1. Be Creative. In today's competitive job market, creativity is an important asset for the 50-plus professional. Knowing this, what can you do to stand out from your competition? Here's an example used by a 50-plus editor who was looking for a job. He was interviewed by the vice-president and editorial director of a major publishing company for the editor ship of a magazine that was having editorial problems. The interview seemed to go well and the editor was excited because the job was at the No. 1 company on his preferred list.
After the interview the editor went home and wrote the customary thank-you note - but included an extra one-page mini-critique of the magazine the editorial vice-president had given him to examine. He hadn't been asked to do a critique but thought this extra effort would separate him from the unknown competition.
Says the editor: "I went through the magazine, commenting on the articles, layout, and what I thought would have been a better cover story in the magazine. I realized this was risky and I didn't say, 'This is a terrible magazine.' That wouldn't have been very smart. I did say, “This is an excellent magazine . . . but.” Then I made specific suggestions and comments, purposely keeping my one-page 'mini critique' short and to the point.
"I got the job," says the editor. "Later, the vice-president who interviewed me said my comments were ‘right on target.'
In fact, he told me I had been 'too kind' in my criticism." As the editor pointed out, there is an element of risk in criticizing or making a suggestion in a letter, because you can eliminate yourself from the job. But if you use common sense tied in with your knowledge and experience, you can tip the scales in your favor and land the job.
This technique can be used by salespersons, financial professionals, copy writers, and advertising executives who know their industry and its needs. It also requires some imagination and thought to make it work. It's a job-winning formula when properly executed.
2. Adjust to Circumstances. There comes a time in a job search when nothing seems to go right. It is something that happens to every job hunter, so don't be discouraged if it happens to you. It is important when job hunting to do something every day. That means making telephone calls, making contacts, writing letters, and following up.
If you're not getting results, you may have to change tactics. Like a professional athletic team, if things are not going well, you have to readjust your strategy. This is all part of the job quest, which requires both know-how and imagination.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks. This doesn't mean doing something foolish. You take a calculated risk just as the editor in the preceding anecdote did. You think about what you intend to do, plan it, and weigh the consequences on the win-and-lose balance sheet.
What are some of the "risks" we're talking about? One example: Recently a 59-year-old woman with a Ph.D. applied to a company for a job that she was more than qualified to perform. The salary was less than she had wanted, but the company was near her home and it was a job that appealed to her. She sensed that her interviewer, in her mid-thirties, and in charge of the department in which she would work, was uncomfortable with the thought of hiring her.
As the interview came to an end she said, "Look, I realize you may be reluctant to hire me. But I want the job and I can do it well. I'll work hard for you and my experience will help to make your job easier. I hope you will take this into consideration when you make your decision."
The Ph.D. got the job. Chances are she wouldn't have, had she not voiced her interest in the job in a nonthreatening way. Was it worth the risk? In this case, yes.
4. Expect Success. You've probably heard this advice so many times that it sounds like a platitude, but a healthy can do attitude is essential for a successful job hunt or anything else that you want to do well in life.
5. Be Persistent, This is one of the most important assets in your job-hunting arsenal. Ray Kroc, the late founder of McDonald's, hung signs at the company headquarters that read:
- "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
- "Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men/women with great talent.
- "Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
- "Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
- "Persistence, determination alone are omnipotent."
