Employers Our Clients Have Accepted Positions With

A Message From Our President

Downloads & Links

Affiliations & Memberships

Request a Free Career Assessment

Press Releases

Press Release

How to Find a Job When Over 40

San Antonio - March 19, 2010 - Older job-seekers today need to learn some new tactics in order to overcome reluctance to hire them. These strategies include communicating about and packaging themselves in different ways, brushing up on their interviewing techniques, and networking and mentoring in reverse, according to OI Partners-Venturion (San Antonio), a leading global talent management firm.

More than one-quarter (26%) of unemployed people are age 45 and older, and the unemployment rate for this age group is double what it was at the start of the recession two years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

- The unemployment rate for those ages 45-54 was 7.4% in February - which was down slightly from 7.6% in January, but still more than twice as high as the 3.5% unemployment rate for this age group in December 2007.

- The unemployment rate for those ages 55 and over was 7.1% in February- up from 6.8% in January and still more than double the 3.2% unemployment rate for this age group two years ago.

"Not only are there more people over 40 out of work, but their job searches are taking longer. These are the peak earning years of a person's career, and there are fewer job opportunities for more experienced people with higher salaries," said Don Huse, managing partner of OI Partners-Venturion (San Antonio) (www.oipartners.net).

Consultants from OI Partners-Venturion recommend that people over age 40 follow these guidelines:

- Use more up-to-date terms when referring to yourself: "When presenting yourself, use positive terms that are generally associated with today's job savvy workers, such as high-energy, able to learn new systems and methods, good technology skills, flexibility, and willingness to learn new things," said Huse.

- Accentuate the advantages of experience: "However, still emphasize the benefits that older, more skilled employees can bring to a job. These qualities include experience, maturity, work ethic, productivity, and ability to understand the 'big picture.' Translate your experience into skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the particular targeted opportunity and which will contribute to your success in the job," said Huse.

- Learn new interviewing techniques: "Interview procedures and questions are much different today than when some older employees may have last interviewed for a job. The questions are more demanding and probing. Behavioral interviews ask for examples from your career that apply to specific situations to uncover whether you have the skills an employer has identified as being critical to succeeding in the job, such as decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, and motivating others. Be prepared to have these examples ready when needed," said Huse.

- Use the right key words on your resume and in online job postings: "Your resume should contain job-specific key words that highlight your skills which will be picked up when your resume is scanned electronically. Detail each particular area in which you are proficient, such as marketing, accounting, public relations, budgeting forecasting, and inventory management. Also, name each software product in which you are proficient. Use industry terms and buzzwords that are relevant to the opportunity so your resume will score well," said Huse.

- Network in reverse: "With reverse networking, job-seekers begin with jobs that are posted on the websites of companies, and then they use their networks to get closer to decision-makers at these employers," said Huse. Applying for jobs directly on company websites was the second biggest source of external hires in 2009, accounting for 22% of people hired from outside the company, next only to referrals from employees (which comprised 49%), according to survey by CareerXroads, a staffing strategy consulting firm.

- Use reverse mentoring: "Older job-seekers can mentor younger job-seekers, exchanging guidance in developing their careers and rounding out their resumes for advice in how to build their online presences and use social networking to play a more active role in their job searches," said Huse.

- Explore flexible work arrangements: "Be open to alternative employment arrangements such as interim, freelance, contract, and consulting work, which may lead to a full-time job. The temporary help market is very busy right now, which means many employers are adding temporary or project workers before deciding to hire full-time staff. If a potential employer says they don't have a position at present, find out what they do need to get done - and negotiate to do that for them," said Huse.




About Venturion
Venturion (OI Partners South Central Texas) specializes in job search, career transition, executive coaching and change management services. The firm is recognized for its unprecedented success with individuals seeking professional, managerial and technological positions in today's highly competitive job market. Frequently Venturion reviews search trends in order to better assist clients.

____________

Note to Job Seekers: Current economic conditions have lead to a proliferation of job search scams. Venturion encourages those in career transition to read the following:

• Six signs it's a job scam - CNN.com can be found here.

• Avoiding Online Job Scams | Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, found here.