4 Tips To Gain Job Interviewing Confidence

Do you feel that you lack confidence in your interviewing skills? Guess what most job candidates feel just like you. Career Confidential CEO Peggy McKee gives you 4 methods for gaining confidence in the job interview if you are over 40. 

With "4 Simple Steps For Job Interviewing Confidence" your interviews will be more successful. Her focus on planning, practicing, using sales techniques and being sure you look right can make all the difference in a job interview. If you are an older worker and looking for a strong process on how to effectively search for a new career then you should become familiar with Peggy's Career Confidential Tools. Interns Over 40 and Career Confidential have joined forces to help you learn how you can become "Career Confidential". 

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7 Mistakes Older Job Seekers Make

A good portion of the e-mail I receive is from readers over age 50 who are looking for work after a layoff. Many tell me they found their last job more than a decade ago, in the classifieds of their local newspaper. Many more say they're daunted -- understandably so -- by the foul job market, the prospect of ageism and the likelihood of being interviewed by someone half their age.

All of them worry about the generalizations some short-sighted employers make about older workers. Either they see you as overqualified and overpriced, or they believe you're inflexible and technologically challenged. Perhaps they suspect you're just biding your time and taking up space until retirement rolls around.

We've all heard countless career experts (yours truly included) offer the same old job hunting solutions for workers over 50:

But platitudes will only get you so far. So let's talk about the top mistakes that hopeful hires over age 50 make and how to avoid them.

Telling Yourself That No One Hires Older Workers

I hear a lot of 50- and 60-somethings make this complaint. Yes, older candidates have to work harder to overcome discrimination, and no, it's not fair. But that doesn't mean every employer is hell-bent on shutting out all candidates over 35.

Example: The site RetirementJobs.com lists more than 30,000 full-time and part-time jobs nationwide with "age-friendly employers." Other job sites that cater to older workers: Jobs 4.0, Retired Brains, Seniors4Hire and Workforce50.com. In addition, AARP offers this list of the best employers for workers over 50.

So, please, don't tell me no one's hiring older workers.

Putting an Expiration Date on Contacts 

You've been on this crazy hamster wheel we call "work" for at least three decades now, so you might as well milk the vast contact list you've amassed for all its worth. It's perfectly acceptable to reach out to former employers, co-workers, vendors, classmates and other colleagues you haven't corresponded with in a decade or two. (Searching sites like LinkedIn and Facebook make finding them a snap.) Not only will your peers understand, more of them are likely reaching out to their long-lost contacts, too.

Doing a History Dump

The No. 1 mistake I see with older candidates is they include too much information in their resume," said Cathy Severson, a career coach who runs the site Retirement Life Matters. "Clear the clutter, old-dated, irrelevant information from your resume."

Instead, tailor your resume to the job you're applying for -- each time. Two to three pages and 15 years of relevant experience is more than enough.

Likewise, be careful that you don't turn an interview into a snooze-inducing laundry list of your top 100 achievements over the past 30 years, said Tom Mann of TR Mann Consulting, a marketing and advertising firm specializing in boomers and older workers.

Experienced workers are so eager to show their skills off that they do a 'history dump,'" he said. "While it's important to share your relevant skills, how you present is equally important. Show that you are also fun. Remember, Gen Y doesn't want to feel like they're working with their mom or dad."

Copping an Attitude

Equally damaging is acting superior to an interviewer who's younger than you or showing up with a chip on your shoulder the size of the national debt.

"It's not a good idea to tell the person how much you can teach them," said Cynthia Metzler, president and CEO of Experience Works, a national nonprofit that provides job training to low-income workers over 55. "But it is a good idea to tell them if you have any experience working or volunteering in a multigenerational workplace."

Winging the Interview

Not practicing for your interviews is another no-no, especially if you haven't been on one since the Reagan administration. If you're not sure how your interview rap is coming across, Metzler suggests enlisting a 20- or 30-something pal or colleague to do a test drive with you:

"If you know you're going to be interviewed by someone who's 25 and you're 65, then find someone who's 25 and have them interview you."

Arthur Koff, the 70-something who runs the job site Retired Brains, suggests taking it one step further:

"Try to get an interview with an employer you are not interested in working for as practice. You don't want to go to your first [important] interview in a long time and make easily correctable mistakes."

Failing to Embrace Your Inner Geek

As a Gen Xer, I didn't grow up making videos and blogging about my every burp and hiccup. I'm actually one of the biggest Luddites I know. But like many of my tech-challenged peers, I've learned that blogging about my field and using the micro-blog Twitter are simple ways to get noticed by potential employers (how do you think I got this gig?).

As long as you act like yourself and don't show up squeezed into your kids' clothes, no one will accuse of you being a 20-something wannabe. Instead, people will be impressed by your tech skills.

"I have interviewed and hired people close to twice my age," said Asher Adelman, founder and CEO of the job site GreatPlaceJobs. "I would highly recommend that older job seekers take advantage of social media platforms, which happen to be very easy to use, even for technophobes, in order to give the impression that they are in tune with the latest technological advances. This will work wonders for convincing young interviewers that you have the ability to work and relate with younger co-workers and excel in today's rapidly changing workplace."

Ignoring the Overqualified Elephant in the Room 

As we all know, when employers see candidates applying for a job below their experience level or tax bracket, their hackles go up. So if you're going for a position with less pay or responsibility than you've been accustomed to, it's your job to explain in your cover letter and the interview why this is. 

"It could be because they've had a very stressful career life and now would enjoy having their hands in something that is still part of a team but doesn't involve so many headaches," said Judi Perkins, a recruiter for 22 years who now works as a career coach. "It could be they're willing to take a cut in pay because the almighty dollar just isn't as important to them anymore."

Whatever rationale you give (no longer interested in climbing the ladder, done with working 14-hour days, miss the hands-on tasks you did before joining management), be sure to let potential employers know that you're interested in them, rather than just a job.

If you need more help getting up to speed with today's brave new job hunt, visit your local career center and check out AARP's excellent job hunting advice for older workers.

Whatever you do, don't throw in the towel before you've even tried. Your tattooed, flip-flop wearing counterparts need someone who's been around the block a few times to show them how this work thing's really done.

This work is the opinion of the columnist and in no way reflects the opinion of ABC News.

Michelle Goodman is a freelance journalist, author and former cubicle dweller. Her books — "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube" and "My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire" (October 2008) -- offer an irreverent take on the traditional career guide. More tips on career change, flex work and the freelance life can be found on her blog, Anti9to5Guide.comFull Story at ABC News

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9 Simple LinkedIn Tips To Help Find A Job

Over 40? Get A Job Using 9 Simple LinkedIn Tips
If you are an older skilled worker who is in the market for a job  you should be taking advantage of the significant benefits LinkedIn can bring to your job search: including warm leads into companies or to people you are targeting, the possibility of creating new job leads through recruiters who frequently use the site or people who are impressed with comments you post on the site, and access to posted and unposted job openings. So how do you take advantage of LinkedIn if you’re a job seeker?

1. Create a Thoughtful Profile. According to LinkedIn, you are 40X more likely to receive opportunities if your profile is complete. A complete profile includes your current job and 2 previous jobs, your educational background, a profile summary, profile picture, your specialties and at least 3 recommendations. Your profile summary should highlight your passions, interests AND your personality. Your work experience should highlight the specific actions taken and the impact achieved. 

Many people make the mistake of writing their experience as a recitation of tasks; e.g. built models, created presentations. If you’ve created presentations, projects or have other work that showcases your talents, use an app like Slideshare or Box.net to include your work in your profile. Thoughtful (vs boilerplate) recommendations from colleagues who can speak to specific skills or your impact can help. LinkedIn has a simple tool that lets you solicit them for people you know. Once and only when your profile is complete, include a link to it in your email signature, on your resume, and even on your business card.

Want to know how to improve  your Next Job Interview? Learn More Here

2. Build your network.

Focus on friends and colleagues who know you well. There’s no prize for accumulating the most connections. Your connections should be people who’d be willing to credibly and enthusiastically introduce you to people in their network. To do that, they must know you well enough. Here’s another reason to be careful about who you invite into your network. Your connections may also ask you for introductions to other people in your network. 

Do you want to jeopardize your reputation with your friends or former boss by encouraging them to talk to some random person in your network that you don’t know? If you’re a college student, consider adding some older people such as professors, close family friends, and supervisors and colleagues from summer internships. Continue to work on strengthening your ties -- thought you might find this article interesting, ran into someone who knows you, etc. The optimal time to build your network is when you don`t desperately need help.

3. Join Targeted Industry & Professional Groups.

Why? There will be people there who are doing what you want to do. Join in on discussions. Create discussions on topics you’re interested in. Ask interesting questions. Doing these things will enable you to meet people who can increase your job or industry understanding, give you feedback on your job search, or even approach you about potential jobs. The key to GETTING a lot from these groups is GIVING to them. For someone to want to help you, they need to feel that it’s worth their while, either because they genuinely like you, and/or they believe that helping you benefits them in some way. If you are only there to take from the group, you won’t find many willing to help you.

4. Join Your School Group on LinkedIn.
 

The content in these groups is fairly limited now, but being a member is valuable because you can send connection invitations or messages to other members of the group that you otherwise couldn’t engage. I can search my Stanford group for my hypothetical target company, Google for example, and find 81 group members, only 2 of whom I’m directly connected to, with current or past work experience at Google.

5. Search LinkedIn Jobs.

When you search Jobs by company or job title, you can see which of your connections are at that company or know the person who posted the job. Leverage these connections to help you get a warm introduction.

6. Search for Connections at Targeted Companies.

You will dramatically increase your chances of an interview or favorable initial impression if you get an introduction to a recruiter or hiring manager from someone they trust. Do a search for people who can make that introduction by inputting the company name. Let’s say I’m interested in working for Apple. My search on Apple will generate people in my network who work or worked at Apple. You may in fact be able to ask a 1st degree contact (someone I am connected to on LinkedIn) for a personal introduction or recommendation to the hiring manager. 

Alternatively this person may be a great source of information about the company or industry, which will help me distinguish myself in the interview. For a 2nd degree connection (a connection of one of my connections), check out their profile and if it looks relevant, ask your contact for an introduction. Read The Email Introductions Most Likely to Open Doors to see who the wide range of people who can effectively open doors for you with a simple email.

7. Make the Right Ask.

Once you’ve identified people through LinkedIn that can be helpful, it’s important that you make the right ask. In most cases, asking for a job or an interview is NOT the right ask. Most people can’t help you with what may be your primary goal, but they can still help with information, feedback, introductions and more. Read How to Make the RIGHT and REASONABLE ASK for help

8. Let People Know You’re Looking.

Everyone is a potential job lead, but they can’t help if they don’t know you’re looking. Use the update field to indicate that you are looking for a job.

9. Showcase your Expertise through LinkedIn Answers.

In LinkedIn Answers you can ask and answer questions on specific business topics. Others who view your answers and are impressed with your insight can reach out to you directly. You can also receive recognition for strong answers, which adds to your credibility and visibility.

Looking For Some Help In Improving Your LinkedIn Effectiveness? Click Here.

How to Answer Any Question A Interview Could Throw At You

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Do You Need To Be A Sales Person During A Job Interview? (video)

Would You Like To Sharpen Your Interview Skills In Less Then 2 minutes?


Allen Garreno: Author and Global Sector Leader at Global Recruiter Korn/Ferry explains how to sell ourselves during a job interview. This video is short, focused and extremely useful for any job seeker or career coach. His three step interview methodology: Job Description, Goals and Concerns is sure to help anyone ace their next job interview.  You "need to be a salesperson when you interview".



Learn How To Prepare Yourself for Difficult Interview Questions

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Are You Prepared For Tricky Behavioral Interview Questions?

As an older skilled worker are you prepared to effectively answer these interview questions?

1. Why did you leave your last job?
2. Have you ever been fired or forced to resign?
3. Why have you had so many jobs in such a short period of time?
4. Can you explain this gap in your employment history?
5. Exactly why do you want to work here?
6. Why should we hire YOU? What can you do for us that someone else can not?
7. Have you ever had problems with a supervisor or a coworker? Describe the situation for me.
8. Describe some times when you were not very satisfied with your own performance. What did you do about it?
9. Give me an example of a problem you faced on the job, and tell me how you solved it?
10. Give me an example of an important goal you had to set and tell me about your progress in reaching that goal. What steps did you take?
11. What was your role in your department's most recent success?

Learn More:  In less than 15 minutes you will learn how to:

• "Package & Spin" your work experience so it is a perfect fit for the job
• Increase your confidence, easily calm nerves or fear
• Be more like-able
• Use professional words and phrases that will impress them
• Position yourself as the BEST candidate for the job
• Tell them exactly what they want to hear — so you get hired!

Use this Guide to build and re-enforce your attitude of confidently EXPECTING to succeed. Visualize yourself conquering the interview and GETTING HIRED!

Download it now. The Guide is yours, instantly — even if it's Three O'clock in the morning!

  

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Buy It and Download it now:

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Do You Need To Be A Sales Person During A Job Interview?

Would You Like To Sharpen Your Interview Skills In Less Than 2 minutes?


Allen Garreno: Author and Global Sector Leader at Global Recruiter Korn/Ferry explains how to sell ourselves during a job interview. This video is short, focused and extremely useful for any job seeker or career coach. His three step interview methodology: Job Description, Goals and Concerns is sure to help anyone ace their next job interview.  You "need to be a salesperson when you interview".



Learn How To Prepare Yourself for Difficult Interview Questions

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How to Answer Any Question A Interviewer Could Possibly Throw At You!

Finding New Car-8 Hours Of Research. Job Interview Preparation 30 Minutes! Foolish?


Why would you spend 8x more time looking for a new car or a new flat panel display for your house as opposed to  preparing for a job interview? We are strange creatures:). As an older skilled work you know what it takes. But the question is how.

In less than 15 minutes you will learn how to:
    * Be ready with the best answers to job interview questions.

    * Increase your confidence; easily calm nerves or fear. 

* "Package & Spin" your work experience so it is a perfect fit for the job.
    * Position yourself as the BEST candidate for the job. 

Get your Guide to Interviewer Questions and kill your Next Job Interview -click here 

 
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9 Steps to Acing a Phone Job Interview

Would you like to know why some people give good phone? Did you ever go to the bathroom while doing a phone interview :).

Phone interviews are a daily occurrence during a job search. But most people spend very little time preparing for this opportunity. This 9 step program is a "how to" do it successfully. Do you currently follow any or all of these steps? What other successful phone interview tips do you have? Looking forward to your comments.

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Job Tips Video

Job interview tips - Job interview questions and answers

If you've got a big job interview coming up, how do you prepare? Career consultant Maggie Mistal of Martha Stewart Living Radio has excellent advice for anybody looking to ace a job interview.

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