Nowadays, people believe that millennials have the upper hand on older professionals due to having an advanced understanding of current technology and trends, but does that prove to have more value to an employer than experience? Bill Homjak, a human resource professional with over 40 years of experience as a corporate HR executive, says that despite your age, reentering the professional world is not as difficult as it may seem.
Age is just a number
Have you ever stopped whatever you were doing and say to yourself “dang, I’m getting old”? It sucks. You think that with your age, your ability to perform is now limited.
What if I told you Sister Madonna, an 86 year old nun participates to this day in Ironman competitions? For those of you who may not know an Ironman race involves a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike AND a 26.2-mile run (a marathon). Still, feel old? Your capabilities are endless, and your aspirations are achievable. If you want to be successful in your job search, try to follow these five principles Bill presented in his session.
Bill let us know about a website called nifty50 and suggested everyone in the room subscribe to it.
Breaking it down
Reliability
We all have that one relative who is young and full of energy. Always getting into trouble, having accidents, and seems to be too sick to go to school. Well, I hope they have a good “I’m sick” voice because that’s all the boss hears from the junior employees. According to statista.com, nearly 60% of employees in the 18-30 age group took up to 5 sick days vs. 49% of the 41-60 age group. Only 14% of the 18-30 age group took zero sick days, 45% of the 41-60 age group also took zero sick days. Do you know what these statics are shouting at you? RELIABILITY! Experienced professionals are proven to be more reliable and require less guidance. College students are now searching for summer internships to gain as much experience as they can. The competition for employment has been increasing over time due to rising participation rates from older age groups that require less training and produces more than the average college graduate.
Strategy
When formulating a plan, try to do so from a consultants view. Always ask yourself what’s your target companies needs or problems they have. Prepare responses for your interview and include these problems with a solution you can provide. Showcasing your experience and expertise and how they relate to the companies issues makes you stand out from the rest. If you have experienced similar problems, the company is having to be sure to include how you handled the situation and produced and positive result.
Networking
- Search for advice and input about your job search
- Research the companies you intend to apply
- When interviewing either on the phone or face to face, use questions to flush out needs and problems
- Avoid companies with loud “youth.” These companies tend to exclusively hire young professionals that are entering the professional world (interns/college grads)
- Non-Profits and government have become more promising over the past few years because of benefit programs.
- Utilize networking websites and apps such as Linkedin
Session summary
Bill began the session with introductions of the attendees and their past careers. While moving within the room, there was a diverse group of professionals with different backgrounds and specialties that can help build your network. Throughout the presentation, Bill passed around handouts that will help you outline your goals and better prepare you for the job hunt, including a marketing plan. If you’d like a copy of the handouts, please email Cindy Newton at cindy@hudsonjobsearch.org and ask her for a copy.
Please come to our Next Hudson Job Search Meeting
Susan Nelson will be speaking on April 1 at 7:15 p.m. about Developing and Executing an Effective Networking Plan. All our events are free of charge and open to anyone who lives and works in the greater NEO area, whether you currently have a job or not. No need to register in advance, but seating is limited to approximately 40 individuals.
