To close out my series on supporting older professionals in career transitions, I’d like to share a wonderful story about a client I worked with earlier this year.
I had the pleasure of supporting a 75-year-old professional who had recently been laid off. He was worried about being able to land a new role and considered whether part-time consulting or retirement were his only options.
After discussing various strategies to mitigate ageism in the job search, he decided to go ahead with a search for a full-time role. Here are some of the strategic areas we addressed:
Updated résumé to a modern format, highlighting the breadth and depth of his work with strong accomplishment statements. We also removed dates on work experiences older than about 15 years.
Updated his LinkedIn profile, including a strong headline.
Discussed the importance of leveraging his network, including building relationships with recruiters at search firms.
This individual had one interview (a connection through a recruiter at a search firm) and received a job offer the next day. The hiring company clearly recognized the value of his extensive experience and work ethic.
I know that this is not everyone’s story. But his success inspires me, and I hope it encourages you to move forward in your career, even if you consider yourself to be in an “older” demographic. You might be exactly what a hiring company is looking for.
Feel free to reach out if you need support during your career transition. You got this!
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