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Senior Interview
Near or over 50?
You Can Get a Great Job! |
Overcoming Ageism in
Job Interviews
Job seekers near or over age 50 will be particularly
vulnerable in interviews unless they adopt a vital, energetic,
positive, and well-groomed approach. The toughest questions
you will be asked are those related to your age.
It is illegal for an employer to ask your
age, and most won’t. Instead, they’ll try to pin
you down through questions that give them clues.
You cannot avoid the issue. It will come
up in many forms, so be prepared to deal with it. You can
and must convince the interviewer that you are a serious contender
and that your experience, knowledge and achievements are an
asset, and that your age is not a liability.
Take a firm
stand against the myth that "older workers don't
contribute, but just put in time until retirement.” |
Dealing with Age Discrimination
Interview
Here are some tips for handling age discrimination
interview questions in addition to those given above:
You may answer the question "How old
are you?" in several ways. First, consider the sincere
approach: "I am 56. I am in excellent health and, as
you can see from my resume, I have an impressive record of
achievements and bring many skills to contribute to this position.”
Often interviewers ask how long you would
plan to stay in the position for which they are hiring. You
can respond: “I would stay here at least five years.
There is a lot I still plan to do, and if this company hires
me it will be getting the benefit of my experience and knowledge.
That’s an asset, not a liability.”
Yet another response is: "I am 60 years
old and twice as good as I was at 30."
The best approach of all, however, is to
steer past the age issue altogether and keep the conversation
oriented toward your professional experience and your most
recent work-related achievements.
If asked about your personal life, mention
the last mountain-climbing vacation you took, your civic and
volunteer activities, etc. Don't show photos of your grandchildren!
Don't be intimidated by computers. Be prepared
to update your computer skills as part of on-the-job or pre-job
training. It is crucial for you not to be technologically
behind. Major word-processing programs, such as MS Word and
WordPerfect, voice mail procedures, e-mail, faxing, etc. are
all things you need to be familiar with. Old-fashioned values
are fine; old-fashioned ways are not.
Don't give clues about your age. Don't discuss
your grandchildren, the model year of your first car, the
date you graduated from high school or college, served in
the military, etc. -- anything that might label you as "old"
or belonging more to the past than to the present or future.
Good Senior Resume - First Things First
Keep in mind that the job resume
is the first impression that a prospective employer has of
you and the most crucial step to get you interviews. So, writing
a good senior resume
is essential in this process.
Creating your outstanding senior resume
with EasyJob is a breeze: you only need to select your personal
job-search situation (near or over age 45 and more) and
follow the resume maker’s instructions. EasyJob
Resume Builder will reconfigure itself to match your specific
needs and will also help you with lots of senior resume
samples. Both the resume and cover letter as well
as wizard instructions will be adapted to your job-search
situation. Check
it out NOW for FREE!
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