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How to get hired when you're over 50


Older business professional

You've been in the working world for several decades, perhaps at one company or transitioning among a few. You know it's time for the next change, but you keep encountering a stumbling block: your age.

How do you get a job -- or even simpler, land an interview -- when hiring managers are stuck on how old you are?

The solution: stay culturally relevant.

Over time, industry jargon changes. The language people use evolves and it's your job to know how to communicate in today's work conversations. Using extinct phrases implies that you have not kept with the times.

Try taking out a younger colleague and get them talking about the field you're in or their position at the company. Listen to the language they use. Google the phrases that you don't understand. Implement some of the jargon into your day-to-day so that it becomes natural for you when you interview.


Stay culturally relevant.

Be sure to feature skills in your resume, cover letter, and Linkedin profile that never go out of style. Traits like strong communication, time management, and negotiation are strengths no matter what decade we're in now.

Position yourself in your professional materials as experienced, wise, and culturally relevant.

Sarah Sax is the founder of Write For The Job.

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