Job search at 50 Plus: Finding a job when you should be retiring

by | Career, Retirement

Job Search at 50 Plus

I need a job said Valerie, my pension isn’t enough but who is going to want to employ me? Dig deeper and the real problem was not what she had to offer (lots of useful skills and experience) but her self-belief in being able to get a job at job search at 50 plus.

Our Beliefs can affect success in job search at 50 plus

If we think we are too old, then others will agree. But if we think of ourselves as vibrant and energetic with marketable skills and an ability to get on with others, then what’s not to like about employing us?

If we need to job search at 50 plus, it helps to remind us of what we can offer, the skills we have learned and our personal qualities. We need to use our imagination to be successful in job search at 50 plus, through visualising ourselves succeeding, just like professional athletes do before they focus on winning the race. This helps at interview stage but also in all aspects of job search at 50 plus. We need to tell ourselves and believe that we will enjoy the process of looking for a job.

We have to move from saying to ourselves

  • Who will want me? I’m too old. I worked for 28 years in the same company, and that’s all I know.
  • I’m older than the interviewer and all the other candidates. They’ll never hire me.

and for success in job search at 50 plus, change this to

  • I have a lot of skills and experience to offer. I’m up to date with technology and still look good, or I’ve got some great experience that an employer can benefit from.

What do you want to do?
With job search at 50 plus, you also need to be clear on the job you want. Too many take a narrow view. I’d love you to think wider than getting a job in the big superstore or more database management because that is what you have always done.

This could be your last job, what would you love to do?
It might be to get involved with a start-up, adding some grey haired gravitas and your deep business experience, or working in a high-end fashion boutique you love, knowing you can relate so well to customers of a similar age. Go on – for job search at 50 plus, write down what you would love to do, and keep writing ideas. Only then add some realism, but your dream could be possible, and if you don’t know how to make the move you may need some external help.

Practicalities with job search at 50 plus

Create a 21st Century CV.
Job search has changed dramatically. No longer do we include the objective statement focused on what we want. Instead, you target your CV directly to how you match the role. You also need to identify the key words and make sure to use these within your CV as much shortlisting is done by technology. Long cover letters have been replaced by shorter e-notes, again focused on a marketing message rather than deep blocks of text.

Don’t shout about your age.
You don’t need to include dates on your CV but when you job search at 50 plus, tone down the 35 years’ experience to 10+ years’ experience.

Come across as young and vibrant at interview.
Both in your application and at interview, make it clear that you are comfortable with using new technology. If you are not that confident, get on a course to get familiar. When you get to interview have ready to share examples of how you have responded to change and worked with people of different ages. Make sure your clothes, hair and makeup are up to date.

Shout out about your experience and what more you can bring compared to younger candidates. Being realistic, you may have to apply for jobs at a lower level than you have previously done particularly if you have been out of work for a while. Interviewers may worry if you highly qualified that you will get bored so you need to have thought about this and how you will address this at interview. Talk about what you have achieved and how you can really add value to the job and the company.

Brought to you by Denise Taylor – award winning career psychologist, personal branding strategist & author. Cutting-edge, innovative careers coaching. Denise is the author of “Find Work at 50+“. Read how I can help you with job search here.

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Let’s start to get to know each other.

I’d love to send you a series of articles to get you thinking of your wider life. You will also receive my mid-week 50+ update and the Amazing People newsletter.
Denise Taylor

Chief Inspiration Officer, The 50 Plus Coach.