Unemployed - New Lessons to Learn

Those who are employed simply don't discuss unemployment very much. It's only when one finds themselves in the position, does the learning process begin. If you find this topic of interest, give a read and let’s see if what I’ve recognized can shorten your learning curve a bit.

Remember Scorcese’s 1990 hit film Goodfellas? For the most part, my experience of being unemployed is quite similar to the way Henry Hill advised his wife after going to prison; “It's going to be okay, but you’ll not hear from or see anyone anymore." "That's what happens when you go away." "We're on our own now, forget everybody else.”

While that's how being unemployed can make you feel, there are exceptions. Over the past several-weeks, a few folks have reached out and offered their time for a call, coffee, help or advice. Most of these folks have been through the “change”, “transformation” or “conversion” whatever you choose to call it, it’s simply being unemployed after 50. These folks understand about having to "go away" and the effects it can have on one’s psyche.  

In recent weeks, I’ve reached out to hundreds of contacts and some days feel as I’m only being bothersome. Too bad, it’s sales. I have to sell my services and every good salesperson knows it sometimes takes hearing no more than a hundred times to get to one yes.       

Now, after spending a few weeks on the beach and speaking to several contacts, I now realize just how lucky I’ve been, especially having been in the publishing industry, to make it this long without finding myself unemployed. 

Things Have Changed

Having been employed since I was sixteen, I’ve been quite fortunate. As my career progressed, I've been recruited or promoted to progressing positions. This negated the need to search, interview and such. With this in mind, I made a common mistake of thinking job searching hasn’t changed much. It certainly has. Through the process, there’s no shortage of information and suggestions offered as the correct way to do things. Unintended but unfortunately, much of the advice you’ll receive is subjective and not all counsel will not be applicable to everyone. What works in one industry may not carry over to others. 

I had to stop and take a high-level view of the process as it related to my individual situation. Having been in a hiring role for many years, it was only after this self-reflecting that I came to the conclusion; the hiring process today is more about elimination, not entirely about the selection. I needed to tailor my job-hunting methods to recognize this idea. With this in mind, here are some thoughts to consider.

Make Your Resume Less Seasoned - Seasoned is great for things like firewood and prime cuts of steak, but not always for employment candidates. Consider your resume reading more like a marketing brochure with a focus on 21st-century experience versus a comprehensive list of everything you’ve done. Focus on your achievements, quantify your results whenever possible sell your prospective employer's return on their investment in you.

Survey Your Social Acceptability - Hiring managers and recruiters will vet you online. Make sure that what they see is impressive by having a complete profile, a professional headshot and a summary section that tells the reader how you are ideally suited for your next role. Make sure your LinkedIn’s headline includes keywords that a hiring manager might use to search for talent like you. Also, given today’s fervor of American political opinions, consider setting your politics aside for a while. We all have varying political standards, some more passionate than others. For now, leave them guessing. 

Start Quickly - Likely, it will take longer for you to land a job after 50. According to an article from Forbes which summarized findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it takes an average of 12-weeks longer for those ages 55-64 to land a role versus than those 25-34 (37 weeks v. 25 weeks). Those job seekers who get an early start, however, tend to be more successful in landing a new job than those who wait.

 Self-Reflection - After a few weeks, I had to back up and evaluate what is important to me. In this way, I now have a clear idea of what is negotiable and what’s not when the opportunity (or offer) presents itself. For instance, do you want to stay local or are you open to a move out of the area? Does consulting or project work interest you? Are you open to travel and if so, how much?

Self-Appraisal - It is important to understand what you bring to the table that might be unique and valuable. Your response is what differentiates you from a myriad of candidates. Are you skilled in building something from nothing? Are you repeatedly brought in to lead turnarounds or solve problems? Do you have a history of coaching people promoted to positions of leadership? These are the kinds of things that should be noted and highlighted, front and center or in this case at the top of your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Compensation -Suppress your salary demands. While this is a deal-breaker for many seasoned workers who find it insulting to be offered less than they were making in their last job. News-flash, this is a big reason why your job search is taking longer than expected. A good way to soften the blow is to negotiate for more flextime, vacation days or other perks that can build up your package, so you don't lose face. Research salaries for the positions you’re seeking. Sites like LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor can help to make sure your efforts are in the right ballpark. Stay realistic. If you have to take a cut to get a good position with a good company, use it to motivate your work efforts. If you show the value your experience can deliver, your compensation will inevitably grow. 

Work Your Network - By simple virtue of having been in the workforce for longer than your younger counterparts, your personal network is anywhere from 3 to 10X larger! Don’t let this invaluable asset go to waste. Reach out and start talking. Reach out by email, LinkedIn, and good old-fashioned phone calls. And even if it’s been a while since you graduated, don’t underestimate the power of reaching out to alumni from your alma mater.

Toughen Up - As discussed in the opening, it may take fifty notes, emails or calls to garner one or two responses from your network. We’ve all been there; folks are busy and everyone has their own list of things going on within their own lives. A non-response is nothing personal, it's business. deal with it and move on to the next or find a new avenue. Unemployment is a sales game, not everyone is buying and it’s all about the numbers. You've got yourself and your services to sell, now let's get back to work.

The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you're made of, not the circumstances. - Mel Robbins

Recruiters - There are hundreds of services in NE Florida alone dedicated to matching candidates with positions. Again, it's important to remember, it's all business, nothing is personal. Most recruiters work hard to match the right candidate with available jobs. As someone seeking work, it's important to know recruiters need to manage this process with hundreds of people at a time and with employers who want the perfect candidate with the perfect background every-time. When it comes to recruiters, don't assume they are your personal concierge. Again, they're working to provide companies the right employees with available jobs, not the other way around. Make yourself known to recruiters and use them as an initiative within your bigger action plan. Don't take it personally, and remember no-one is going to manage or be more dedicated to your job search than you.

Be Ready to Interview - Beyond researching the company, you are about to interview with and the people you will be facing, be sure to dust off your interview skills. This means being prepared for several different interviewing formats. Understanding the purpose behind each interview style, and having a plan in place, will give you your best shot at interview success. 

Parting Thoughts - As Gen Xers may be testing the job search waters for the first time in years, we certainly face some unique challenges. We also hold many advantages. In my experience, a candidate with an influential resume, a strong LinkedIn profile and a robust networking strategy who brings sharp interview skills will edge out the competition every time. Stay humble, realistic, open to change and keep up the hard work.