After 20, 30, 40+ years in the workforce, it should be easier rather than harder to find a new job. But unfortunately that isn’t always the case.
“Sometimes people find that certain employers think age is more important than the years of experience someone might bring to a new job,” explains Doug Lemmonds of MDL Partners. “And despite federal laws barring age discrimination, this experience is hardly unique.”
Age discrimination is alive and well in the U.S., but there are strategies mature job seekers can employ to improve their chances of overcoming it.
There is ageism in the world, particularly in corporations. However, job seekers can still find ways to market the experience that comes with age, which potential employers should see as an advantage, not a liability.
“You offer experience,” Lemmonds says. “Tell an employer that you know how to take responsibility, and go with it immediately without any hand-holding. You can hit the ground running.”
Here are some top tips to overcome age bias during your job search:
- Highlight your experience
- Focus on your network
- Concentrate on the present
- Highlight how your skills can help the employer now and in the future
- Know technology
- Stay current with skills
MDL Partners works with clients to stand out from the crowd, achieve their career goals and to broaden and deepen their network. There are plenty of times in your career that you will use MDL Partner’s services – and once you are a client, you are a client throughout your entire career. MDL Partners works with clients on their immediate needs today, with an eye towards the future.