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- APPENDIX C - OVERCOME AGE DISCRIMINATION
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- For most job seekers, using and expanding a contact network
- consistently produces the best results. This is
- particularly true for older job hunters. Most find it
- easier to tailor discussions of their backgrounds to an
- employer's needs in a meeting.
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- It's a myth, but many people believe and perceive older
- workers to have an inflexible attitude and the inability to
- learn anything new.
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- However, there are a great many employers who recognize that
- mature professionals will:
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- Bring expertise ready for immediate application.
- Their training time is usually much shorter than
- younger employees.
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- Offer a seasoned perspective developed through
- years of handling similar situations.
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- Provide stable mellowed personalities without
- being driven to prove their worth at the expense
- of their colleagues.
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- Come equipped with a strong work ethic and the
- desire to build loyal, long-term relationships
- with their new company.
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- Often exhibit more flexibility, enthusiasm and
- willingness to learn than some of their younger
- colleagues who "think they know everything."
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- Give clients the comfortable feeling that the
- company is staffed by mature and reliable people.
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- Employers don't want to hire overqualified people. Perhaps
- interviewers have told you, "you're overqualified," and you
- thought they really meant, "you're too old." They probably
- aren't hiring you because:
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- They know you'll resent taking a pay cut.
- They think you'll find little challenge.
- They imagine you'll leave for the next enticing job.
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- If you welcome a low stress job, then tell the employer
- face-to-face that you want to do a good day's work and not
- compete for the higher slots. You have nothing to loose, it
- may convince him.
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- It's easier than you think. Renew and restore your self
- confidence, expand your creativity, narrow your goals,
- enlarge your number of contacts and welcome change.
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- Decide exactly what you want to do, research and decide
- exactly where to practice your skills and study
- organizations that interest you and then approach the one
- individual with the power to hire you.
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- Even people nearing retirement age can make a forceful case
- for being hired in a time-limited, task force leadership or
- project management role. "I'll manage the project for you,
- establish the department, then hire and groom a successor,
- and leave him to run it for you. You get my maturity
- without worrying about having to terminate me when the
- project's done."
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- Improve Your Chances:
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- Give enough time to the search
- Learn about employers
- Concentrate on smaller companies
- Identify and prioritize skills
- Be persistent
- Take the label off yourself
- Expand your horizons
- List what makes you better
- Get friends and relatives to research
- Thank you notes for everybody
- Keep up personal appearance
- Maintain a positive attitude
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- Success For Seniors:
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- Know the real world
- Do it yourself
- Best skills emphasized
- Study employers
- What employers interest you
- Solve his problems
- Focus on jobs you want
- Communicate well with employer
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- How To Get An Interview:
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- Through a contact
- Direct phone call
- Through another in that company
- Through outplacement
- Through resume or qualifications letter
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- end of chapter
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