Boomers adjusting to new job trends

Older workers need to prepare for obstacles in their job search.

Dallas Morning News

DALLAS — Looking for a job was an exercise in frustration for Mike O’Bryan, and nothing was more aggravating than the interview.

His 25 years in information technology turned out to be more a liability than an asset. Employers looked at the 60-year-old applicant and asked him whether he might be “overqualified.”

“I guess my age scared them,” he said. “They must have thought that if they hired me, I’d retire soon.”

After a dozen disappointing interviews, O’Bryan decided to become a self-employed financial planner. With retirement nowhere on his horizon, he helps his clients plan for their golden years.

“I’m now my own boss. It’s OK,” said O’Bryan, who lives in Grapevine, Texas.

The weak economy is putting a squeeze on workers in their 50s and 60s. Having spent their careers with only one or two employers, many are looking for work for the first time in years. Some have been laid off. Others have taken buyouts but can’t afford to retire. Still others are coming out of retirement because their nest eggs have shrunk.

Workers 55 and older take an average of 21 weeks to find a job, about five weeks longer than younger job seekers, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute.

The interview can be especially intimidating to workers over 50. So career counselors who coach them try to prepare them for it, going over how to dress and act and even how to answer the tougher questions they’re likely to be asked.

“Your resum may get you in the door, but how you handle the interview determines whether you get the job offer,” said career consultant Jill Pfaff Waterbury of Coppell, Texas.

Waterbury, who’s co-author of the “Boomers’ Job Search Guide” and teaches a community college course for older job seekers, said no one can survive an interview without conveying a professional image and confident attitude.

Here are some tips that she and other job search experts give for accomplishing that and landing an offer.

First and foremost, brush off that chip on your shoulder. “If you don’t believe that your age and experience would be assets to potential employers, why should they believe it?” said Renae Perry, director of the Senior Source’s employment program.

“The best way to dispel those stereotypes about older workers is to make sure you’re not that kind of person,” she said. “Be flexible. Be willing to keep up with new trends in your field. Be computer-savvy.”

Work on your image. Even applicants with a can-do attitude can defeat themselves with a slothful appearance, Waterbury said.

Don’t be rattled if your interviewers are under 30. “Show them respect,” Perry said. “Keep your conversation on a professional level. You’re there to convince them you can help them. But don’t overdo it and make them think you’re after their job.”

Younger workers value working in teams, so play up any experience you have with working on projects alongside colleagues of all ages, she said.

Don’t be shy, but don’t talk too much, either. “Though older workers dislike bragging on themselves, a job interview is no time for modesty,” Perry said.

Waterbury said interviews often begin with the general question: “Tell me about yourself.” Stick with your professional life — your accomplishments, your skills and how you would be a good fit for the job, she said.

Anticipate the age-related questions. Asking applicants whether they’re overqualified may be another way of suggesting they’re too old or too expensive, so how well the prospect responds can make or break the interview, Waterbury said.

“A good response is to say outright that your top priorities aren’t title or money,” she said. “Emphasize that you’re a hands-on person who, because of your experience, can hit the ground running and can be trusted to get the job done.”

Practice, practice, practice. Older workers who haven’t looked for a job in years will find that interviewing styles have changed. Many companies now screen candidates through phone interviews, Perry said.

Don’t leave without asking point-blank for the job. “Tell the interviewer you’re more convinced than ever that you’re the right person for the job,” Perry said.

“And then ask when the company will reach its decision.”

Finally, she advises job applicants to send a note of thanks the same day. “Make it a handwritten note. In this day and age of e-mail, that personal touch will be remembered.”