Over 40? The Major Interview Mistake You Could Be Making

A a study by Work It Daily shows 87% of seasoned professionals (over the age of 40), believe age discrimination is hurting their chances of getting a job.

As I outline in this LinkedIn article, I don't think it's age discrimination as much as it is the lack of a more 'sophisticated' approach to job search.

What Happens When Your Approach Doesn't Match Your Reality:

If you are over 40 years old and looking for work, chances are you might be sending the wrong message to employers in interviews. Have you been trying to impress them with your diverse experience and enthusiasm? That can backfire. Being the "jack-of-all-trades," who can do anything isn't a plus in the eyes of hiring managers, especially, younger ones. Given your years of experience and skill level, employers are expecting a very different message. One that conveys a balance of authority with humility. Failing to create this balance can result in employers smiling and nodding in the interview, acting like they love you... only to never hear from them again. Here's why:

They Respect Your Age, But Not Your Overpowering Persona

While hiring managers and recruiters are politely going through the motions in the interview, what they are really thinking when you present yourself is you're:

• Too aggressive
• A know-it-all
• Trying too hard
• Acting desperate
• Inflexible
• Set in your ways
• Too talkative
• Exhausting to work alongside

Of course, nobody sets out to convey the above. But, it happens if you don't understand the mindset of the interviewer. In short, if you don't know how to connect on their terms, you could be sending the wrong message.

SOLUTION: Give Yourself A Business-of-One Makeover

The solution is to spend some time re-branding your business-of-one. Keeping in mind you're a service provider to employers, you need to clear the slate and start over with your messaging. By learning what employers really want and how they want you to present it, you can re-frame your personal brand and start making the right impression.

EXAMPLE: Rethinking Your Approach To Interview Answers

It's not uncommon for a person over forty to want to prove their skills in an interview by sharing a time when they were very successful. In fact, when it comes to behaviorial interviewing (a popular technique with recruiters), it's important you do try to give context to your experience so they can validate your skills. However, subtle differences in the delivery of the facts can make all the difference!

For example, if I was to ask you to tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer, which answer do you think delivers the better balance of confidence and humility?

• Version #1 - I had a customer who called in irate with the service she had received from another associate. Of course, I apologized immediately for the poor customer service she received from one of my co-workers and then immediately used my experience to fix her problem and get her a partial refund. She was so overjoyed and even sent our manager a note about how great her experience was with me.
• Version #2 - I had a customer call in upset about a customer service experience with our company. I carefully listened to the complaint and by using our company's guidelines and training for solving customer issues, I was able to resolve her concern and even provide her with a partial refund. I really enjoy being in a position to be able to make the customer happy. She was also kind enough to send a nice note along to my boss about the experience as well.

Hopefully, you chose version #2! By finding the right way to share the details of our success and giving proper credit to those who enable us to succeed, we show an awareness to how our success is interdependent upon our employer and teammates. This is the kind of subtle, yet important distinction seasoned workers need to convey to make hiring managers (especially, younger ones), see them as someone they can work with.