Finding work after 50

Unemployment isn’t easy for any job seekers, regardless of their age. But unemployed men and women older than 50 may find it especially difficult to find work. Whether it’s a byproduct of age-related discrimination or any of a host of additional variables, jobless older workers often struggle to find employment. In a 2016 analysis of government figures, the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School estimated that the jobless rate for workers 55 and older in August of 2016, six years after the Great Recession, was nearly 9 percent. At the time, the national jobless rate hovered around 5 percent. Unemployed men and women older than 50 who are struggling to find work can consider the following strategies as they look to rejoin the workforce.

Revisit your resume

Unemployed men and women over 50 have no doubt updated their resumes to reflect their most recent professional experience. But they may need to trim some of the fat in regard to their work life 10 or more years ago. Today’s hiring managers may only be concerned with recent experience that illustrates skill sets that are relevant to today’s jobs. Men and women older than 50 may consider their experience from 20 years ago invaluable, but if that experience does not meet the specific needs of the jobs they’re now seeking, they should remove it from their resumes so hiring managers can quickly access the more relevant information from their work histories.

Embrace 21st-century job hunting

Finding a job in the second decade of the 21st century is unlike job hunting in decades prior and wholly different from how older men and women looked for jobs upon beginning their professional lives. Networking can mean the difference between unemployment and landing a job. Go to job fairs attended by hiring managers, and join professional organizations that host events where professionals in your field can gather.

Turn your age into a positive

Men and women over 50 should accept the likelihood that their new managers and/ or hiring managers will be younger than them. When interviewing for a job, older men and women should make an effort to showcase their enthusiasm about working with and learning from younger colleagues, while also noting their desire to commit long-term to a company. Some hiring managers may surprise older applicants, viewing them as potentially more reliable than younger workers simply looking to gain some experience in a particular industry before moving on to the next opportunity.

Make use of your existing downtime

Another strategy that unemployed men and women older than 50 can try as they look for work is to make better use of their existing downtime. Enrolling in online courses can give prospective employers the impression that applicants over 50 are both tech-savvy and willing to learn new things. Each of those things can help older men and women overcome any unjustified, tech-related stigmas that hiring managers may attach to older job candidates. Finding work after 50 is not always easy, and job seekers may need to adjust their approach before they can get back into the workforce.

Photo by iStock For men and women over 50 who are looking to rejoin the workforce, showing enthusiasm and interest in learning from younger colleagues can have a positive impact on prospective employers.