Competition in the job market has skyrocketed tremendously over the last few decades. A huge number of fresh graduates are applying for job vacancies, which are limited in number, causing the job market to become extremely strained. When choosing their employees, recruiters may prefer younger candidates because they are more skillful at using technologies and have higher chances of maintaining employment. With many young graduates seeking job opportunities, employers might be overlooking senior job seekers. Though it’s not explicitly said, age discrimination is a serious issue that senior job seekers have to confront. If you are a senior job seeker, you might be wondering how you can overcome this obstacle and boost your chances of recruitment. Here are some tips on how to do so:
Demonstrate your extensive work experience
If you are an older job hunter, you probably have extensive experience from your previous jobs. Make sure to mention every job you had in the past on your resume, and list the responsibilities that you were accountable for in each job. Don’t forget that no matter how many years of experience you have, your CV should not exceed 2 pages long. When writing your job role description, make sure to summarize what you used to do without including details. Be precise, straightforward and mention data and figures to demonstrate how you accomplished certain goals in your career.
Follow Better Research Strategies
Your job hunt might be failing because you are looking in the wrong places. There are many methods through which you can optimize your search results. Make sure to conduct your job search on websites that target senior professionals rather than junior ones. Only apply to jobs that fall within your field of experience and avoid applying to irrelevant jobs as it might give a wrong impression to the HR Manager reviewing your CV. At last, keep your options open and be willing to accept an opportunity that is lower than what you expected in terms of status or package.
Consider Different Salary Offers
One of the main reasons employers tend to avoid hiring a senior employee is because they fear that their salaries will not meet their expectations, as experience has a direct correlation with an employee’s salary. Since most senior professionals have a lot of experience, employers choose not to hire them because they don’t have the budget to afford their salaries. Be open to negotiating your salary package and keep an eye on the market to know your worth and what companies are currently offering for similar positions.
Familiarize Yourself with Technological Developments and Trends
Amongst the very widespread misconceptions recruiters have about senior job seekers is that they’re not familiar with technological advancements and social media trends. You must disprove this theory and showcase your technological ability. Learn about all the new technologies, how to use them, and what trends are common in utilizing them. Also, updating your social media profile can further substantiate this. You can do this by creating an account on multiple social media platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and by continuously updating it.
Begin your Own Startup
If you’re tired of searching the job market and waiting up for decisions from recruiters, you can start your own business. Find something you are enthusiastic about and pursue it. Your past experience will help speed up and facilitate this process.
In conclusion, age bias is an unspoken and bitter truth that senior job seekers face when approaching the job market nowadays. However, seniors can follow certain strategies that can help them get past this barrier and increase their chances of landing a job opportunity.
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