When senior employees lose their jobs, the struggle they face to find a new position is very real. There is, unfortunately, a form of age discrimination that can affect their chances to land an exciting role. It is difficult for people over 45 and 50 to convince an employer that they are the right person for the role. Indeed, the older you are, the more difficult it will be for a recruiter to ignore your age. But what does it actually mean to be ‘too old’ for a role? The truth is that employers can’t discriminate against you on the basis of your age. However, more often than not, the discrimination occurs naturally and without the knowledge of a recruiter. Consequently, it is essential to learn effective methods to boost your CV and place it on top of the pile.
1. Start Blogging
Blogging is not new. Blogs have been around since the mid-1990s. However, in recent years, professionals have started measuring the importance of blogging to promote their careers. Indeed, writing a blog can make you more visible in your expert niche. You need to define your area of expertise clearly as this will help to catch your audience. Don’t aim to attract everyone. As a senior, writing regularly about your professional skills and keeping an active social media presence with your readers will make more appealing to an employer. To use a cliché, blogging makes you appear younger and more dynamic, which helps to tackle some of the worries of recruiters.
2. Boost your IT knowledge
It’s never too late to go back to school. However, you need to choose wisely, as you are not in a position to start a new career at an entry level. But, your professional skills might be transferable to a new sector. You could boost your IT management knowledge with the Deakin University to become relevant for project management and IT team leadership positions. Indeed, this kind of IT roles requires someone who has an understanding of modern tech and a long experience of management within a company.
3. Develop games
It would be preposterous to assume that game developers can only be under 30. In reality, the best game developers have over 20 years of experience, meaning that they are the gray-haired IT professionals in the team. Consequently, programmers, designers and system administrators who feel left out in their company because of their ages could move their skills to the gaming sector. Additionally, storytellers are also precious in the world of games! You don’t need to be an IT wiz to make it work.
4. Sell your experience
Freelancing is a term that is often associated with young professionals. But the freelancing industry doesn’t care about your age. In fact, someone who has a lot of experience is preferred to a young graduate. Your business knowledge can become a useful selling tool on the market. And you can be sure that freelancing will make your resume appear more youthful!
Being relevant in the employment market is challenging when you get older. However, you can demonstrate your youthful thinking and your professional dynamism through your online presence, IT projects and freelancing side hustle.
