Hello all of you professionals out there.

17 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 23,2023 at 3:39PM UTC

   I would get your resume professionally done to give the best first impression and a call back ;). I would just say that your prior organization had a reduction in force and you chose to take some time off to spend with family or if you were a care giver to another family member. I would not mention your own health as being the issue because ageism is real(I am 50) and unfortunately some hiring managers will view you as someone who might be retiring shortly. Definitely include any courses you took to stay up to date with the latest technology in your area of expertise or any conferences/workshops on new updates in payroll especially since remote work is a hot topic right now and be informed of any new payroll tax laws. Stay open to title, size of company and compensation within reason. Bookkeeping can be a great robust role with a smaller company as well. Your health comes first so don’t take on a job that might put additional stress and anxiety on you. Best of luck in your job search.

2. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterJanuary 23,2023 at 6:34PM UTC

   There are companies that won't hire older workers...just as there are company that won't hire the disabled...people of color...etc. You don't want to work at those companies, so remove them from your focus and look for companies that do hire older workers. AARP is a great resource for this.

   Are you concerned about how to position your time off on your resume - or how to speak about it in the interview? Different strategies for each.

   I agree with the anonymous suggestion of a professionally written resume, although that may be cost-prohibitive for you right now. It is a very worthwhile investment.

3. Jackie RukaJanuary 23,2023 at 7:09PM UTC

   My suggestion is to get super focused on what you really want to do and a list of companies you would like to work for? In addition, someone like you has alot of skills and expertise in small business of which there are a ton of in your community, so you could freelance to get a few clients and some funds in the door, tax season is now approaching...

   Forget your age as being a factor that is bull! I have recruiters contacting me daily and I am on my 50's.

   Package yourself and your accomplishments upfront with rich keywords on your resume.

   Look in local INDEED postings for full and part-time roles in your field and post your resume.

   Many people have been laid off or have a spotty resume due to Covid. It's more the norm than not. If you are asked it's reasonable to take time off after a 20 years.

   Get some interviews on the books.

   You can also join a BNI, Business Network International and learn how your skills can be a service to other business owners.

   Go get em!!!! And have some fun, this is a new chapter for you.

4. AnonymousJanuary 24,2023 at 4:48AM UTC

   I think that your strong experience negates your lack of a degree, especially for bookkeeping roles and for accounting roles that do not require a CPA. If you have completed accounting trainings, seminars or courses during your career, list these under education. And as has been mentioned on this thread, you might be especially attractive to smaller companies with less complex accounting requirements.

   COVID has indeed made it more acceptable to have employment gaps. You can always put your gap down to a now-resolved family need, emphasizing that you are now choosing to return to work. If you present this as your choice, others will accept your explanation.

   Please put your mental health first as you navigate the job search. Please continue to see a therapist (find a community health center on a sliding scale fee basis if needed.) If you are on medication, continue to take it. And give priority to less-stressful jobs.

   As to age: the recent epidemic of “quiet quitting” has led some companies to put more value on reliable and effective older workers.

5. Laura BrennanJanuary 24,2023 at 5:35AM UTC

   This is a perfect time to tap into your network. And don't think you don't have one, because you definitely do. It's just that we discount the people we already know. Your best friend may be an artist, but letting her know what you're looking for lets you tap into the people she knows. Times that even by ten or twenty people (and you definitely know that many people), and suddenly your reach is extensive.

   So, how to do that?

   First, my suggestion is to look into short-term work. It's tax season; you do not have to be a CPA to work at places like H&R Block -- I know this because the first time I got my taxes done there, they asked me if I would like to work for them! Seriously, though, you have great skills that are in high demand. Focus on something (like taxes or payroll) that you can do extremely well and let people -- your entire network -- know that you're looking to take on clients who need a hand during tax season. (Or whatever it is that you do really well.)

   This will do several things: it will remind you that you have skills other people need, it will bring some money in the door, and it show you off to potential long-term employers. Every person you work for becomes part of your network and able to recommend you to their friends. When someone is able to recommend someone *excellent*, that's a big win for them. They help their colleague or friend, and they look good. You want lots of people to see your mad skills in action.

   If you don't want to launch your own side hustle, there are temp agencies for basically everything. Get on the rolls, this is their busy time of year in finance. It's not forever, but again, it'll get you back into the working world, get money flowing in the right direction, and help you meet people and try out companies so that you can find a good fit.

   You could strategize other ways to get your name out (offering presentations on "5 Tips to Simplify Your Payroll" or some such to local business groups leaps to mind), but honestly, you don't have to make it complicated. Just let the people who already like you know exactly what you're looking for -- NOT "a job"! Be specific. Something like, "looking to do part-time bookkeeping for a small business" or "What I'm really good at is getting payroll under control" -- whatever is true for you, say that. Be clear and concise. You want it to be something they can easily remember and repeat, which is why you don't list your skills, etc. Just pick one clear thing you actually would be excited to do.

   I have a couple of resources on my website (free, no opt-in) that might help. On the home page, there's a link to a pdf on job-hunting tips, but there is also a webinar (on the Webinar Replays tab) on jump-starting your networking which I think will be useful. It's more about demystifying it and taking it in steps. Here's the link: https://www.pitchingperfectly.com/

   You've got needed skills and experience. You rock. You've got this!

6. Krista Haugner SiegJanuary 24,2023 at 2:21PM UTC

   I just wanted to echo Laura. This is the perfect time to get back into the world of accounting. There is a huge shortage with tax season starting and a firm that focuses on that would be so excited to have the extra help. It can also serve as a way not only to remind you of your success but expand your network with the company who needs you. And, as Laura mentioned, it buys time to continue looking if the role you find is on a temporary basis. Sometimes we just need that reminder that we are awesome to keep going. Best of luck!

7. Kristina MartinJanuary 25,2023 at 1:27PM UTC

   Thank you for your post! I am in the same field. Very similar situation.

8. AnonymousJanuary 25,2023 at 1:46PM UTC

   Check out the Federal government. We have a Union-backed workplace, so discrimination is less of an issue. I searched by “Accountant” at USA Jobs and found over 200 open positions. Seems like there may be opportunity for you there.

9. AnonymousJanuary 25,2023 at 2:07PM UTC

   Try non-profit roles in universities, government and social service agencies. Unfortunately, the pay may be a little lower but many of them are desperate to hire right now because the wages tend to be a little lower.

10. Jeri Ann MayJanuary 25,2023 at 2:42PM UTC

    First of all, you are not alone. I am in a sort of similar situation myself. I can give you some tips that I have been utilizing.

    1. For age, only go back 10 years with your experience, even though you worked longer at your past company. And only include years at xyz company.
    2. For your gap time, did you do any volunteer work. I highlight my volunteer work and Coursera Certifications during my gap years.
    3. You do have a title. It’s Senior Accountant.
    4. Make sure you use CAR/STAR statements in your resume under experience. List you mentored a colleague from entry-level to xyz level. Think about accomplishments you did in your job. Did you see something doing the accounting that could save the company money and you told someone about it, and they implemented it. So that is a challenge, action, and the result is you saved your company $x’s. Things like that.
    5. You can get your resume done by platforms like ResumeWorded. They will do a free resume review and I found the tips, suggestions quite good. They have some good articles as well for resources.
    6. I would advise using LinkedIn. Do you have a profile there? Hopefully so. Make sure your profile is up-to-date with information. Recruiters use LI a LOT! I was getting 4-5 recruiters per week messaging me about open opportunities last year. This year it’s down a little to 2-3 per week. Turn on the ‘Open For Work’ and fill out the job search profile which is sort of like an “Applicant Tracking System’ for LinkedIn. You can view videos on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for recruiters to find you. The only other site that I have seen recruiters say they use is Indeed. But I just use LI myself.
    7. As an accountant, you should have many more opportunities available for you to apply to. I work in the Bay Area in tech, and all my leads are coming from start-ups with the job fully remote. My 20+ years are all in tech, so while it is nice to not have to sit in commute traffic, the remote option increases my competition as tech has typically been anti-remote. But the pandemic switched that on light and workers are pushing back.
    8. For your gap, take a course in your field that would be seen as improving your skillset while out of work. You will get a bye with the 2020-2022 gap due to the pandemic. So don’t worry so much about that. But if you haven’t taken a course, you can do that thru Coursera, Udemy (I think) and even LinkedIn. Then for 2018-present, hopefully you can list ‘Utilized my skills volunteering for the school district, mentoring a female founded/run small business helping her to get her business up and running, or that you mentored someone else just by talking about your experience’ and also list ‘Received Certification In blah blah enhancing my skillset to provide xyz for my next role.’ you can also list any online webinars you attended to keep your skills fresh. It doesn’t have to be in accounting. It could be about leadership or customer service (we all have to have customer service as part of our roles, not just customer service reps.
    9. Others mentioned contract work. I believe RobertHalf might be a good one to check out for you. Additionally, there is an app that you can create a profile of your experience and they will match you to someone who is needing your skillset for a single project or a short time-frame. I can’t remember the name right now…But I am sure their are contracting agencies that place accountants.
    10. also I don’t know where you live, but in my area we have a federally (or state?) funded agency that provides free services for updating your resume, your LI profile, how to job search, mock interviews. This is a great resource especially if you can go on-site as that would be good for you to be around people for your mental health. At least it is that way for me. Here is the link to my areas office. You could call/email to get your local office: https://www.trivalleycareercenter.org
    11. I may have other thoughts. I’ve been looking for almost 3 years and have interviewed probably 1-2 times a week all this time, so my problem isn’t getting people to talk to. My problem is closing the opportunity when I get down to the final 2…

    If you would like additional information or have questions about anything, feel free to Message me on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/jeriannmay I understand what you are feeling, and having someone to hear you can be so valuable. I can give you some tips on how to remain positive after (a lot) of rejection. It may take you a little time and I understand the financial pressures, but we can persevere!

    p.s. I apologize upfront if there are typos/grammatical errors in this message. I’ve been up all night and need to try to get couple hours of sleep, so am just going to hit ‘post’. I work in product marketing so editing is a ‘thing’ with me, because it is part of my job! ?

    Best wishes,

    JeriAnn

11. AnonymousJanuary 25,2023 at 3:14PM UTC

    I had a third party help with a gap in my resume. It was something that I had been having a lot of trouble with, they smoothed it over nicely.

12. EMILY KIKUE FRANKJanuary 25,2023 at 3:29PM UTC

    I often direct my clients to the AARP job board-- confusing, I know, since it's supposed to be an org for retired people. But they have some great resources and info.

13. Cindy GreenwoodJanuary 25,2023 at 3:39PM UTC

    I'm also an Accountant - have you considered or looked into contract work? Either on your own or through a staffing service? I did that for a bit so I could test out some companies. I suffered through massive depression and anxiety due to how a prev employer treated me so I wanted to make sure I found a good fit.

    The other thing I did was start a side business that I'm growing so I don't ever need to rely on a 'pay cheque' or deal with the stress and politics of office life :) Message me if you want more info on either - love to help.

14. Kristina MartinJanuary 25,2023 at 8:02PM UTC

    I was just thinking about finding an agency. Do you have any companies you suggest? I've gone from one toxic workplace to a new one where I like the people but my boss.

15. Cindy GreenwoodJanuary 26,2023 at 9:58PM UTC

    I'm in Canada so Robert Half or David Aplin are ones I've used successfully :)

16. tiffany birchJanuary 27,2023 at 5:54PM UTC

    Focus on your accomplishments. On LinkedIn there is an opportunity to let people know you were on a "Career Break." They now have that to add to your resume. I was laid off in 2020, followed by a sports injury and 8 months of PT. I haven't found the time off to hinder the recruiters contacting me. Since you are an accountant, how about contract work or flex work till the full time is received by you? Google and see what recruiters handle that or websites you could sign up with. You could post on LinkedIn #recruiters for you availability. People only see your age when you focus on that. Find something positive and keep moving forward.

17. Liz MilneJanuary 30,2023 at 2:35AM UTC

    Are you able to work for yourself at all? Running the accounts for a few small businesses or helping people with their taxes? With your experience, I'm sure you'd be able to do something like that, and working for yourself would give you flexibility and (once you'd built a client base) a reasonable income?