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14 Tips for Job Hunting After 50

When companies consider candidates over 50, they may make unfair assumptions. Getty Images

Job hunting for people over 50 can be daunting. Age discrimination is a real thing, and when considering candidates over 50 years old employers may make unfair assumptions. Assumptions like:

* They aren’t technologically savvy.

* They expect a higher salary because of their years of experience.

* They’re overqualified and will quit as soon as they get a better offer for more money.

We spoke with Kate Culligan, a Denver-based performance coach and career strategist with a Masters in Organizational Performance. She gave us a rundown of some of her top tips for persons 50 years and older who are in the job market and need some coaching to help them find the right position for their skills, background and interests.

Focus Your Resume on Your Most Relevant Experience

Individualize each and every resume to make sure it fits the needs of the position you’re applying for. Trim the experience that may not be such a good fit for each specific position, and keep the whole thing under two pages.

This often means taking the first 10-15 years off your resume to show your most recent experience. Remember: It doesn’t mean you’re lying if you don’t include 40 years of work history. You’re just trying to keep the resume succinct and relevant.

If you make it to the interview, then feel out whether you want to elaborate on other work experience you might have.

Also, don’t omit part-time work if it’s relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Update Your Technical Skills

Most employers today need the people they hire to have hands-on technology skills. So, a skills upgrade may be in order.

Plenty of free courses are available on websites like Coursera.org. These courses can help you upgrade specific technology skills or even learn a new area, like project management, that could be beneficial for your job search. Idealist.org has some good tips for learning technology after 50 on its website, also.

Don’t neglect getting comfortable with some core modern workplace technologies, either.

For example, video conferencing is often used, so sign up for Google Hangouts or Zoom and practice connecting and chatting with family or friends to get the hang of it.

You may also use video conferencing for job interviews.

Create or Update Your Online Profile

Recruiters use sites like LinkedIn to search for job candidates. Make sure to keep your profile relevant.

If you don’t know how to use LinkedIn, there are many helpful YouTube videos that will give you the basics so you can get started creating an effective profile.

Update Your Email Address

Email addresses from AOL, Yahoo and even Hotmail can look out of touch and, well, old. Instead, create an email from Gmail or Microsoft Outlook, or your own personal domain.

If your name isn’t available because someone has already registered it, use a combination of your name and what you do or are looking to do. For example, csmithattorneychicago or csmithlegalillinois.