Interviewing Tips for the Older Job Candidate
If you’re over 45 and are looking for a job, you may encounter
some unspoken “ageism” when you go on interviews. Technical fields, especially,
are populated with young workers. But in any company you may have to convince
the hiring manager that you’re up to the job, both in terms of skills and
energy. Here’s how.
1. One of the fears about older workers is that they won’t fit in. Many times
you might be viewed as a parent-figure rather than a co-worker, and the beliefs
a younger manager has about his or her parents will unconsciously influence the
analysis of you and your abilities. To counter this, describe situations where
you worked with younger people on an equal basis or where you followed a younger
leader.
2. Will you require more sick time than other workers? In reality young workers
take more illness-related time off, especially when they have young families.
But throwing this information in the face of the interviewer will do no good.
Instead, focus on your excellent attendance record over the past few years. If
you do have health issues, don’t go into any details, but do assure your
potential employer that you work efficiently and effectively. Of course, if you
have a disability, employers cannot discriminate against you for the job if you
meet the requirements.
3. Can you work at a pace that’s required for the job? Look peppy and energetic
throughout the interview and this question will be banished from the
interviewer’s mind. Walk into the room with a brisk step. Sit straight and
alert, leaning slightly forward in your chair. Give a firm handshake at the
beginning and end of the interview. While you may not be interested in long
hours on the job, there’s no point in bringing that up during the interview.
Establishing good work patterns once you have the job will be a better way to
keep from working those 80-hour weeks.
4. One of the most important things you can do for staying employable at any age
is to keep up your technical skills. This can mean anything from being
proficient at using word processing, database and spreadsheet software and doing
research using the Internet to networking office computer systems or managing
the server. In more specific fields, knowing graphics, multimedia or CAD
software; programming languages or machine maintenance updates; or the most
effective publicity channels may also be important. Within your field, know the
latest technology – and be able to use it.
5. Don’t overwhelm your interviewer. While one of the advantages of age is
experience, it can also be intimidating to someone who may not be totally
confident about his or her position. It is important to emphasize your
abilities, but be modest and aware that too much of a good thing can indeed be
too much.
6. Dress for success. Looking competent and confident goes a long way toward
convincing others that you are. Conservative dress with modest makeup and
jewelry – and no cologne for men or women – always works. Remember, you don’t
get a second chance to make a first impression. And wear a pleasant, positive
look on your face. Smiling does make a difference.
Anticipating that you may be perceived as a liability and not an asset, approach
the job interview with the knowledge that you do have something to offer. The
secret is to match your skills with an employer’s needs. You want to feel as
comfortable with them as they do with you. If you get a sense that you “wouldn’t
fit in”, either while waiting in the lobby or during the interview, be confident
enough to turn the job down if it’s offered. Otherwise you may be in the
position of being a little older and interviewing once again because the job
didn’t work out!
Jan Cannon, MBA, PhD, has over 10 years of experience helping clients to
find work that they enjoy through career coaching and resume preparation. She
was an online expert with CIO.com and jobfindtoday.com and currently provides
online content to the Career Connection of the Boston Herald (
http://print.jobfind.com ).
Jan speaks to groups and leads workshops on making career choices, networking,
finding jobs, and staying motivated. She teaches courses on entrepreneurship
for those interested in starting their own businesses. Jan has Myers Briggs™
MBTI™ and FirstStepFastTrack™ certifications and offers Inscape™ DiSC
assessments.
Jan's book on senior job search will be published by Capital Press in
April 2005.
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