How I Found a Job at 65

Tips for older job hunters

“You have to be realistic. There is no way you will find a job at your age.”

The message I was getting from my nearest and dearest was that, after being fired from my technical writing job at the age of sixty-five, I’d never find another job. No doubt they meant well, trying to save me from disappointment or the embarrassment of failure, but it was also sapping my self-confidence.

The truth is that, at any age, job hunting is about overcoming rejection. In the end, you need only one job, but the path to that job is through many failed attempts. As an older job-hunter, I found the biggest challenge was being doubted by friends and family; those whose support I most needed.

Getting fired was the best thing that could have happened.

Two months have now passed since I received the dismissal notice and am writing this article on the train, commuting to my new job. My new position is more interesting and better paid than the one from which I was fired. In retrospect, getting fired was the best thing that could have happened to me. At an age when many people were expecting me to retire, my career is entering a new exciting track, in a young startup company at the cutting edge of technology.

I was not asked even once about my age.

The naysayers were wrong. During this entire process, I was not asked even once about my age. Increasingly, older people are staying in the workforce, and their contribution is appreciated, at least by some employers. According to a 2019 survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 69 percent of baby boomers in the US are working or expect to work past the age of sixty-five, and many do not plan to retire at all.

Overall, I sent my resume to eighteen potential employers, I was invited to ten interviews, was shortlisted for three, and received firm offers from two.

Tips for finding work

The following is what I learned from my own successful job hunt.

1. Work with a good recruitment agency, one that specializes in your area of expertise. An effective agency will actively promote your candidacy amongst potential employers. They often have important background information about the role and will be in contact with the potential employer throughout the process. But before you work with such an agency, check what they will be doing for you beyond sending your resume to employers.
2. List relevant work experience, but don’t list every job you ever had. Going back 20 years is probably enough. Neither do you need to state your age explicitly; the potential employer will understand that you are an older candidate, and if they are looking for a young (less experienced and cheaper) employee, they will not invite you for the interview. If you do get invited, you can assume that you have impressed them with your potential.
3. Go to every interview. Each one is a learning process even if not successful. After going to a couple of interviews, I could see a pattern emerging as to the type of questions I would be asked. This enabled me to be better prepared for the next interview. I saw each interview, not as win-or-lose, but as a step up the ladder to my dream job.
4. Talk a lot about the future. Tell your potential employer where you want your career to be in ten years' time. Remember to ask questions about the company’s plans for long-term growth. Let them know you are in for the long term.
5. Ask about learning opportunities. Will the company send you to courses and help you develop your career? Get the message across that you are continuing to develop professionally.
6. Be prepared to explain what motivates you, beyond the need to earn a living. For example, you could be looking for the opportunity to make a difference to people's lives, or looking for an intellectual challenge. Maybe you want the feeling of belonging that comes with working with people. You need to show that you work because you want to, not because you have no choice.
7. Don’t be the one to make an issue of your age; if your potential employer does not mention it, then neither should you. What will damage your prospects is not your age, but you having a problem with your age. However, if the interviewer does ask about your age, give a short reply as to its advantages. Do not relate to it as a problem that needs to be solved.
8. Age also means experience. This means you might be overqualified for the job, or it might pay less than your expertise would indicate. If you are prepared to downsize your role, prepare a positive explanation of why you want to do this. I interviewed for several team member roles after having been a team leader in the past. I explained that I enjoy my profession and are keen to get back to a hands-on role.
9. Keep up-to-date with the latest trends in your profession. Employers may be worried that as an older person, your skills are out-of-date.
10. Include some mention of your hobbies, community service, and cultural interests. Employers are increasingly looking for individuals with well-rounded, fulfilled lifestyles. In my case, each potential employer who shortlisted me for a role had expressed an interest in my creative writing activities.
11. Get into shape. Fit people exude an energy that will be noticed in the interview. If I look at my many acquaintances who are working in their 70s and 80s, there is one thing they all have in common; they exercise regularly. I would recommend putting your wellness activities (such as gym membership or outdoor activities) in the hobbies section of your resume.

If you enter the interview full of self-confidence and display professionalism and positivity, you will be attractive to a potential employer. This will be more important than your date of birth.

Best of luck in your search. Your dream job awaits!

Authors Note

Since writing the above article I have been promoted to team leader and have experienced job hunting from the point of view of the recruiter. The lessons I learned from interviewing older candidates have been described in the following article.