Over 50? Want a Top Management Job? Do This!
Used to be, when you got into your 50s it was time to coast. Retirement was right around the corner, and you were, by God, ready to hang up whatever you’d been doing for 30-plus years, gold watch or no. Today, things are different. In the unlikely event you actually make it in the same company for your entire career, when the cuts come calling, they look right at guys and gals your age first. Unfair? Maybe. Bad policy? Could be. But this article is not about that. Because, when it comes down to it, “why” and “fair” are for debates. You want a job with an income that pays the bills and work that matters. Let’s help you get that. First, even though you’ve been chopping wood for decades now, and you are set in your ways, now is not the time to take a break. Stay active, and learn everything you can about your field. You know it’s changed since you first started but are you aware HOW MUCH it has changed? Do you actually realize what’s happening now? Imagine being able to offer an employer not only years of experience but the most industry knowledge in one package.
Keep your expectations flexible. You know what you are worth, but do you know what you are willing to take to do that job. Remember, you might look good on paper, but you haven’t necessarily proven yourself to your employer just yet. Instead of demanding an immediate high salary, consider working on a graded scale or incentivizing certain benchmarks. Have an active social media account. You don’t need to engage with all the memes and nonsense on Facebook and Twitter. But it is a good plan to have a strong LinkedIn profile and a digital presence extending beyond the people search sites. Update your email account. Yes, really. If you are using AOL or Yahoo, stop it. You may not realize it, but those email addresses mark you as technologically out of touch. You might be a tech genius, but when the hiring manager sees an AOL address, you are marked as a dinosaur. Keep your resume simple. In fact, you should have a specific resume for each job you apply for, one that emphasizes the parts of your work history that most closely correlate to that job. And give them what they want to see: you cut costs, increased productivity, increased the customer base and made your previous employers more money. Show them exactly what they are getting when they hire you, and you will find the right fit. Roman Temkin is a real estate developer and entrepreneur from NYC.