By Denise Gabbard
With today’s economy and high unemployment rate, there is a group of workers finding it especially hard to secure employment. This group is an extremely large pool of educated, talented and experienced workers, so why is landing a new job so difficult?
When applying for employment, they are often told they are overqualified for the lower paying jobs which are currently available, and most of these jobs go to young people who they can hire more inexpensively. To be fair, businesses want to hire workers that will stay with the company as long as possible, and they see overqualified as “I’m outta here when something better opens up.”
How can we turn this around? The answer is not easy, but there are ways that it can be achieved. You need to know where to look for resources to help displaced workers. For instance, it isn’t too late to train for a career in the health field which is in demand in any economy. Nurses, radiologists and medical billers and coders are among the top jobs expected to grow in the future. There are also job services and adult learning programs at community colleges and trade schools, and through local government. There are a lot of options available, and you should make use of them.
When you do get an interview, you need to be positive and dynamic. Be prepared to sell yourself and let them know what you can bring to their organization that someone with little experience cannot. Show each potential employer that there are distinct advantages to hiring an over 40 worker.
Most workers over 40 have at least 20 years of work experience, oftentimes at the same job or just a few. That shows loyalty and commitment to employers, something they may not get from younger people who are just trying on different roles to see what fits. Let them know that you will give them 100%. Employers want to know that you are going to stay and not leave for the next opportunity, so point out that you intend to stay with the company and hope to move up once they see what your experience and skills can do for them.
Do not be discouraged if they tell you that they have more qualified applicants. Let them know that re-training is an option if that will help your career with the company. Most companies will appreciate a willingness to learn new things, and will pay you to better yourself. This, in turn, also helps to better the company.
Keep your resume completely up to date and do not omit anything. If you’ve done freelance and volunteer work while unemployed, add that as well. It tells them that you are a go-getter and are not allowing yourself to become a victim of circumstances.
About Denise Gabbard
Guest post by Denise Gabbard for discountvouchers.org where you can find discounts on a great interview outfit at Dress for Less. Denise is a Professional Recruiter, Career Coach, and Freelance Writer. Her prior background is in banking, credit, finance, accounting, sales and management. She also does websites, web content and resumes, and is adept in social networking and online marketing.
