Changing Job

Most of us have been there at some point in our working lives. Really excited about a new job or career opportunity only to find, after learning the ropes and building the skills required to traverse them blindfolded, that we’ve fallen into a rut.

What once seemed exciting no longer is.

Like that overused ‘boiling frog’ analogy, a quiet sense of indifference, dissatisfaction or desperation can creep upon us in increments. It’s often not that we are completely miserable; we’re just not pumped. Sure no-one goes to work every day about to set the world on fire, but if you’d prefer to stay home in your PTs most days then it’s probably a sign that something needs to change and you need to change it!

Your job.

Your career.

Or perhaps just your outlook.

Too often we underestimate the price we pay when we stay on in a role that we’ve outgrown or with an organisation or industry that no longer aligns with our passion and vision. We tell ourselves that we’re lucky to be where we are. That we’ve worked hard for it. That the money is good. That it’s secure. That nobody loves their job all the time.

All perfectly ‘fine’ reasons, assuming you’re content to settle for ‘fine.’

But if you’ve been feeding yourself those reasons for quite some time then perhaps you haven’t considered their flip side. Rather than focusing on the risks you’d be taking on if you left the familiarity of where you are, consider the risks you are taking on if you stay.

As Kathy Calvin, President of the United Nations Foundation shared with me during our recent interview, “When people aren’t happy in their jobs it’s not just obvious to them, it’s obvious to everyone around them.”

Staying in a job that isn’t bringing out your best not only does you a disservice, it does all those around you a disservice while simultaneously depriving someone else the valuable opportunity to step into the role you’re languishing in.

Getting out of a ‘job funk’ doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the place you are in, but leaving the spot you’re in and moving to a different place on the ‘career lattice.’ It could also mean deciding to be more proactive in stretching yourself and doing things that set you up for future roles – joining a board, expanding your network or learning a new skillset. Then again, sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and take a brave leap of faith in an entirely new direction.

In my late 20s, and a little (okay, a lot) disillusioned with my marketing career, I decided to head back to university to study psychology. I wasn’t sure where it would lead. At the time I knew nothing of the world of coaching (beyond the sporting arena) and had no clear idea where this new path would take me. I just knew I wasn’t okay staying on the old one, despite the security and salary it provided.

Over the years I’ve met hundreds of women (and a few men) who’ve made similar moves to extract themselves out of a career rut. While they’ve all faced road bumps, not once has anyone ever expressed regret. The only regrets have been not doing it sooner! Needless to say, all have taken courage.

Courage to say no to something good to create space for something better.

Courage to take a risk.

Courage to trust that when you start moving toward whatever ignites your ambition, interest or passion, you’ll discover new opportunities, make new connections and unlock new possibilities for yourself that you never would otherwise.

And I have no doubt that there are many, many, women in the Leaders in Heels community who would be testament to that.

So, as Kathy shared with me, make a decision to take ownership of your career before someone else makes a decision for you.

Paint a vision for your career and life that inspires you then decide to put yourself ‘out there’ (that is, outside your comfort zone!) and do whatever you can to start building your own brand of luck. Just don’t kid yourself that playing it safe and staying where you are, however ‘fine’ it is for now, doesn’t exact its own risks.

To quote Gloria Steinman: “Dream big, If you don’t dream big you’ll never have the ability to get ahead!”

Watch Margie Warrell’s full interview with Kathy Calvin at this link

https://rawcourage.tv/unf-president-kathy-calvin-women-equality-bold-full-interview/

Very recently, a good friend and colleague called to me to say that she “must quit my job… they’re killing my soul”. Dramatic words, but ones that I’m sure most of us can relate to.

Katherine* took me through the many ways of quitting that she was fantasizing about – and we’ve all wanted to do it at least once – storm into the boss’ office and tell them exactly what we think of them. Katherine had settled on entering her boss’ office and telling her that “it’s not me, it IS you. And will always be YOU”. Thankfully though, she sought my advice before embarking on her career-changing tirade.

We’ve all heard tales about the souls who have let loose on their workplace superior before leaving the building – in fact YouTube is home to a number of video reminders of such exits that while amusing should never be considered a ‘how to’ – really, if you’ve got a few minutes spare just type “I quit my job” and see what comes up… maybe don’t do it work though!

Many years ago I was privy to watching a colleague be escorted from the building following her quitting performance, and the rumours started immediately. Whilst the most plausible explanation is that given her high level access to client and finance databases she was likely considered a commercial security risk upon quitting, the rumour-mill posited that she threatened the boss with blackmail, or worse, with actual violence. Though given she has been stably employed by another organisation since that date though, it’s safe to say it was probably just a commercial security thing!

So what do you do when you’ve reached your limit in your current job, and how do you effectively ‘break up’ with your boss without ruining your reputation or sabotaging future prospects?

PLEASE – don’t be tempted to be the next YouTube ‘epic quit’ video!

Keep it clean

…and I’m not just talking about your language. As tempting as it may be to let the boss know what you think of their manner, smell, appearance, sense of humour, taste in lunch foods or music – or pretty much anything outside the boundaries of their work capacity is not cool. It’s never cool. And if you let loose with ‘dirty feedback’ you’ll only be hurting yourself. Now, I’m not saying don’t give warranted feedback about factors that influenced your decision to leave the job – but I AM suggesting you keep it professional and related to the job. The ‘keep it clean’ rule also extends to discussions with HR or exit interviews, goodbye emails to colleagues and customers, and general goodbyes around the office. And PLEASE – don’t be tempted to be the next YouTube ‘epic quit’ video!

It’s not you, it’s me

Well, sort of. What I’m suggesting here is to actually review the reasons why YOU need to move on. Is it that you are ready for a challenge? Is it that you are looking for a different environment? What have you learned from this job and boss? Taking ownership of all life decisions is important for personal growth and development, and in-keeping with the ‘keep it clean’ rule, a resignation is a good opportunity to have an open discussion about these factors. It’s also a good opportunity for you to really consider what you need from your next career move – to make sure that you’re not just jumping ship for the sake of it.

Integrity. Integrity. Integrity.

I cannot stress this one enough. Ever heard the saying “success without integrity is failure”? Well, I’m not sure who said it but they were sure on to something. Integrity is the art of maintaining ethical and honest actions.

Sure-fire ways of demonstrating a lack of integrity when changing jobs? Bad-mouthing your previous employer or colleagues (again – keep it clean!), scouting clients from your previous employer, illegally or unethically using intellectual property associated with your previous employer, or undermining the public’s confidence in your previous employer. Using any of these tactics, while it may be tempting, will be simply demonstrating poor integrity on your behalf, which will no doubt be remembered long into the future.

But what if you’ve already quit in spectacular fashion? While you may not be able to mend the relationship, a simple apology can go a long way to building a bridge and demonstrating integrity. For better or worse, most experienced bosses have seen it all before – some of them will even recognise their younger selves in your ill-conceived quitting performance. But I’m afraid, the only way through this is to suck it up, and eat some humble pie. And learn!

*Not quite her real name

Lauren Maxwell

Lauren is the founder of Headstrong Women, a specialist career development service in Newcastle and Sydney. She is passionate about empowering women just like you to get the most of out of their career, build confidence and maintain their mojo.

How happy are you in your job?

No job is perfect every day. Some days you dread the commute – even if you’re a 5-minute walk from work. So how do you determine whether it’s just a run of bad days or something more? Whether to pull the pin or to stay and make it work? And when is the ideal time to walk away and start something new?

I’ll get to that shortly but in order to get a good read, you need a clear head. When you’re contemplating a career change it’s rarely a good idea to quit when you’re mad.

Is emotion or energy clouding my Job Happiness?

Something just happened. Stress is high. Perhaps you’re underappreciated or embarrassed or overworked or just really angry. How will you be sure you have a clear head and be objective?

Note – skip this step at your peril!

Try these:

Do something physical to take your focus away from your mind.
Breathe deeply and count as you do. Breathe in slowly to the count of 5, then out slowly to the count of 5 and repeat.
Walk around the block or up and down the fire stairs. Just move with determination.
Practice a simple meditation for a few minutes.
If you practice yoga, practice here. A couple of small stretches can effectively unlock the tension.
Phone a friend or mentor who you know can be objective and help you take the heat from the situation, so you can think with clarity.
Park it. Allocate a time when you WILL come back to it and focus on the job at hand.

When is the IDEAL time to walk away?

This is really personal and there are many factors to consider. Here are some objective points though.

The GOOD reasons to leave:

Your values no longer align with those of the organisation (not just your boss).
The environment is unsafe for your physical or mental health. There is a time to working to change the system but compromise to safety should really be considered carefully.
You have an external opportunity that’s guaranteed to roll your expertise to a new level. The gains might be in responsibility, breadth, exposure, association, reward or lifestyle alignment.
Your skills have genuinely outgrown the level of challenge that exists within this organisation. This can be tricky to assess without objective feedback. Also tough to assess when you’re emotional.

The WRONG reasons to leave:

You’re angry.
Your boss is an idiot. This needs more airtime that one little bullet point. I’ll come back to this one in a sec…
They don’t support their people. Businesses usually offer MUCH more than their people are aware of. A number of our team have seen many Exit Surveys where
Nobody seems to care about your career progression. This probably won’t change in a new business: your career is your responsibility. Its up to you to move it forward.
On the surface, this new opportunity looks pretty great. Delve further. Do your research & gauge the market.

When considering a new opportunity you’re wise to listen to your gut instinct – provided that you do lots of risk-mitigating fact checking too. Speak to some employees in the new team. Understand the pressures on the role, expectations of deliverables and get any promises IN WRITING. Especially if you’re turning down another opportunity to pursue this one. Implied future progression is not a promise.

Develop A Moving On Strategy

If you’ve decided to stay and make it work better for you, how much time will you give it? Will you still potentially be hanging in there in 2 years, with stress and resentment levels rising?

Set your strategy & give it a definitive end-date. This ‘Is It Time To Move On?’ CHECKLIST will give you a Job Happiness Score. Evaluate your score and determine whether that’s ok for you. Then set a date. What would you LIKE your happiness score to be? What strategies will you put in place to close the gaps?

Whether you love or loathe your job, there are clear things you can do to improve how well work fits you. We run an Executive Presence Boot Camp, online. Key elements of the program are Identifying your Career Joy, Confidence and Mindfulness. These are key contributors to workplace happiness too, right?

What factors could contribute to YOU being happier at work? If you were to close your eyes while I wave a magic wand to make your job your ideal… when you open your eyes, what would it look like?

What can you do to make that happen? Is it possible that some of it already is in place if you look at it differently?

Meanwhile, my Boss is Revolting…

What do you want to do about it?

I’m not the 1^st to say ‘People join companies but leave managers’. Many people DO leave dodgy bosses, but are they ultimately better off? And is there an alternative that would give YOU a better outcome?

That painful individual could be gone tomorrow. There may be other options for improving your job happiness. Can you reduce your exposure to this person short –term, rather than throwing away a great opportunity because of someone else’s shortcomings.

Let’s assume that you’re clear-headed and that you’ve completed the checklist. You’ve assessed your happiness score and decided that overall you have lots to stay for. How can you make great progress despite a dodgy boss? No single strategy is a guarantee.

You could be crushed under a poor manager OR

you could come out the other side stronger and with a great story to tell.

The individuals we see emerge with a great yarn have all implemented a few of these tactics:

Be visible with the influencers of the business. It’s something you should be aiming for anyway, but when your boss is unsupportive or underperforming it’s critical that others with influence know what you’re made of.
Put your hand up to be involved in other projects. This is about raising your profile, increasing your skill set and building your network.
Be great at what you do.
Be clear about your non-negotiables. You saw the checklist, right? The first step in our Boot Camp is getting clear on what you value. Really value. If you have 100 wishy-washy demands you’ll get pushback on all of them. If there are 2 or 3 key things you hold as sacrosanct, then others will be much less likely to have you push those particular boundaries.
Get great at negotiation. You’ll find some tips in this article on Salary Negotiation.
Practice “Yes if..” instead of No. Nicola Mills, CEO of Pacific Retail Management is the creator of this gem. When you’re asked to do something you don’t like, pause a moment to consider what clause would make that ok. You want me to meet this close to unachievable deadline in the next 5 days with no additional resources? It’s going to require my team to work till midnight or beyond multiple times. Pause to consider. Yes if you pay for lunch for my team to say thank you. And we’re each given a half – day of paid leave to be taken in the next month at my discretion.

So what’s YOUR Job Happiness Score? And what will you do about it? Remember about that grass – it’s not always greener on the other side. So what strategies will you use to either make changes or to feel better about what is?

Cath Nolan

Cath is MD of Gender Gap Gone, a technological disruptor focused on Women’s Leadership. Cath was the driving force behind assembling the GGG team of coaches, consultants and experts and also created the online Career Empowerment Program. Cath’s mantra is ‘tiny changes applied consistently have enormous impact’ and her passion is empowering women to live the careers of their choosing.

We’ve all been there, you’ve searched through dozens of job ads, spent hours writing your resume and sent off tens of applications with hope and crossed fingers. We all know competition is tough, so when we didn’t get the interview, we often say things like: ‘I didn’t have enough experience‘, ‘I should have applied quicker’ or ‘I just wasn’t lucky.’

What we need to understand is that landing that coveted interview has little to do with your experience, being the first to apply or luck. So when those interview invitations are still eluding you, then you are probably making one of these mistakes.

Your resume doesn’t show enough relevance

So it’s time to own up, have you applied for different jobs using the same resume? Hiring managers and recruiters can tell instantly when you haven’t taken the time to customise your resume and cover letter to their job. Not only will this annoy them, your resume will fail to answer their question ‘How is this person a fit for this job’? Customising is your chance to answer this and stand out from the crowd.

The key to writing a resume that gets noticed, is making it relevant to what the employer wants. Show them you have done your homework and matched what they want, to what you can offer. Use their job ad and give examples from your work and life experience that show direct relevance to what they want and how you have solved problems like theirs before. On average, a hiring manager will spend seven seconds reviewing a resume. So that means you need to show them how you are the solution to their problem in the top half of the first page so they feel compelled to keep reading your resume.

You thought being qualified was enough

I say this with kindness and I realise this may be hard to hear but just having the requested qualifications for a position is no longer enough to get you a job offer, let alone an interview. The fact is, you may be qualified as an accountant, project manager or teacher but so are many, many other people. To stand out from the throng of qualified job seekers you must know what is different and better about you from the competition. The ability to sell yourself will not bring you far, as experienced hiring managers and recruiters can spot selling a mile away and will be turned off.

Take the time to define what it is that makes you different from the competition – is it your experience, your approach, your industry or niche, or the specific problem you can solve. After all, if you can’t explain what is unique about you, then a potential employer won’t know either.

You are using the least effective method to job search

Your average person spends 90% of their job search time scouring the internet and applying for jobs online, however as little as 5 per cent of jobs are actually filled through formal applications. Studies have shown 60 to 80 per cent of jobs are never advertised. So what you need to understand is how the average person searches for a job is not how employers prefer to source their employees. An employer’s first preference is always to hire internally. This means they will look to promote or move people within their organisation. The second preference is via referrals – this could be through a current or past employee, or a trusted contact. Referral candidates are 5 times more likely to get offered the job. It is only when these two preferences are unsuccessful or tapped out, that they will move outside of the organisation and network and start looking in the public domain. This might mean posting a job on their website, a job board or with a recruiter.

The reason why employers prefer to fill positions with internal candidates or referrals is simple: they save money, time and effort. It is also widely accepted that these hires are a less risky choice. After two years, 45 per cent of referral hires are retained, as opposed to only 20 per cent of those hired from job boards.

If you agree to be judged on your past – send your resume. If you want to be judged on your future potential – get a referral.

To make the most out of your job search time get a referral. Start by targeting a company not a specific job ad. Research their major challenges, projects, vision and company culture. Do your homework to determine your fit – how is what you can offer relevant to what they want? In other words, show how you can solve their problems or assist them reach their goals. Then find the person who has the power to help you or hire you. Identify who this person is, either by name or job title, then work backwards to figure out who can help you connect with them. Take the plunge and connect with them. The way you network can broaden your opportunities; the way you connect with people establishes trust and makes you memorable. They will go out on a limb for you, even if they don’t know you well, when they believe you would be an asset to their company, client or friend or that you will make them look good for referring you.

Christy Frank is the internationally published author of Stand Out & Succeed: Discover your passion, accelerate your career and become recession-proof. As a Career Strategist she helps professionals, freelancers and graduates take their career to the next level. www.christyfrank.com

Think back to when you first chose your current career. You might have been young, maybe just out of high school and working part-time. You chose a field that interested you, completed your education from either a university or a TAFE institution and started working. Or perhaps your current career is actually your second or third career.

In either scenario, you once enjoyed your career, but now things are starting to look stale. That feeling of excitement you used to get from your work faded long ago. You might find that vertical promotions in your industry are limited or perhaps you’ve realised that what you’re doing just isn’t what you want to do for the rest of your life.

And you know what? That’s ok!

The truth is that people are changing jobs and career tracks much more than you might think. According to research from McCrindle, Australian workers are statistically destined to:

Hold 17 jobs over the course of their lifetimes (average of three per decade starting from part-time work at age 18 to retirement at age 75)
Work in 5 different career tracks over the course of their lifetimes
Work at each job for an average of 3.3 years before upskilling and moving on

So clearly, changing career paths is the norm, and if so many other people are doing it, then you certainly can too. Since 1975, young people under the age of 25 have had the greatest job mobility and the shortest job tenure (about one year and eight months, says McCrindle). They’re more likely change jobs, go back to school, upskill and move back home and around the country.

So clearly, changing career paths is the norm, and if so many other people are doing it, then you certainly can too.

Now McCrindle’s research shows that older employees are doing just the same with great success because of the shifts in markets and the needs of the workforce. With the demands of parenthood, elder care and other obligations, employees at all ages are feeling more empowered and less dependent on their employers. They’re going after more temporary or part-time jobs as well as self-employment options such as contractors, freelancers and business owners. The workforce is exhibiting a confidence that puts workplace power in their hands and compels companies and entire industries to offer more competitive salaries and benefits to keep quality workers for longer periods of time.

From McCrindle’s research, we can conclude that industry and role hopping is not only common, but also a major benefit for the companies. Hiring someone with experience in other industries can be enlightening, and bringing in a fresh perspective can help companies locate oversights in their day to day work and make improvements that will ensure lasting success for the company.

Though you may feel apprehensive about changing careers or job roles, know that you’re not alone and you can create the career you’ve always wanted for yourself. No matter what skill set you currently have, you can market your skills and promote yourself in such a way that will make industry employers excited to meet you and interested in your skills.

Want to learn how? Check out this complete guide on how to sell your skills to a new industry or role.

Research Your New Industry

To be successful in a new career, you first need to know exactly what it takes to be successful in that new field. You’ll want to know what kind of training you’ll need and what skills are highly valued by employers. Knowing about your industry’s key players and the most recent developments will show employers that you’re dedicated to learning as you go.

The best place to start is to speak with people currently working in your preferred industry or job role. More than likely, you probably already know people within your preferred industry, so don’t be afraid to make connections and start networking early. These current professionals will be able to offer all sorts of insights into the industry and give you a leg up on what you need to know to be successful.

If you don’t already know someone in your preferred industry or role, ask friends and family members. Chances are they may know someone and can help you make a connection.

If you don’t already know someone in your preferred industry or role, ask friends and family members. Chances are they may know someone and can help you make a connection.

When speaking with a current industry professional, make sure you discuss:

What skills are highly regarded and what certifications and degrees are necessary
Typical day-to-day tasks you’ll be performing
Potential job advancements or other positions you could hold within the industry
Flexibility of the industry
Current job market and overall industry health

Even if you don’t know anyone in your industry or job role, you can find a wealth of information on the internet. University and TAFE institution websites have ample information regarding certain industries and career tracks. Use these sites to get an idea for what skills and possible certifications you’ll need to be successful or move up to a certain job level in an industry.

Tailor Your CV

You may already have plenty of skills that translate easily to many different job positions across multiple industries. When applying for jobs, you need to tailor your CV to match what the job is looking for and highlight how your current skills and work experience could be a valuable asset to the employer.

When submitting a CV for a job, follow this simple checklist:

Read over carefully what the job position is describing. Pick out specific keywords (multi-tasking, teamwork, flexible schedule) and make note of any specific skills (Microsoft Office proficiency or customer service knowledge) or jobs you will be required to perform.
Give a succinct overview of your career, but if you’re changing industries, don’t feel like you have to offer a lengthy explanation as to why you want to do this. Be brief and to the point.
Include any degrees or certifications you do have. Even if they don’t fit the industry, it’s good to show your education history.
When listing out your previous work experience, focus on the keywords and skills you highlighted earlier. List out the responsibilities that pertain to this new position you want. If an experienced beauty therapist is looking to score a spa general manager job, then she might highlight previous business and bookkeeping experience as well as customer service work rather than focusing solely on her beauty therapy work.
Choose referees that can speak to these specific skills. You don’t have to use the same list of referees for every job. Have a list ready and choose referees based on what they can tell your potential employer about your skillset.

You don’t have to use the same list of referees for every job. Have a list ready and choose referees based on what they can tell your potential employer about your skillset.

Remember, you should be tailoring your CV every time you submit it for a job position. Not all companies will value the same skills or call for the same types of experiences. Go back through the checklist above for each job that you apply for and make sure you are tailoring them specifically.

Check Out Education Options

In some instances, you may need to go back to school to become certified in an industry before you can begin working fully in it. Working as a beauty therapist in a salon, for example, requires certification. If you’re coming from a completely different industry, then you will need to earn your certification before you can begin working.

If you want to move up in your industry and take on a new role (moving from a human resources associate to a managerial position, for example), then you may be able to take an online TAFE course and work towards your certification on your own time. Online courses are perfect for working parents who may find themselves balancing enough with work and children as it is.

Online courses are also preferable for people who can’t quit their jobs and go back to school full time. Online work can be done at your own pace, yet they’re also efficient and teach necessary skills needed to thrive in an industry. Choose courses that are nationally accredited so you can be certain that once you complete the course, employers will recognise and respect its value.

If you’re currently working in your preferred industry and want to move up or into a new position, taking online classes will enhance your skillset and help you land that next promotion or job. For example, an administrative receptionist looking to work in the legal profession might earn her Certificate IV in Legal Services online so she can become a legal receptionist, assistant paralegal or legal support officer.

No matter what industry you’re currently in or what position you no hold, never feel as if you’re trapped and can never escape.

No matter what industry you’re currently in or what position you no hold, never feel as if you’re trapped and can never escape. The truth is that you definitely can. As shown in McCrindle’s research, Australian employees transition between jobs quite frequently and go on to do rewarding work in their preferred industry. Don’t ever feel that you are powerless. With a little self-promotional work and some added education, you can achieve your dream job and go to work every day feeling proud of your accomplishments.

So tell us ladies, have you ever considered changing job roles or careers? If so, what’s holding you back? Share your thoughts with us!

Author Bio

Caroline Schmidt writes the blogs for Kangan Institute. She is passionate about education, careers, and giving advice to students of all ages.

I have a problem with the stance that the employment landscape is ageist. I think the key to overcoming age discrimination is to stop making experienced workers believe that they are at a disadvantage.

I don’t disagree that there are some individuals, perhaps even some organisations who are reluctant to hire anyone other than ‘bright shiny young things’. However, I believe that implying it’s the norm is a sensationalist misnomer. In my experience, more organisations are inclined to avoid the too-young than the too-old. Global youth unemployment rates are supportive. The UK’s unemployment to youth unemployment rates are currently 5.7% to 15.6%, in the USA it’s 5.5% to 12.3% while Australia’s unemployment stands at 6.2% compared to a youth unemployment rate more than double that at 14.21% – the highest since 1998.

The other reason I’m opposed to the mass accusations of age discrimination, is that I believe it disempowers people. We cannot control our age.

I have found very few organisations who have wanted to restrict their talent pool by ignoring the most experienced end of the market – but I have found that most organisations are determined to hire those whose skills will propel them forward, as opposed to those who are ’out of date’. Let me be clear: your skills can appear to be out-dated regardless of your age. This is not an age issue: it’s a communication issue. Working Australia in 2015 is highly sensitive to economic and social trends. It’s the age of the effective self-marketer.

I have found very few organisations who’ve wanted to restrict their talent pool by ignoring the most experienced end of the market – but I have found that most organisations are determined to hire those whose skills will propel them forward

The Human Rights Commission this week announced that 25% of older Australians believe that they have experienced age discrimination and that it is most prevalent in job hunting. At 50 + you are considered an older worker. I have worked in the careers space since 1999. I have personally assisted hundreds of older Australians through career transition and witnessed thousands more through the same. Some do choose to retire altogether or to scale back their paid employment, increasing time spent on volunteer work and personal pursuits. To focus on those who have chosen to continue in paid professional employment, specific advice has ensured that they’ve successfully secured the types of roles they wanted.

Pick up Dolly Magazine and the working wardrobe essentials pictured will only be appropriate for Millennials working in media. The point is that not all advice is one size fits all. The resume format of 10 years ago is vastly different to the stand out resumes of today. Let’s face it, SEEK has made it incredibly easy for people to apply for jobs, regardless of their commitment levels. The spin off is that with competition high, your presentation needs to be savvy enough to cut through.

When speaking with Uni Graduates I need to be explicit: it’s generally not appropriate to address a job application to ‘M8’ and sign off with ‘Cheers’ (yes, some grads really do apply this way). When speaking with older professionals the focus of my advice is quite different. Here are the highlights.

Tips for older professionals to overcome age discrimination

1. Use language your audience understands

Here you need to strike a balance between the market norm and your true voice. I advocate that you never compromise on authenticity, but that you need to speak conversationally rather than formally. Formal language, outside the government and legal sectors, is antiquated. Using overly formal language in the job application process is a sure fire way to appear a fuddy duddy. I’ve given this same advice to grads where appropriate. The only difference is that while their frustration was common, they didn’t believe it to be age discrimination.

I advocate that you never compromise on authenticity, but that you need to speak conversationally rather than formally.

The more different you are from your audience, the more attention you need to pay to your language. Consultants I work with collectively note that decision makers are getting younger. This inevitability, combined with the rapid pace of technology ensures that the language of job search is continually evolving. All Australians need to recalibrate in order to be competitive.

2. Don’t shoot for the moon if you really want to hit the barn

You have heard the cacophony “They said I was overqualified: it’s code for too old”. Perhaps sometimes it might mean they think you are. That has been my experience once in over 15 years. The rest of the time it means is they believed that you would be bored quickly.

In interview you talked about managing projects that seemed far more interesting than they can offer. You spoke of managing incredibly complex projects and your eyes lit up when listing ‘loving new challenges’ as part of your core strengths. When asked why you want this role, you said you want to step back. You sounded tired and desperate to take anything.

Try these alternatives:

In describing your past successes, talk about projects of a similar scale to their offering. In telling them why you want the role: “while I can see a number of areas where I can add immediate value, I’m really excited by being able to be more hands on in X OR about applying this expertise in an area that’s been a personal passion for some years OR to be more exposed to ABC”.

3. Keep 2 distinct resumes

There is a résumé you show the market, highlighting the skills they’re looking to see. This is your targeted, snappy résumé. Then there is another résumé that’s your Trophy Cabinet. That one is just for you and it contains ALL the things you’re good at. The Trophy Cabinet is the one you write for confidence… and as a database of detail you may need to draw on for specific roles down the track. Along with career assessments and a career coach, your Trophy Cabinet is a great confidence booster. A well crafted, targeted and snappy résumé is in my experience second to none in impacting how you feel and therefore perform in the job search process.

4. Training is an ineffective crutch

Understand what you’re doing it for. Most I’ve worked with who are looking at training during a transition are purely seeking a confidence boost. They fear that their skills are out-dated and sign up for a course in a particular technical competency to give them an edge. If you have researched your end market and know that this new skill is a guaranteed ticket to specific employment, then sign up today. If it’s for confidence though, a mentor or coach are likely to be more cost effective and more broadly beneficial.

If [training is] for confidence… a mentor or coach are likely to be more cost effective and more broadly beneficial.

5. You can’t sell what you don’t understand

Hardly any of us are much good at selling ourselves. The key is understanding the common ground between what’s great about you and what’s important to your ideal employer. Career assessments and an experienced coach are the top pick here, but a mentor and guided self reflection might be a good start.

6. If you haven’t called you haven’t applied

This is a paradigm shift for many. It is also the most prevalent quoted indicator of age discrimination from job seekers I meet. One job seeker sent out 150 applications and had less than 15 replies. That’s not good, but it’s not about age, it’s just bad manners. It’s not only the experienced end of the workforce that is met with this poor job application process. Hiring managers are often doing their own role, plus half the role of the person leaving, plus the admin involved in finding a new hire. They are time poor. Often they will focus on the applications that are easiest: if those come to nothing, they’ll look harder at the less obvious applicants.

Those who call are far more likely to be interviewed.

Don’t leave multiple messages and don’t anticipate a returned call, but do try diligently and creatively to speak with the person managing the process. Those who call are far more likely to be interviewed. This of course is not the case for most government roles that still adhere to policies which consider all applications.

7. Practice with someone honest

Those with greatest experience are often the least practiced at interviews. With an impressive résumé you may wow interviewers with your impressive accomplishments, but you may be missing the mark they’re aiming for. They’ll like you a lot, but they won’t hire you. Alternatively you may be using examples that are just not relevant to the jobs you’re applying for. Is there disparity between what you’re saying and what they’re hearing? It’s good to correct that before an interview that really matters.

The job seekers that I have coached and have seen coached by colleagues implement these processes. They secure ideal roles in normal time frames. The process takes no longer for older workers. Most job seekers approach the job search process with some degree of trepidation. You can choose to take on information that adds to your fear, or the information that helps you move forward.

You can choose to take on information that adds to your fear, or the information that helps you move forward.

Number Eight

I believe that the best thing we can do to help older employees to avoid ageism is not for the employees themselves: it’s for well-meaning older-worker-advocates. Stop berating businesses with a notion of pity-hiring. There is no need for pity: as a collective older professionals are the most experienced, most diversely life experienced section of the workforce.

The adage ‘perception is reality’ is an excellent warning here: what reality are we creating by spreading the perception that wide-scale prejudice exists toward employees over 50? Indeed, most decision makers in business today ARE employees over 50. The best thing we can do to help older employees to secure meaningful work in their chosen fields is to spell out the real job search processes of the current market and to stop telling them that people don’t want to hire them.

Stop berating businesses with a notion of pity-hiring. There is no need for pity: as a collective older professionals are the most experienced, most diversely life experienced section of the workforce.

What’s more, I believe that the age discrimination tale affects women more than it affects men. Lack of confidence is more action inhibiting to women than to men: women are more likely to apply for roles once they’re sure they fit the brief entirely. Men are more inclined to ‘back themselves’ and apply on the off chance. So adding to the confidence burden of over 50’s in career transition is more likely to adversely effect women than men. What does that look like? I see 4 women to every man choosing to leave the corporate world for retirement / volunteer work / retraining in aged care. Do we really need to add to the Gender Pay Gap?

Is there a responsibility for employers to encourage participation by all demographics? Largely not. Diversity is smart but not legally required. There is a legal obligation not to discriminate against, but not to proactively hire. Businesses do have an obligation to other employees, to shareholders and financiers to be fiscally responsible. That means that the strongest applicant on the day is the one who best convinces the hiring manager of their ability to bring capability and passion to the table.

Dear job seekers, please don’t buy into the rhetoric. Apply good job search strategies and you will be among the most competitive in the market. Your skills are sound. They’re demonstrated. You have made good and bad decisions, you’ve dealt with tricky customers and/or suppliers, you’ve coached others who took your advice and flourished. You have ridden waves of change in various forms and adapted to people and technology as required. With good job search strategies you will also be highly marketable. Low confidence is your internal enemy in the job search process.

Businesses are not going to start employing older Australians because of a report. If anything, if this report is handled poorly it may start employers focusing on the pitfalls of hiring older workers. Businesses are going to hire the best person to fill their needs. With clarity around your strengths, your direction and what your ideal employer needs you can market yourself well and be the top choice.

Catherine Nolan

Catherine is an Executive Coach and Director of CN Consulting. Catherine works with business, with individuals and through keynote speaking engagements and workshops to help improve business capability. She has over 15 years’ experience in helping people at all levels and regions globally to supercharge their development and advance their careers.

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