"Shave your ear hair"

[babylonsister]

Overcome Job Search Ageism
By Dan Woog, Monster Contributing Writer



When new owners bought the magazine that editor-in-chief Joe Provey had started a decade earlier, the severance package for employees included job counseling. Two years later, the advice he best remembers receiving is this: Shave your ear hair.

He was a fit, healthy 52-year-old, but to his job counselor, Provey's age was more important than the years of experience he might bring to a new job. And despite federal laws barring age discrimination, Provey's experience is hardly unique.

Having spent his entire career in the special-interest magazine field, he found jobs scarce -- especially at the editor's level. So he switched his focus and began working with book packagers and newsletter publishers on short-term projects. Still, the age issue often arose.

Market Your Experience and Network

"I do think there is a bias toward hiring younger people," Provey says. "My theory is it's natural discrimination, not insidious, but I've sent resumes to jobs I know I could do a terrific job at, and I don't even get a response." He has thought about leaving earlier jobs off his resume, but his college graduation year indicates his age. On the other hand, omitting graduation dates "sets off alarm bells," he says.

What worked for Provey? He networked by attending conventions and calling contacts he'd made during his years in publishing. Another strategy that worked was creating a Web site. "Highlighting a spread that I've written in a big magazine makes me more of a person than sending out a resume that just says I'm a 54-year-old guy," he says.

more...

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/getting-started/fight-job-search-ageism/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000666

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I wish it was that easy...........

;( I worked in Information Technology for over 25 years...took an 8 year break in the middle to raise a baby....now I work in a bakery....the exact job I had in high school. It does not make me feel younger.

[babylonsister]

2. I wish it was, too.

I'm having a difficult time getting anyone to respond to my resumes. At least you have some great bakeries in Bklyn. Here, not so much. But maybe we're not approaching the search the right way. I'm trying to stay optimistic, and hope the better job numbers will trickle down to us.

[CTyankee]

3. Here's what my 69 year old husband did after being laid off and forced into early retirement

with a much reduced pension.

He created his own part time job. He packaged his experience with municipal government for a newly hired executive of a regional organization based on what he could do for him. His contacts in local and regional government was certainly a factor too, as well as his knowledge base and skills set. Basically, this was like marketing a house or a car for sale only it's marketing yourself. And he was specific about what he could do for this executive and what the rewards would be for hiring him.

He spent a lot of time sending out resumes and spinning his wheels. Creating his own job was the better way for him....

[Cheap_Trick]

4. It's not that easy.

Some of that hair is deep down in the ear.