Get a Job Without Applying

In today's economic environment, people with valuable skills in leadership roles are likely to be receiving more  calls from recruiters. Even if you are happy with your current job, it is important not to blow recruiters off and to have a resume at the ready.

You never know if the opportunity that will be presented will be more attractive than your current role. And, you can gain a boost of 15 percent or more in your compensation by being willing to make a change, likely far outpacing the raise you can expect in your current role.

For ideas on how to effectively position yourself, see the article here.

Makeover Plan Older Job Seekers

Appearances matter in a job search. Successful older job 
candidates need to pay close attention to the image 
they project. The following are particularly important:

Physical Appearance
Communications Branding
Social Media Image

For details on these elements in your job 
search documents and interviewing see the 
full article here.

Workers Sell Wisdom, Employers Buy Results

A benefit that comes with age and experience is wisdom. Older job seekers know they have the benefit of life and specific industry and functional wisdom to offer employers. The challenge is that employers rarely hire for wisdom and maturity even if those attributes are what they need most.

Organizations generally hire for specific results. They need people who can make stuff, sell stuff or count stuff. The impact on the job seeker is that they will experience the best results by defining their value in the context of one of those three key areas.

By associating one's primary value with actual revenue, product creation, service delivery or measurable administrative efficiency, an older job seeker associates himself with solutions that flow directly to the employer's bottom line.

For further discussion of demonstrating value see the article here.

Bounce Back from the Interview

For job seekers, patience and perseverance are important, but you'll also need a bit of thick skin and keep your eye on the prize. The odds of you going on a string of interviews with different companies and having every one lead to an offer are rare.

Here's how you can bounce back from rejection quickly and professionally.

• Accept rejection
• Always take the high road
• Ask for feedback, but keep expectations in check
• Maintain a positive attitude
• Keep a kudos file of praise from colleagues.
• Evaluate and move on quickly

For details on bouncing back see the complete article here

Expect Recruiting Innovations in 2018

Low unemployment means the job seeker has more of an upper hand. If you are looking for a new job, don't be caught off guard by some of these new trends. Here are a few:

Greater transparency for candidates, the ability to track your resume progress.
You may be conversing with a bot using artificial intelligence.
Opportunity to ‘test drive’ a new internal position.
Interviews with emphasis on ‘soft skills’ through role playing.

For tips on handling these new approaches, see the article here.

Fired? Here’s How to Recover

What happens when you're not downsized out of a position but, rather, are let go as a result of your poor performance? Here are some thoughts on being fired.

Getting fired can constitute a pretty harsh blow, so it's natural to want to take some time to wallow in your disappointment. But don't spend too much time harping on your dismissal.

Consider the benefit of sending your old boss a nicely worded note a day or so after you've been fired. It's to salvage a degree of professionalism in a situation where you otherwise come away not looking great.

One question you're pretty much guaranteed to get asked during new interview you go on; "Why did you leave your last job?" Be forthcoming about why you were let go, take responsibility for the actions that led to your dismissal.

For more detail see the article here.

Find a Later Life Second Career

You are among the first generation of Americans who routinely change careers after 50. The centuries-old pattern — to work at the same job or profession right up to retirement — is becoming obsolete. In its place: a career path marked by new jobs, new starts, even new businesses, continuing for as long as you have a passion for work. The proof is in the data. For example, one study shows that 40 percent of people working at age 62 had changed careers since they turned 55.

For six months, the editors at the AARP Bulletin searched America to find ordinary people who have done extraordinary things with their second careers. What they learned: When people stay true to their passions and set their hearts and minds to it, new careers can take off at any age. Some provide large financial rewards; others simply supplement pensions and Social Security checks but pay off big in terms of fulfillment, pride and satisfaction.  

There are 17 career change examples to study along with specific info about how they did it.  Click here for more info including their salaries.