Westhill Consulting Career and Employment : Forum : You Will Never Be Too Old To F..


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You Will Never Be Too Old To Find a Job

8 Years Ago


With thousands of eager young minds who graduate from college every year, available jobs are getting more and more occupied and competition gets fiercer. 

Many young people argue that they cannot find a job because employers need individuals with experience. On the other hand, old people aged 45 and up who still have a decade or so years before retiring say that they are too old to get a job. Now, isn’t it both ironic?

In Asia, South Korea is reported to have the highest number of unemployed old people with meager or even without any income despite the growth of the country. In Jakarta, Indonesia, on the other hand which remains to be the largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country in the world, has been reviewed to be a home of middle-aged job seekers. 

In an earlier review by The Westhill Consulting and Employment, it was stated that age discrimination is currently an open phenomenon in every company especially to aging people who remain to be on the rank-and-file position. How do you get pass this though? When it comes the time of being old, how can you then be able to out-compete those who are younger and fresher than you? How can you be of a warning to other young people behind you who will eventually grow gray hairs in their own right?

1. Your Experience is your Ace

Many older job seekers have rich personal experiences that would make them qualified to succeed at jobs. But often, this knowledge does not translate into the more formal work experiences employers are seeking. Enrolling in a certification program or seeking college credit for such experience can develop the third-party credentials that would lead to a job. 

2. Create your Brand

Aggressive personal promotion has become a standard employment technique. Yet many older people are uncomfortable tooting their own horn, and may not know how to use the social media tools that can be megaphones for job seekers. It’s time to get away with tradition and live to the demands of today for you to really compete. Experience plus the knowledge of new things are both an advantage.

3. Upgrade your Knowledge

Today's workplace can be daunting, particularly for someone who's been out of the workforce for only a few years. Specific job skills, particularly involving computers, may need to be relearned. Job-search and interviewing techniques have also been transformed by the Internet, and the explosion of social media sites. Having a "go-to" point person to coordinate job placement services has proven helpful.