but you need to choose the value statements related to the company as much as possible. It also helps to understand how to make your company successful on challenging projects.
So if you make yourself and your knowledge both up-to-date and essential, you can overcome ageism.
As a senior, the first important thing is to change your mindset. If you have enough confidence in yourself and your skills, you’ll have an excellent first impression, and the following steps will be more manageable for you.
Preparing an up to dated resume is the most essential. Most employers wonder whether you’re familiar with technology or not; so, remember to add your related experiences and skills to the resume.
