Q:  I am older than 50, and I am having a difficult time accepting repeat rejections during my job search. It is frustrating and difficult to find meaningful work. What is an older employee to do in this economy?

A: Your issue is well documented.  A New York Times article by Alina Tugend, “Unemployed and Older, and Facing a Jobless Future,” goes right to the point: Older Americans are having a difficult time finding meaningful jobs in this economy, and it does not appear it will get easier in the near term.

Let’s first look at the problems often facing older job seekers that may make them seem less desirable. Sometimes cost is a factor in the analysis. More experienced leaders often command higher salaries and receive more benefits due to seniority. Senior professional can also be perceived as less flexible and less up-to-date. Technology plays a huge role in creating such an “age divide.” Poor computer skills sometimes screen out more seasoned professionals who may have come of age when the technology was in its infancy. In this mix of factors, retraining helps, re-evaluating skills helps, and keeping focused on remaining positive also helps.

Given this situation, I recommend two strategies that will bolster your resilience while you work to locate even a meaningful part-time assignment.  First, really take this time as an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Reinvention means having the creativity and the courage to assess your existing skills and apply them to new, perhaps unanticipated, venues.  It may also mean acquiring new skills.  If, for example, you are not up to speed with current technology or your credentials are a bit stale, you may want to update, upgrade and outfit yourself to be a contributor by addressing any skill deficits you detect.

The other strategy to use during your search is to spend time and attention on your state of mind.  This is what will tide you over and through the challenge of getting off the ground in a sometimes unreceptive market. For as emotionally heavy as this time feels, you need to make sure the spirit you present during your search is positive. Having an entrepreneurial spirit and the will to realign what you’ve accomplished with the opportunities for which you apply can counter many of the adverse impacts of ageism in the marketplace.

Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.

ExecSearches.com is a job board for nonprofit job seekers interested in fundraising, management and executive nonprofit jobs.

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