When I turned 40, I decided to look for a job after a few years stint with entrepreneurship. The loneliness and lack of a steady schedule made me decide to go back to the corporate world. I was confident of getting a good job. And started my job hunt…
What a witch hunt it turned out to be!! The days dragged on to weeks and to months. 5 months in and one of my top choice companies still hadn’t gotten back to me with their decision.
Job search over 40 is tough!
The age discrimination myth that I’d heard about definitely exists!
Here are 6 Surefire Strategies for a Successful Job Search In Your 40s:
1. Know Your Strengths:
Everyone talks about knowing your strengths. And strengths is a loose term that doesn’t help. For some it may refer to leadership traits, to others it refers to technical skills and to still others it may refer to their customer relationship skills etc. A common definition of strengths is something that comes easily to you in comparison to others. I want to give you a tangible and solid framework to identify your strengths. You can use this template to write your resume and your cover letter and to prepare for your interview!
The template comprises of 4 components of Strength: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And Traits.
Make a list in each of these categories. Download this beautiful worksheet to make your list.
2. If Looking for a Job In The Same Line of Work:
If you already have prior experience in a certain functional area or industry and are looking to get back to the same line of work or looking to move jobs in the same line of work, your best bet is to leverage specific job sites and networking.
- You can leverage jobsites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster, Indeed etc. These are generic jobsites and have all kinds of job listings. But don’t forget to check job specific sites. For example: Dice.com caters mainly to technical jobs, Nationalnonprofits.org caters to non-profit jobs, poachedjobs.com caters to restaurant and hospitality industry.
- Reach out to connections in your line of work. The best strategy to find a job over 40 or any age seems to be through referrals and networking. So rekindle connections with your past colleagues or people from your line of work and seek opportunities.
3. If Looking for a Job In A Different Line of Work:
If you are trying to find a job in a different line of work than your past professional life, then the main strategy is to rely on networking.
I am not talking about sleazy networking meetings where you walk into a room of unfamiliar people and stand there twiddling your thumb or collecting a bunch of business cards that collect dust on your desk!
I am referring to strategically planned 1:1 meetings with professionals. Your goals is to fill your calendar with break/lunch/dinner/coffee meetings, 2 a day for atleast 30 days.
- In these meetings talk less, listen more. Learn about the kind of work the person is doing, how their company is doing and any industry trends.
- Remember, you are not soliciting for a job. You are only making a professional connection and adding value when you can by mentioning a resource or connection you think is relevant.
- Your goal with each meeting is to get a connection they can introduce you to so you can have another coffee meeting.
- You can talk to people all across the spectrum if you are undecided on the kind of work you want to look for. Or if you know the kind of work you want, you can strategically seek connections in that space. For example: if you are looking for a marketing job, you can start with one marketing professional and ask them to introduce you to another and so on.
4. Get Your Marketing Materials Ready:
The must have elements of a job search process are the marketing materials that need to be shipped around. The 3 must-haves are:
- Resume
- LinkedIn Profile(depending on the kind of work you are seeking)
- Cover Letter
- Keep these materials ready.
Remember, each job application requires tweaking of the resume and cover letter to cater specifically to that job and that organization. Tweak does not mean lying but highlighting what is relevant to each specific job.
5. If you are re-entering the workforce:
If you are a woman re-entering the workforce after taking a break for the kids, then aside from the above strategies, you should leverage re-entry programs and websites. Some of the re-entry program websites are:
- The Mom Project
- The Second Shift
- iRelaunch
- reacHIRE
- Mom Corps
- OnRamp Fellowship
- Hourly Nerd
- Path Forward
- Werk
- Reboot
- Emissaries
- Apres
6. Apply with a Twist:
Make a list of your top 5 companies and roles. For each of these job applications, follow it up with a reach-out to someone who works at the organization. Use tools like Linkedin to identify people who work for your desired firm and reach out to them with a note expressing your interest in the firm and the role and seeking 5 minutes of their time for an informational chat if possible.
Yes, it is possible to transition into a new career over the age of 40!
As I type this post my offer letter just came through in an email. I am thrilled to start work for a startup company in an amazing role!