You don’t need to list every job you’ve ever had. Going back 10 or 15 years should be enough.
Don’t make it easy for interviewers to think you’re overqualified. It’s better to focus on skills you can bring to the specific job you’re applying for rather than listing all the general qualifications you’ve accumulated over the years. Expressing familiarity with social media and current technology are sure to work in your favor. And, whatever your age may be, it can never hurt your chances if you bring abundant energy to an interview, express plenty of interest in (and some knowledge about) the company you’re applying to work at, and make eye contact while speaking respectfully to the person interviewing you—even if he or she is decades younger than you are.
If you conduct yourself in this way during a job interview, there’s a good chance you’ll make the kind of impression that can help you stand out among the competition.
You may want to use an interview as an opportunity to help dispel some common myths about older workers. Two such myths, according to Experis, are:
Myth 1. Older workers lack stamina and are often out due to illness.
Myth 2. Older workers won’t keep a job for long.
The fact is, older employees miss work less than their younger counterparts. Older workers’ turnover rate, meanwhile, is far less than younger workers’.
Brimming with energy and laying out some of the long-term benefits you can offer the company just might convince your interviewer that he or she will be making a big mistake by letting you get away.
The Technology Myth
There’s a widespread belief among many that older workers aren’t familiar with, or won’t be able to master, new technologies associated with many types of jobs. But as far as workplace technology is concerned, there’s nothing to support the notion that older workers won’t function at the same level as younger workers. According to the PewResearchCenter, the percentage of Americans between the ages of 55 and 72 using the Internet roughly parallels the percentage of younger American adults going online. Most older Americans are comfortable with a mouse in their hands and a monitor in front of them—and many in fact learn about job openings primarily by doing Internet searches.
If you bring up your Facebook page or your favorite computer game during an interview, it may pay off big-time!
If technology you’re unfamiliar with comes up during an interview, don’t panic. Simply indicate eagerness to learn, and let the interviewer know about challenges you’ve tackled in the past.
Of course, you’ll want to dress professionally without overdoing it. What you wear to an interview probably shouldn’t accentuate your age. Remember, the goal is to stand out based on your ability and qualifications, and you don’t want the interviewer’s attention to be diverted to anything else.
And Once You’re Working …
You have plenty of legal protection in your corner to protect you against age discrimination in the workplace. Job assignments, pay, fringe benefits, training opportunities or requirements, and layoffs cannot be decided on the basis of age. You’re also protected from harassment, including offhand or tasteless comments, relating to your age. It’s just as important to know your rights on the job as it is to know them during an interview.
Especially in a competitive job market, your health is your most vital asset. You won’t find a better source than MedicareMall.com for information about Medicare supplement insurance plans and Medicare Advantage, or a better partner than MedicareMall when it comes to sorting through all the Medicare options and making sure you get the coverage you need. This year’s Medicare Open Enrollment Period is from October 15 to December 7, and now is the time to make important decisions about your healthcare coverage for 2013! Give MedicareMall a call and let us put our twenty-plus years of experience and expertise to work finding the best, most cost-efficient coverage for you!
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