How to land a job when you are 40+

I've noticed that most of the people who attend my career workshops are over age 40.

This tells me three things about 40+ year olds …

How to dress for the job interview

Since the first thing an employer sees when greeting you is your attire, commit to dressing properly. Doing so will give you a competitive edge and a positive first impression that could set the tone for the entire interview.

   

General Guidelines

Rejected for a job? Find out why using these tactics

Determine why you might have been
rejected and resolve to overcome the
reason the next time.

Being rejected for a job hurts. And it’s confusing. You wonder why the company didn’t want you. And you worry that you are unknowingly doing something wrong that is causing you to lose out on opportunities.

The good news … if there is any good news in being rejected … is that you can often learn why you didn’t get the job and receive helpful advice from companies that didn’t hire you. Here’s how:

The remedy for bad and conflicting job advice – how to know which advice to use or lose

Consider conflicting advice and pick your right path.

Craig had been a decisive leader in his field, but, after receiving a boatload of bad and conflicting job advice, he now doubts his ability to make decisions about his career search.


Are you going through the same thing? Do you doubt your ability to land a job because you've received conflicting and sometimes downright awful career advice? You CAN know which advice is right for you. Here's how.

Learn what employees think of their companies … useful info for job seekers!

Learn if employees hate their company!

I've written recently about how to research hiring companies using:

1) LinkedIn 
2) other sources including a hiring company’s web site, Google, Facebook, Twitter, and business publications. 

This week, I want to tell you about two really cool web sites where you can find out employee and interviewee perspectives about your target companies. This can be good information to know to determine whether you really want to work for a company or not.

Why 50 somethings aren’t getting hired and what YOU can do about it

Seasoned workers got hit hard by the
recession, but they can recover.

I've noticed that most of the people who attend my Get a Job! workshops are over age 50. This tells me three things about 50+ year olds …

An exit strategy for the miserably employed

Miserably employed? Take active steps to get
into a better situation.

I met with a job seeker recently who is in the midst of a miserable job experience. Perhaps you can relate. Sometimes it can feel like you are trapped by your bad situation, but you aren't ... if you take steps to escape. 

Here’s how:

10 silly mistakes dooming your job prospects that are a cinch to fix

Are you making silly mistakes that are hurting
your job prospects?

I see it over and over again. Job seekers make silly mistakes that cost them the jobs they seek.

Do you make these mistakes? They are easy to fix. Here’s how:

Job seekers, do you bite the hands that help you? How to know if you are and how to change

Are you biting the hand that
tries to help you?

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. 

If you are a job seeker, you want those who can help you to think highly enough of you to send you job leads, recommend you to hiring managers, give you helpful advice, and ultimately hire you (if they have that kind of power). 

If people aren't doing these things for you, it could be because you may be inadvertently alienating the very people who want to help.

This quick quiz will help you know if you are biting the hands that could help you or building relationships that could help you get a job.

6 simple ways to make money while job seeking (don’t laugh, they work!)

I was really good at scraping together money here and there when I was unemployed.

Maybe you can use some of the tactics I tried to tide you over until you can find a job.

For example, try these money-making tips:

Miserably employed? Six stealthy steps to getting out of a bad job and into the right one

Miserably employed? Take steps to
get into a better work situation.

For every unemployed person I know, I know three who hate their job.

A lot of people are miserably employed. In fact, a recent Conference Board report reveals only about 45 percent of U.S. workers are satisfied with their job. If you are unhappy in your position, take stealth steps to either improve your situation or get out of it and into a better job. Here’s how:

17 tips for finding a job in a different city

Take these steps to land a job in a
different city.

Several people have asked me how to land a job in a different city. Some had given up on finding work in their community. Others wanted to pursue a new adventure or find a position that pays better elsewhere. Many just wanted to expand their job search to a wider area.

Regardless of their reason, I gave them the same advice: Establish yourself as a local, even if you don’t yet live in your target city. Why? Many companies prefer to hire locally to avoid transportation and relocation expenses and the risks involved in hiring someone who may decide not to move after all.

Use this free action plan to determine what job you really want … then go for it!

Chart an action plan for your job search.

What do you really want to do? 

Do you want to work for someone else, or for yourself? 

Do you like a steady paycheck or relish the idea of making potentially more through commissions? 

Are you seeking leadership roles or happiest in a low pressure position?

Deciding what you really want is your first step toward acquiring your dream career.

Here is an action plan to help you:

3 questions to find out if you really want a job

Do you really want to work?

I know a ton of people looking for work, but only a few who are really looking. 

Which kind of job seeker are you? 

Answering the following questions honestly can help you determine your level of commitment to your job search ... and ultimately, to finding a good job.

3 reasons why people don't help you fnd work

Learn the reasons why people
don't help you in your job search.

I am helping so many people find work, I created a chart to remember them all. The chart includes their names, locations, job preferences, and email addresses so I can send them relevant job leads. (If you want to be on the list, send me an InMessage or connect with me on LinkedIn.) 

In the process of creating the chart, I realized why I haven’t been more help. The same roadblocks may be keeping your friends from helping you.

Here’s what I learned: