On New Year’s Day, I was enjoying the distant view of white-capped
mountains as I ran along a desert trail in Red Rock Canyon, just outside
Las Vegas. It was a clear morning, with bright warm sun and Joshua
trees all around me. It didn’t feel much like the winters I’ve come to
know back east, with their freezing temps, snow and ice. I climbed a
slightly elevated trail of dirt and sand and then it appeared: a small
patch of brilliant white snow, sitting trailside, all alone. I stopped
in my tracks to take in this lovely but unexpected image. Picking up a
handful, I shaped the snow into a ball, tossed it at my husband and off
we went. I felt exhilarated by the sight of this little winter surprise
in the middle of a desert landscape.
Why am I telling you a snowball story in this blog post about age and
relaunching?! Because if you’re feeling defeated or low in confidence
about the possibility that your age might be getting in the way of your
ability to land a job, I have a tip for you: Try to be a little more
like that snowball in the desert. Let me explain.
Ageism is very much a reality. It’s notoriously hard to prove and
often targeted at women. If you are 45+ and have been trying to relaunch
for several months or longer with no luck, it’s tempting to assume that
age is at least partly to blame. Before you cloak your mind in that
possibility and head down a rabbit hole of age-related defeatism, first
conduct a thorough, honest check-in on the quality of your job search.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you running a thoughtful, focused and targeted search?
- Are you using strategic networking effectively?
- Are you working to fill in your knowledge gaps, whether in
technology or industry trends or developments? Is there a substantive
work-related topic that you can say that you’ve mastered inside and out?
- Do your pitch, resume and LinkedIn profile market you as optimally as possible?
- Do you present yourself as well as you can, with a physical appearance that communicates energy and an attitude that’s positive?
If the answer to any of the questions above is no, then don’t assume
that your numerical age is necessarily your entire ‘problem.’ Maybe your
relaunch process and/or tools first need some tweaking. Resources
abound both within and outside iRelaunch to help you address any and all
of these topics. If you were able to answer ‘yes’ to all of the
questions above, congratulations! You’re probably managing a solid
relaunch process. Hopefully by keeping up the volume of your search over
a period of time, you’ll land just the perfect opportunity to get your
relaunch headed in the right direction.
If you’re feeling like you’re doing all –or most—of the five items
above well, but a dark cloud still sits above your head around the
subject of your age, try this: Think about the common stereotypes and
biases that employers typically have about age. Don’t just think about
them up in a vague or abstract way. Identify and write them out. If you
are unsure what the most common employer age-related biases are, then
Google the topic. Some common ones are that mature job candidates:
- are technologically or substantively obsolete;
- are unable to work well with younger colleagues and supervisors;
- lack energy and stamina and have an expiration date;
- are too rooted in the past; and
- won’t learn new ways of doing things.
Now, looking at the list that you have created, what is one
stereotype-defying trait that you possess? In other words, what’s one
way that you are like an unexpected surprise, a snowball in the desert?
Are you particularly adept at technology? Do you relate well to
millennials and have no problem learning from younger counterparts? Do
you have a well-developed, contemporary fashion sense? Are you very fit
and energetic? Are you extremely knowledgeable about popular culture? If
you do not have a stereotype-defying trait now, what’s one that you can
potentially develop?
Whatever this trait is, embrace it. Make it part of your trademark.
Let it be your ‘secret weapon,’ or the strength that no one expects from
you -- but that makes you feel more confident. Think about it before a
networking meeting or job interview. Use it like an Amy Cuddy ‘power
pose.’ This worked for Nancy, a 53-year-old attorney-relauncher who
recently landed an associate position at a real estate boutique firm.
Nancy is a tech whiz and despite her 10-year career break, has always
loved and stayed on top of technology (with some help from her husband,
an IT consultant). Nancy showcased her tech skills on her resume and
LinkedIn profile and impressed her current employer during interviews by
demonstrating her knowledge about a brand new software that they were
using to manage client matters. “I think their expectation after seeing
me was that my tech knowledge would be basic, but when I shared that –
not only is it advanced –but that I get excited about technology in the
workplace, they looked at me differently.”
Stephanie also embraces her own age-defying trait. She’s a relauncher
in a returnship position at a financial services organization. Whenever
I saw her, Stephanie, in her late fifties, looked fantastic. She wore
fashionable skirts, sweaters, boots and other accessories that made her
look contemporary, fresh and always professional. She confided with me
that investing time in not having an outdated appearance makes her feel
more confident. She loves when younger colleagues compliment her clothes
or ask where she bought a particular item. Sometimes knowing she is
probably the ‘oldest person in the room’ at meetings makes her feel down
or anxious, but Stephanie says that she tries to present herself in a
way that communicates: “I am here – fully present in 2020! I do not
have one foot planted in the nineties!”
By being a little more like a snowball in the desert, you may find
that you will pleasantly surprise others, increase your confidence, and
unload a bit of the burden of age-related worry and self doubt.
