Countering Ageism in the Executive Job Search
Often, ageism isn't overt - and that's why people rarely file EEOC claims. It's hard to prove that you were discriminated against because of your age (and that's not even mentioning the fears of being labeled a whistleblower).
But sometimes, I do see glaring examples that are impossible to ignore, as I recently shared with MarketWatch in their recent discussion: Help wanted: Companies that can write job ads that don’t discriminate against workers over 50
In the article, I shared an example of a prominent Fortune 500 company advertising early career job openings in the same week that they laid off my VP client. My client had been with the company for 15 years, managing $100M+ P&Ls and delivering multi-million improvement programs. The company job ads literally showed pictures of new hires in their 20s at sporting events while he's left to wonder where he went wrong.
OK, so we know that ageism is real. The question becomes what can you do to fight ageism as part of your job search.
There are some obvious things like not calling yourself "seasoned" (you aren't food!) or removing your date of graduation from your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Here are 3 other things that I recommend as you get started:
- Get clear on your goals: What are your income goals? Do you want to take a step back? Are you looking to be an individual contributor? Are you looking for a promotion? What kind of companies do you want to work for? (This is so important for experienced workers because you run the risk of being seen as "overqualified" for certain roles - once you are clear on your goals, it's a lot easier to counter the "overqualified" argument).
- Create a positioning strategy: Obviously you need to update your resume. LinkedIn for candidates of all ages for me is underrated. You’ve got to make sure you have that strong profile. 90% of recruiters search for talent on LinkedIn. If you just have it as a placeholder where you’re just putting your titles and that’s it, you’re missing out.
- Connect with people: Networking is another big piece of it. And it doesn’t have to be just people that you worked with in the past two or three years. Your advantage as an experienced worker is having a vast network. I was talking with someone recently who was in their 50s who had an extended job search. How they finally landed was a network connection, someone they had worked with 20 years ago. You just never know where those conversations will take you.
If you're looking for more guidance, I recently talked with LinkedIn News Editor Andrew Seaman about staying confident and competitive in your job search at any age: here's our conversation.
Yes, this market is challenging, but there are some ways that you can be proactive in your search. Hopefully these tips will help you to get started.
Ready to change things up in your career?
I'm committed to helping you become more visible and find a new role, so through the end of the year, I'm offering the Ageless Careers Toolkit (my complete guide for job search, resume, LinkedIn, interviewing, and cover letter best practices) for $29 ($249+ value).
Use the coupon code NEWJOB2025 at checkout
|
Want more personalized help? I have limited spots available for 1:1 strategy calls, resumes, LinkedIn profile upgrades, and LinkedIn ghostwriting. (Learn more here)
FYI - January + February are always a busy time, so reserve your spot now!
Take care of yourself -
Colleen
