I’m 70. How Can I Convince Someone to Hire Me?
Hope and luck are not strategies!
I see all the “trickery” advice that accompanies this type of situation i.e. hide the dates on the resume, shave the beard, die the hair, etc., etc. Mostly OK advice and very conventional but shallow, overdone, easily sniffed out, and not addressing the heart of the challenge.
Rather than look at this from “what’s wrong with me?” let’s come at this from the perspective of the person/company doing the hiring. What’s it going to take for them to be interested in you?
Consider this widely overlooked component of a job search, regardless of age: Why does anyone go to the trouble of posting a job and conducting interviews? Why is this job out there to begin with?
It’s because they have a problem. They need a solution to a problem.
I don’t care if you are 70 or 37, if you are the solution to my problem, you are on my shortlist.
As a career coach for years, I’ve seen this more often than not. Job seekers chase jobs not really knowing what problem the hiring authority is dealing with. Wouldn’t your chances be greatly enhanced (1) if you knew and understood the problem and (2) had the goods to address and solve that problem?
The conventional approach remains to pull together a general, one-size-fits-all resume (and now a LinkedIn profile), throw it out there, and hope “they will come.” I know, I’m a certified executive resume writer. I tune up some of the most disastrous resumes imaginable that I receive — even from executives.
News flash: Hope is not a strategy!!
Yes, I’ll take the education dates off, and only go back X number of years. And, yes, I’ll counsel them to trash the 30-year-old-suit and otherwise put together a professional presence. But I also won’t collect money from a job seeker (regardless of age, experience, title, etc.) until I’ve pushed them to enable me to put on that resume and LinkedIn profile what problems they solve and how — with actual examples.
Ninety percent of the resumes that I modify come to me with limited quantifiable achievements. They are usually just a collection of responsibilities passed off as accomplishments. No problem-solving content. Mostly like an obituary of chronological job duties.
BORING! UNINSPIRING! INEFFECTIVE!!
Getting hired at 70 is a bitch!!!
Having said all that, the reality is that getting hired by a company at 70 is VERY difficult. Although companies are slowly being forced to reconsider their stance on hiring older workers and there is a growing awareness of the wisdom of that choice, the pace of change is very slow.
Companies have become very creative in their methods of screening out older workers, especially through the software technologies they deploy. It’s the primary reason that applying for jobs online is a long, hard, frustrating, and often fruitless journey for a 70-year-old.
Another problem that I see repeatedly, even at the executive level, is that many have failed to exercise the initiative to grow and get better at their job along the way. No additional degrees, certifications, skills-building courses, etc. That is hard to conceal in a resume or interview.
Unless you are a superstar at what you do and have kept your skills sharp, your chances of getting attention are slim.
It’s one of the reasons that there is a trend for folks in this situation to do consulting or freelance work or start a business of their own using their talents and acquired skills and experiences.
There are more businesses started by people over 50 than in all other age categories. And the track record of survival of these businesses is higher than for businesses started by younger people, thus speaking to the value of experience and wisdom.
One possible option to consider is semi-retirement. This is a growing trend. It will depend on your financial condition.
I entered into that mode 20 years ago at age 60 when I left corporate life after 35 years of spinning my wheels operating outside of my innate strengths and uniqueness. I started my own recruiting business and struggled through a discovery process that helped me identify what I was best at, loved doing, and what could sustain me for as long as I am healthy. It has enabled a lifestyle that is spread across work, leisure, and learning with the intensity and time dedicated to any one of the three components being my choice, on my calendar, and under my control.
It’s not an easy route, especially for one whose work life has been dedicated to working for someone else. Without a doubt, that is the best option for most. Few are willing to elevate risk in their life at age 70, even though the potential rewards — monetarily and health-wise — are greater.
The last point I’ll make if your mission to get a “job” is unwavering, you will definitely need to get out of the black hole that the application process has become. The most effective way to snag a job at your age is by networking and initiating conversation with people 1:1 where you have a much greater opportunity to sell your skills and experience.
That too is tough because most people can’t survive past 7 rejections of attempts to connect with a stranger. Learn how to push through that, and it can ultimately succeed.
Working with a qualified career coach who deals with folks at mid-life and beyond can help. There are lots of us out there.
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