I spent five years searching for a career job that would last until I retire. Like millions of other Americans in the bad economy from 2006-2010, finding a job was nearly impossible. Despite following all the advice of headhunters, human resource consultants, friends or family members, it was what I term "The AND Factor" job search strategy that finally landed me a job. I am over 50, had a failed business, and an MBA from 1981, when most of my interviewers were not even born! Most human resource professionals looked at me and said, "AND why should I hire you?" Or, "AND what makes you better than these 2,000 other young applicants?"
Many older job seekers share similar backgrounds: we all have some level of college degree; we all have years of supervisory/management experience with a major Fortune 500 company; we have families to feed, we have not had to look for a job in 20 years; we are old-school thinkers when we prepare resumes, go on job interviews, and network. After watching a television show that profiled other older professionals trying to find a job, I realized that we all do a couple of things wrong in our job search.
I decided to try some different strategies to see if I had better results. I call these new job search strategies "The AND Factor" job search strategies. My supervisor told me they received 105 resumes for the management job I applied for at the state agency. How is it they hired me for the job? It is critical to give the hiring manager your "AND factor" - they want to know why you are the best person for the job! "AND what makes you so special?" "AND why should I hire you?" Here are the "AND Factor" job search tips that helped me land a career job against all odds.
Avoid Old Ways of Selling Yourself
Niche Yourself
Distinguish Yourself
Niche Yourself
Distinguish Yourself
Avoid Old Ways of Selling Yourself
Learn how to use the Internet and a word processing program like Microsoft Word to make your job application process easier. I typed all the repetitive job application content into a Word document and copied/pasted the content into online job applications.
Make your resume and cover letter SPECIFIC to each job description using the name of the company, the specific job qualifications the hiring manager is looking for, and what YOU will do for THEM. Never, ever type a sentence on a resume that another applicant can duplicate or you will lose your competitive edge. Spraying a generic resume across every Internet Job Board will get you nowhere!
When networking on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or at live meetings, you must address the AND Factor: instead of introducing yourself as an experienced human resources executive with an emphasis on corporate leadership training, say, "I am a Fortune 100 Management Executive with over 15 years experience moving mid-level managers to the boardroom using proven leadership training." Emphasize your accomplishment, your years of experience, and what you can do for the company. Answer the question, "AND what makes you so special over 1,000 other applicants?"
Show up to an interview in a nice trendy suit. You no longer have to wear plain navy blue with a white shirt. Be prepared to answer common interview questions, take notes, or look at a calendar for follow-up interview dates.
Niche Yourself
Use Niche Job Boards to find jobs in smaller companies or in the public and non-profit sectors. They may not pay as well, but there are jobs, benefits, and job security in those job sectors. You can read more about Niche Job Boards and find links to specific niche job search resources by clicking on the article link below.
Instead of building a resume that screams "I know a little of everything, but master nothing", pick one niche job function and list every accomplishment you had for that job function. For example, I have an MBA in Marketing and 25 years of experience in Marketing, Sales, Business Development, Training, Teaching, and Publishing. Guess what? So do a few hundred thousand others that are looking for a job.
But, as part of my sales and marketing experience, I managed the procurement process in an educational publishing division of a Fortune 100 company. I was successful writing and winning large bids, developing relationships with contractors and clients in the procurement process, etc. I built a two-page resume and cover letter using just the knowledge, skills, and abilities for a procurement job function and landed a procurement job with the state.
Distinguish Yourself
One of the problems older applicants have competing with college graduates is that we do not have the job-specific certifications that younger applicants get in college these days. Distinguish yourself with your experience and the certification will no longer seem as important to the hiring manager.
For example, if a hiring manager reads two resumes: one that says I was responsible for researching, writing, and winning a $30 million-a-year, five-year blanket purchase agreement for a mid-sized company that allowed the company to meet their 20% annual growth goal, or another from a college grad that says I have a certification in procurement, which sounds more compelling?
It is very difficult to focus your thoughts on job hunting, job applications, resumes, networking, and interviewing when you don't know how you are going to buy groceries for your family. Make every effort to stay positive and try these "AND Factors" to give you the edge and get you the job! Good luck. It will happen.