As someone who is looking to transition to another position or re-enter the workforce, you may be worried about whether you will experience ageism. With a mindset focused on your value proposition, you can position yourself by looking for employers and jobs that are open to the experience and value offered by later career seekers and by building new connections within those companies. In this article, we discuss these topics and how networking can help to overcome age discrimination.
Addressing Ageism
It’s important for a late career seeker to understand the causes of age discrimination and to be prepared to address them. Employers are concerned that the candidate may:
● want too much money or is “overqualified”.
● not fit in with the company culture or their fast-paced environment.
● not be flexible enough to keep up with changes, especially with technology.
● leave the company soon for retirement.
Be prepared for these concerns and to highlight your value to the position you’re interested in and your contribution to the company. This Forbes article on age discrimination offers some tips for addressing ageism.
Consider Various Work Options
In today’s job market, there are various work opportunities that can benefit late career seekers, including work from home jobs, work with flexible schedules, part-time positions, and contract jobs. With remote work, since there is less face-to-face communication than with traditional 9-5 jobs, there is less attention paid to the age of the candidate; the focus is more on their skills and experience. So remote work can be a great option. Through networking, they can tap into more unique and flexible work opportunities.
Look for Ideal Employers
To increase your chances of landing a job that you want with the right employer, you can look for employers that have focused on diversity in the workplace and value having employees of various ages. You can check reviews online and also connect with people on LinkedIn who currently work with those employers.
Know the Value of your Skills & Accomplishments
LinkedIn is one of the best places to network and find work. Most recruiters as well as companies use the platform. It’ s important to optimize your profile and add a professional image of yourself. Most importantly would be to know the value you have to offer and be prepared to share how your skills can benefit the prospective company. Use this WORKSHEET to prepare and keep a record of VALUE STATEMENTS:
Leveraging Your Connections
The connections in your network can help you to get referrals, which can lead to job opportunities. You may even be able to create a job for yourself and by staying in touch with your connections (even when you are not looking for employment), you can create more opportunities for the future.
Check out our article on how to set a routine to build your referral network. It will show you a step-by-step process for setting a routine that lands a job.
