Is there a magic number, beyond which you are too old?
It used to be 50. An invitation to join AARP around one’s fiftieth birthday has been considered an all-American tradition for several decades. That venerable organization must have had a reason for establishing the age of 50 as a benchmark, after which one must be prepared for employment discrimination.
But some will tell you that 40 is the point after which your chances lessen at being successful in a job search.
40, 50, 55, 60, 65, etc. At some point, every individual bumps up against a birthday that signifies (or might signify) a death-knell to career advancement.
What do you think? What have you experienced? What do you fear about age?
Let’s distinguish between your own fears of advancing years and the job market out there. Yes, there is age discrimination. Yes, you might be a victim of it. Yes, it’s extremely hard to prove in court, so this blog posting is not going to address that option.
What can you do? You can:
- stay current in your field,
- offer one more skill than your competition,
- keep a sense of humor and a sensible perspective,
- listen more than you speak,
- keep your network alive and active,
- decide that your chronological years do not need to dominate your state of mind.
If you would like to discuss a concern about age with a career counselor, please visit www.anneheadley.com for contact information. Together we can revisit your resume, removing irrelevant information, we can develop current interview strategies, and we can identify ways of finding new associates and colleagues who will welcome your experience.
