Ageism

Question

My Director position was recently eliminated and I was moved to an entry level Supervisor position within the company.  I am about to be laid off from that position as well.  I have been job searching for months with only 3 interviews and no job offers to show for it.  I have had outstanding career success in many different industries but I have been unable to successfully communicate this to prospective employers.  I am in my late 50s and I am getting the sense that I am being passed over for the younger candidates.  Either I am over qualified (too expensive) or 'not the right fit' for the organization.  I can paper my walls with the number of rejections I have received.  I have tried leaving off dates on my resume to push my skill set to the forefront but then they asked you to complete the online application and force you to put in dates.  I am struggling with successfully marketing myself to employers.  I have successfully navigated careers in 3 new industries and learned at least 3 new major software programs at each job. I love change and finding new, smarter ways to conduct business.  Does anyone have any  advice!

Carolyn Stein · Answer

I can see you're in a tough spot. That's no fun. A few things come to mind. First, ageism is real and it's a larger challenge for women over 50 than it is for women over 40 or for men.   It's important to acknowledge this so that you can develop strategies to overcome it. You can still find a job in spite of this!

I recommend the book 'Over 40 and You're Hired' .  Among other things, it points out that the hiring manager is likely less concerned about your age than you would think.  Some concerns might be that you don't want to work long hours, etc. - which you'd be able to proactively address...and even if it's true then part of the message is that your experience means you can get the work done in less time.

The good news is that part of the ageism bias used to come from companies not wanting to invest in training for employees who wouldn't stick around long. But these days a lot of companies realize employees might only stick around for 3 years before they look elsewhere regardless of their age. Not to mention a lot of companies haven't invested much in employee development in the last 10+ years to begin with (although this has been changing recently).

Second, titles don't matter until they do. See if you can negotiate as part of your layoff that they restore your old title so that you can show that position as the last one on your resume. If not, it's not the end of the world - but it doesn't hurt to ask. You can also ask if they'll pay for you to work with an outplacement/career transition specialist and then look into hiring someone who specializes in helping people 50+ position themselves.

Agree with others who say to limit your resume to the 10-15 years and list degrees but not dates. The reality is, unless you are at a very senior/executive level, it's an uphill battle to show 20-25 years experience is better (worth a higher salary) than 15 years on paper. 15 years of experience should be plenty to showcase your accomplishments. Then you can wow them with your professionalism, wisdom, insight, etc. that the additional years bring when you interview.

On the other hand, if you have continuing education within the last few years,  list that and  list those dates. If you don't, then take a few classes on Coursera or elsewhere to show you are current with your skills and open to learning.

While you're resume matters, don't spend too much time on it. It's just as important, if not more so, to build your network and connect with people. Happy to answer any other questions. Good luck!

Kelly Venable · Answer

Lots of great advice above. If you take your time and tailor your resume to the jobs you are applying to, that may help some too.

Here is some direction on how you can do that:

???? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?????!

??????? ???? ? ?????????'? ????? ?? ????:  Most resumes reflect a candidate's past experience over the history of their career. It’s a documentary about what they did in their past positions. Rarely do these words translate clearly and quickly to the resume reader.

??? ????????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ? ????????? ????????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?????????? ???.The burden is put on the resume reader to figure out if a candidate is a good fit for their role.

???? ?? ? ????????? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? Most often, candidates send out a generic resume to 100’s of jobs. They do not take the time to “tee it up” for the recruiter or hiring manager.

Imagine if YOU, the job seeker actually took the time to identify key initiatives in the company’s job description and SHOWED the recruiter WHY you are the right fit for the job? ???? ?? ??? ????????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? When you are job-seeking, make it your full-time job to apply for positions in a more strategic way.

Have you ever thought that taking the time to be specific on your resume might just show the hiring manager that you cared enough to do so? That you want their job that much? That you aren’t just sending them the same resume you send everyone else? That you sought to understand what their needs are and how you fit in?

???? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???:?

?  1—Pick out 3-4 key initiatives the company is looking for in the job description
?  2—Showcase how you have accomplished these specific initiatives in your past work history
?  3—Make sure you use their specific language on your resume You might be asking….. Won’t the resume reader see that I’ve copied some of their verbiage on my resume? YES! Yes, they will….and they will appreciate the fact that you actually took the time to thoroughly understand, read, and translate HOW you can help them understand WHY you are a great fit for the job! Do YOUR part to showcase your skills.

?  Take charge of your career and how you show up. Don’t leave it up to the interpretation of the resume reader!

Anonymous · Answer

As a recruiter I can mention some things I see:

-you can write 'NA' or some such if directed to fill out an online application  along with your resume submission.  
(We don't run validation or background checks unless we're making an offer, and if there's a question on things like graduation dates, you just add it to the background check form.  Your grad dates etc really shouldn't be part of your overall picture at all...leave them off.)
-Would recommend that your resume shows the last 10 yrs of your career, and keep it to 1-2 pages max.
-Consider your resume title/summary section.  Does it say something like 'Director or Marketing with 20 yrs exp....' or other such title?  If so, I'd take away the lofty title to make you more suitable for multiple roles, substitute for 'Marketing Professional with 10+yrs exp in the____industry'.

Finally, agree wholeheartedly with the other posters....consider opening a consulting LLC and ditch permanent FT work for now.  You can market yourself to former colleagues to get started.  You have a lot to offer as a consultant.

Melinda Barrow · Answer

I can understand why you are having a hard time. Although I recognize that agism is a problem, it sounds like your challenge may be finding  jobs at the right level for you.

If you were a director in your last job, I would recommend looking for Vice President (VP), Sr. Director, or Director level roles only.  Research shows that women are most likely to apply for jobs if they are already skilled at 80-100 % of the job requirements where men apply to jobs where they have only 30-50 %.  Applying for roles that are an advancement from your last role will likely increase your chances, and you are less likely to be rejected for being overqualified or too expensive.

Also, you have to work through the fact that you were demoted and let go. Depending on how you tell that story, it could make a future employer concerned about why you were let go. BUT, that’s a really common thing happening right now! You are not alone and that experience may say something different about you than you think.

My company has been through massive changes as a result of COVID. Surprisingly, the employees who were demoted and laid off later were most often the really good ones!! Demoting someone in order to retain them longer is a strategy a lot of companies are using to keep good performers working as long as they can. I know it’s crappy to be demoted and laid off, but I think you should feel a lot of pride in the fact that your company thought highly enough to do what they could to keep you as long as possible.

You are clearly a good employee, you are thoughtful, flexible, and a great learner. Those are amazing qualities! You will get through this! Keep at it. ♥️

Jesika Babylon · Answer

Have you thought about going into business for yourself? There are lots of resources and if you're good at learning, you might also be good at teaching. Someone with wisdom and patience should not be overlooked but often is, due to our society's obsession with youth and beauty, which is deplorable. Maybe funnel your years of experience into coaching the up-and-comers. You certainly have the chops to prove your capability.

Anonymous · Answer

Networking is critical for you to gain interviews and employment. Focus on your top 5 strengths and connect with a trusted recruiter.  No one can take away your skill sets and your ability to adapt to change. Never give up.. your dream job is waiting. ?

Anonymous · Answer

Trust your gut feeling and follow it. I moved from Michigan to Texas where I found employment. 
While in Michigan, I blogged about being unemployed and over 40 in 2011-2013. You have a incredible resume! I’ve communicated with people who had experience like yours who had to reinvent themselves, change their expectations and find their path. Many went into consulting free lance and startups.

Cinzia Iacovelli · Answer

Hi Susanne, I understand what you mean. Unfortunately this is not the best time to search for a new job. My suggestion is to do a complete review of your resume and learn how the ATS (applicant tracking system) are working. I found Jobscan quite interesting to use to modify my resume. Another suggestion I want to give you is to reach out to your contacts, friends, ex colleagues and let m know you are looking for a new opportunity. Best of luck!

Carrie Topolski · Answer

It's really hard right now to find a job. There are so many unemployed that we're a needle in a haystack of resumes.  Do a search on keywords and how to use them and get on LinkedIn and write articles, posts, and take some of their classes and skills tests.  All of these will show up on your profile under your resume and will show that you're continuing to improve yourself.

If you need help with something let me know. My biggest challenge was a merger showing I only worked for 3 months when I had been with the company for 20 years.   More than glad to help!

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