5 Expert Job Search Tips for Older Workers - FlexJobs

5 Expert Job Search Tips for Older Workers - FlexJobs 5 Expert Job Search Tips for Older Workers - Welcome to the second in a four-part series of career advice and tips from experts who help older professionals with their job search. Our first part dealt with six resume and cover letter tips for older workers, and today we’re looking at job search tips for older workers: strategies and tactics. We’ve already established that employers’ perceptions of older workers can be skewed, and it’s a challenge to overcome the ageism found in most industries. The good news is it’s possible to thrive in your job search and  find employment success, if you follow some guidelines developed specifically for older job seekers. So let’s get down to business. Here are five expert job search tips for older workers. 1) Change WHERE you find employment opportunities. If you’re using the Internet to get the majority of your job leads, it’s time to reduce that effort dramatically. “Older workers are not doing much more than using the Internet and only 30-40% of people get jobs from the Internet. Thats the least effective strategy instead, older workers need to focus on smaller companies and talk directly with the decision-makers, says Richard S. Deems, PhD and co-author of Make Job Loss Work For You. 2) Be targeted and don’t apply to every job for which you’re qualified. Focus on crafting fantastic resumes and cover letters for companies and jobs that you truly identify with and are interested in, rather than taking a shot-gun approach and applying to every job. “Target companies that are actively recruiting older workers. AARP routinely puts out a list of best places to work for older workers. It only makes sense to apply at organizations where you know you will have the best chance of success,” recommends Cheryl Palmer, a Certified Executive Career Coach whose advice has been featured on CNN, CBS MarketWatch, and in the past. 3) Meet more people through volunteerism. Volunteering has two great effects it keeps you busy and it helps you meet people. “Volunteer with a charity or non-profit. It is often excellent experience and can possibly lead to employment with a firm that is seeking that particular experience or appreciates your work ethic. It is also easier to find employment while you are working as you have a better mind set. Looking for a job on a full-time basis is not a very rewarding experience,” says Art Koff, founder of the free job info service RetiredBrains.com and a 70+ year-old professional himself. 4) Be positive in front of employers. No matter how frustrated, dismayed, tired, or downright angry you are about your job search (and those are absolutely normal feelings to have!), it’s vitally important that you stay positive when interacting with employers, including in your application materials, networking meetings, and job interviews. Simply put “You don’t want to be overly sensitive to you age during a job search as others can pick up on it. You cant make your age go away but you also dont have to behave like youre wearing a bulls-eye,” advises Dorothy Tannahill Moran, a Certified Retirement Coach and founder of Next Chapter, New Life. 5) You’ve heard it before: Networking is the best way to find a job. Steve Fushelberger, a marketing and communications expert who also heads the Employment Support Ministry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, recommends that older professionals, “concentrate on smaller and medium size companies where you skills, experience and expertise are more like to be highly valued.” Also, it’s important to, “focus on actually building relationships where you help out others rather than simply presenting yourself and your own needs. Go beyond the elevator speech and instead focus on helping and learning about others at business events. What goes around comes around, and those we network with will eventually be able to help us, if we approach the process with an open mind and others-centric attitude,” recommends Thom Singer, author of The ABCs of Networking. But don’t discount networking online altogether. “LinkedIn is one of the best ways to expand your network. “As they say, it’s not WHAT you know; it’s WHO you know. LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to see who your friends know and who their friends know, as well as other helpful information about those people. Armed with this information, you can seek an introduction to the person who can get you in the door.” Wayne Breitbarth, a 53-year old social media skeptic-turned-expert and author of The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick-start  Your Business, Brand, and Job Search. We hope these tips help you to make-over your job search tactics and find more success! Stay tuned for the next two Mondays for more expert career advice on: March 12 Resume and Cover Letter Tips March 19 Job Search Tips March 26 Technology Tips: Using LinkedIn, updating computer skills, and embracing new technology April 2 Professional Image Tips: Dress, appearance, self-confidence Readers, what are your job search tips for older workers? Share with us!