Many service jobs have been shipped overseas and will never return. If you’re over 40, you may have started your work career in either a service or manufacturing job which no longer exists, or is really hard to find these days.

In this current economic environment, large employers are shedding workers and small employers are struggling to find money to expand and hire more workers. This all makes finding a job for people over 40 even harder.

Yet, giving up should never be an option. If you’re savvy and persistent, you can greatly increase your odds of landing a good position. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

What Are You Really Interested In Doing?

This is a really good question to ask yourself at this stage in your working life. By this time, you’ve spent many years doing specific job tasks. Now’s the time to figure out if you want to do the same type of work, or, is there something else you’d really like to do, but just never went for it?

If you’re interested in going in a new direction, find out what kind of skills and training you’ll need to have for that type of job. Because you’re unemployed, you have an opportunity to do some job training. There are websites that offer free and paid training. Or, visit your local job training center.

Your willingness to learn new things and to get training shows that you can easily adopt to a new type of position.

Get into Networking 2.0

If you’re not already on a social networking site, go ahead and open up an account and create your own space. Many positions these days aren’t found by traditional means, but by meeting people through social networking. If you’re clueless about how to sign up with one, there are several good books and websites that can walk you through the process.

This is no longer optional. Having a social networking page or a blog of your own, shows a potential employer that you’re keeping up to date with the latest technological trends. Plus, it’s a great way to meet people like yourself who are going through this tough unemployment phase.

Revitalize Your Look

Put on your interview clothes and take a look in the mirror and really scrutinize yourself. This is what a potential employer will see when you walk in the door looking to be hired.

You’re already at a disadvantage because you’re not an eager 20-something. So, what can you do to instantly convey that you’re just as eager to get to work as your younger counterpart?

A quick way is to overhaul your professional look. And, let me just say right now that people DO judge a book by it’s cover – even if we learn we’re not supposed to do that. An employer may take one look at you and see an “older” person, therefore triggering an instant bias.

Giving yourself a mini makeover will make you feel good, while appearing more youthful at the same time. So, if you’ve been wearing the same old, style of haircut forever, go to the salon and get something that looks fabulous on you. If you’ve got a little gray, consider getting your hair color treated. Remember, in this tough environment you need every little advantage you can get.

Buy a new interview outfit and make sure it’s tailored to fit properly. Get your teeth whitened and learn to walk with your shoulders up straight. Practice smiling in the mirror and greeting your interviewer. First impressions are everything.

Related Posts

• Apply For Freelancer Jobs
• Make Being Overqualified Answer
• Perfect Legal Job
• Lose Your Job
• Great Career Tips

When was the last time I had a really good day at work and could not wait to go back in the next day? Now you may find this was some years ago but really give some thought to this question.

Once you have come up with such a day, start to dissect it.

· What was so good about that day, what was it that gave you that ‘buzz’, that sense of achievement, that boost of confidence that comes from knowing you did a great job.

· Was it perhaps that others deferred to you for your opinion, considered you to be a ’subject matter expert’?

· Was it that you made lots of decisions and worked autonomously?

· Did you work in a team that was motivated, results orientated and that always achieved?

· Perhaps you went back to basics and worked on the shop floor having since been promoted and removed from this type of work

Whatever the reasons were, you need to identify what it was that really made your day. Just because you are good at a particular task does not necessarily mean you enjoy doing it. Conversely, you may really enjoy doing a task but are not particularly fast or very good at it.

The things you enjoy doing and are really good at are your motivators, your strengths and it is these you should always focus on when seeking out employment opportunities.

Try something different

Next time you are looking at a job advert, try covering up the actual job title and actually read what it is the employer is looking for. Start highlighting where you can provide evidence that you meet that criterion. Start looking at employment opportunities with a different mindset; rather than convince yourself you cannot do something, start by saying “I’m going to see how much of this job I actually CAN do”.

You will be pleasantly surprised at how many other areas of employment open up to you this way, areas that you may never have considered before. See how much of your skills set maps straight across into other careers, then identify where the potential gaps are and if you are serious about pursuing this particular employment opportunity, then it is only at this point should you consider up-skilling or taking on an additional training course.

Summary

Many people try to gain qualification after qualification in the hope that if they throw it all at an opportunity, something may just stick. Try and adopt a more focussed approach by using all that I have outlined above and you will find that in many cases, the only thing standing between you and applying for a different type of employment is YOU and how you perceive yourself.

Related Posts

• Finding the Right Job After 40