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The 4 most common pitfalls for mature age job seekers.
Over the past few weeks, I have received a number of emails and questions from job seekers who seem to be hitting road blocks with their job search, due to what they believe is an age barrier. While there may be some recruiters and companies who favour ‘younger’ candidates, many of the struggles that mature age job seekers are dealing with are also being experienced by job seekers of various ages. So, it’s not so much the ‘age barrier’ that is the issue here (as candidates of all ages, backgrounds and levels of expertise are experiencing the exact same blocks in their job search) but rather the way in which they are approaching their job search.
Here are the 4 most common pitfalls that I have found are the main reasons why job seekers (of all ages) are not getting interviews or eventual job offers.
Common pitfall No. 1: Uninspiring marketing material.
The two most crucial documents in a job seeker’s job search are their resume and cover letter. Unfortunately, all too often, these documents do not highlight the job seeker’s achievements and successes, nor do they portray the value the candidate brings to the table.
Resumes:
Drawbacks that are common in uninspiring resumes include:
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Listing dates and academic pursuits that extend over 20-30 years. As you progress in your career, achievements and successes will far outweigh education that has been completed quite some time ago. If you are a candidate with a wealth of experience then it would be wise to list any education at the end of your resume with the dates omitted.
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Listing companies that you have worked for 30+ years ago, or worse still, listing each and every job ever had. Generally the last 10-15 years is the most relevant so provide details of the companies (including achievements and successes) you have been employed with for the last 10-15 years, and summarise any experience that dates further back.
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A resume that is too broad in its focus and therefore not targeted specifically to the job being applied for. Often job seekers who can bring a wealth and depth of knowledge and experience to the table include each and every experience whether it is relevant to the job or not. Doing this will only confuse the reader. Rather, try to consider how you can demonstrate the position’s responsibilities and achievements in a way that relates to the job you are applying for, therefore strengthening your application
Cover letters: Rather than being a concise document that summarises the candidate’s expertise, job seekers either provide too little information or tend to repeat everything they have included in their resume by summarising their experiences. Your cover letter is your initial handshake and should be succinct, highlighting relevant information that supports your application.
Your resume’s job is to get your foot in the door with an opportunity to interview, however I believe that if your resume is well written and stands out from the other resumes, it will continue to support you throughout the selection process. A document that highlights challenges overcome and initiatives implemented that have contributed to the company’s ongoing success is far more powerful than a resume that just provides a long (and boring) shopping list of accountabilities and broad statements on the strengths you offer.
Common pitfall No. 2: Ineffective interviewing techniques
The second most common issues that many job seekers continue to struggle with is their difficulty in speaking about their experience in a relevant and marketable way, and their inability to answer behavioural-based interview questions and other difficult questions such as:
- “Tell me about yourself.” Don’t outdate yourself by going back too far or speaking about irrelevant information;
- “Why should we hire you?” Don’t come across as arrogant by stating that you can do this role with your eyes closed because of the extent of your experience. Rather, provide an overview of your strengths and an accomplishment example to confirm your expertise.
Other questions (which are all explained in our book 10 key steps to Ace that Interview) include:
“Why do you want to work here?”
“What are your weaknesses?”
“What do you know about our company?”
“What would your former colleagues or boss say about you?”
“What motivates you?” to name a few.
Preparation and practice is essential. If you haven’t completed your due diligence around the role or the company and prepared relevant examples that can demonstrate your competencies across all of the jobs functions, then you are going to do yourself an injustice.
Common pitfall No. 3: Inability to build rapport with the interviewer
One of my favourite savings (which is an NLP presupposition) is “Resistance in communication is a sign of a lack of rapport”.
If the interviewer is having difficulty understanding the true value you bring to the table and why you would make a good candidate, then one factor could be due to the fact that you have not established rapport with them.
Whether the interviewer is half your age (or even younger), or whatever age or gender for that matter, once you have established rapport by mirroring, matching and pacing the interviewer’s mannerism and personal style, your conversation should flow smoothly, thus allowing him/her to appreciate and confirm that you have the required skills and experience to perform well in the role. Once you have rapport the entire relationship is enhanced through having the elements of both trust and responsiveness present.
To learn more about how you can become an influential communicator, read Chapter 6, of 10 key steps to Ace that Interview.
Common pitfall No. 4: Failing to understand and harness the factors that make up 93% of the impact of communication
If I were to ask you, what two factors make up the biggest impact (93% in fact) when you are communicating with another person, what would you say? For those of you who have undergone some interview coaching with me (or who have read our book) you would be able to answer this straight away and therefore have an upper hand in your interviewing and other communications. For those of you who don’t you may be surprised to realise that:
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55% of the impact of communication comes from visual factors: your mannerisms, body language etc;
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38% of the impact of communication comes from auditory factors: the tone of your voice, speed in which you speak, and your articulation; and
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Only 7% of the impact of communication comes from the words you speak.
It is crucial to realise that 93% of the impact of communication is not what you are saying but rather is going to come from how you act (mannerisms/body language) and how you say it (tone of voice, speed etc).
First impressions are vital so it’s also important to make sure that your personal appearance does not contribute to dating you. I’m not advocating that you dress in a style that does not suit you, however what I am saying is that you should ensure that your clothing, hair, makeup, jewellery, briefcase etc enhances your overall appearance rather than diminishing it (due to it being from yesteryear).
Lastly, one of the most important factors in anyone’s job search (whether you are just starting out in your job search or have been in the workforce for some time) is your attitude. If you continue your job search with a negative mindset such as “They probably won’t hire me because they’ll think I’m too old/young” or “What’s the point? I’ll probably receive another knock-back” you will do little to support yourself in coming across as an enthusiastic and possible contender for the role. As I have written in other articles, you receive what you put your attention, focus and energy into, so if you move forward in your job search with an attitude that is positive and enthusiastic, adopting all of the strategies outlined above, you’ll begin to receive interview requests and job offers in no time!
If you have any questions around how you can enhance your job search please feel free to contact me at: Annemarie@annemariecross.com.
To your success!
Annemarie
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