I recently spoke with salary expert, Jack Chapman,  about several easy methods you can use to leverage your negotiating power to best advantage. Jack should know since he is author of Negotiating Your Salary, How to Make $1000 a Minute.

Listen in as Jack talks about ways YOU can leverage yourself to the best compensation possible as well as ideas on how you can negotiate your way past that initial salary requirements bottleneck that may be sending you to the reject pile.

Radio Interview w Jack Chapman Salary neg 9-9-09

For most of us, half the battle is finishing the race, regardless of where we place among the finishers. The same goes for a job search.

I’m a veteran of three career changes and numerous job searches. For me, job hunting made flying during turbulence, nails dug into the arms of my seat, seem relaxing by comparison. Yet it was a learning experience; what some call a “character builder.” The good news is that after each episode of job hunting, I became better at the game. I also noticed that job hunting always strengthened and prepared me for my next job. Looking both at my own growth plus that of other successful job seekers, it boils down to 5 characteristics.

Here are Five Top Mental Components of Winning Job Hunters:

1) Visualize: Marathon runners and other goal-directed athletes are great at visualization. They set a goal and see themselves achieving it. The same applies for your job search. Set a goal and see yourself achieving it. No matter how many setbacks you have, hold that vision of the job you want. Continue to hold it. Focus on the outcome you want, and not on how you’re going to achieve it. Picture it in your mind. Be specific. What is your supervisor like? How about your co-workers? What is your workspace like? What is your workday like? How do you dress? What hours do you work? Including your right brain in the imagination and visualization process enhances the achievement of your goal.

2) Be Persistent: Just as in running a marathon, nothing worth having is ever easy to achieve. There is a lot of rejection in job search. Sometimes it seems as if you’ll never get a “yes”. Remember what good sales people already know. That winning a sale, a job, or any other goal is a numbers game. Commission sales people will tell you that every “no” is one step closer to a “yes”. When you can see your process from a more objective viewpoint, knowing that you’re one more rejection closer to a “yes”, you’ll be less inclined to take the “no’s” personally, and less likely to get discouraged.

3) Replenish Yourself: The job search process, like a marathon race, can be an endurance test with a lot of disappointments and setbacks. It can also go on for weeks, months, and for some people, even a year or more. Top marathoners know that they have to nourish their bodies in order to prevail. You need to nourish your mind and spirit as well. If you’re going to outlast this process and prevail, you have to take care of yourself. This means taking time to relax to take your mind off the challenges, frustrations and rejections. Work hard on your job search, then take time out to exercise and pursue activities that bring you joy and replenish you.

4) Inoculate Yourself Against Negative Messages: Succeeding at a job search is a mental process, and negative input from anywhere can poison your mental outlook and encourage fear, discouragement, anxiety, anger and other negative emotions. Associate with positive people and protect yourself from all types of negativity. A job search journey can be a big undertaking. You need all of the assets and advantages that you can possibly bring to the party. You can’t afford to be exposed to the negativity of others. This includes friends, relatives and negative articles in newspapers and magazines as well as negative TV shows. Make a point of reading books and articles that motivate, encourage and inspire you. Avoid anything and anyone that doesn’t fall into this category.

5) Meditate: This can be the most important secret, yet it can be very simple. Take some time every day to be still and to get away from the “white noise” of life. Whether you are a spiritual person or not, commit to some quiet time away from the noise of TV, radio and other distractions. Give yourself the gift of quietness to contemplate, calm down and center yourself. Even five minutes of quiet time can make a positive difference in your life. This is an opportunity to relax, focus, and renew yourself. It will ground you and make it easier to face and overcome the stresses of your job search journey ahead.

As with successful marathoners, job hunters have some secret tactics that make their success look easy to others. Winning the job search game has a mental component. Developing the above five winning secret tactics will enhance your chances of success, and make the process more pleasant and less stressful.

You better know which one you are AND how to demonstrate this successfully at the interview or you won’t be hired.

Companies are in business to make money. Therefore, you need to think “How does hiring me help them to make money?”

For all private sector companies, there are two, and only two, kinds of employees:

1. Those that make a company money.
2. Those that save a company money (or save time and hence, save money) so they can invest to make more money elsewhere.

Know which kind of employee YOU are.

Today’s Recruiter Lesson:

Companies only spend money on solutions to problems. They don’t hire people to be liabilities on their asset sheet. They hire people to be problem solvers. You need to always look for opportunities to show how YOU have been a problem solver.

So, look for occurrences in the past. Once again, think of instances where you either:

1. made money for the company,
2. saved money for the company or,
3. saved time, and hence, saved money for the company.

EXAMPLE

Bill functions as a lead generation specialist for the marketing department. His role is to use specialized software to research lists of names to deduce which few are the best prospects for future marketing programs the company undertakes.

Bill makes money for his company. Although he doesn’t actually make the sale, each lead he generates is worth a dollar-value as one out of every 20 of these leads will produce a sale.

Start by putting your own examples down on paper. Try to get five or six of these down on paper. Now monetize each one of them, if possible. That means putting a dollar figure on each of these instances. That can be obviously sales or contracts won that you had a part of. However, also look for the revenue realized (or saved) from the successful completion of a project you were on, a money-saving task that you implemented, the cost savings from a short-cut that you instituted to name a few examples. You want any project, job or function of which you were a part that realized either dollars gained or dollars saved for your employer. If you don’t know the dollar figure, then either estimate to your nearest best guess. Otherwise, link the smaller tasks to a larger project where they might fall under and use the larger project figure and show how you played a crucial role as a team player.

Then take the best two or three of these examples you feel most compelling and hone each one down to a story you can tell. Practice this verbally so you can tell each situation in your past as a story of about 30 to 60 seconds, off the cuff and without notes.

This is how you use the interview to move yourself from the “liability” column to the “asset” column in the eyes of your future employer and move yourself closer to an offer letter.

SUMMARY

If you know which type of employee you are from the minute you walk into an interview, you will be miles ahead of most of your competitors. By being able to share specific examples with your interviewer, you set yourself apart as a candidate who knows his or her potential worth as an employee, someone who sees the bigger picture and a candidate that can tell a compelling story and be remembered long after the interview.



[[T_F]]Data Leak Prevention – Data Security Solutions – Information Theft Protection, Detection and Prevention Software Productstracefusion_signature=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[[T_F]]

]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/there-are-only-two-types-of-employees-which-are-you/feed/ 0 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/radio-shows/over-50-job-hunters-and-gen-x-hiring-managers-dont-always-mix/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/radio-shows/over-50-job-hunters-and-gen-x-hiring-managers-dont-always-mix/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:04:00 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/over-50-job-hunters-and-gen-x-hiring-managers-dont-always-mix/ Are you over 50?

If so, you already know you face extra challenges in today’s job search. Listen in as I talk with Randy Block, a seasoned career coach from the Bay area.

Randy has worked with both the Boomers and the Gen-Xer’s and has developed some valuable insights on interviewing more effectively with a Gen-X hiring manager. Learn specific ways you can overcome this gap, plus other tips to help you win your next position as an “older” job seeker.

Length 19:50


Job Search Guy Radio Show#14



[[T_F]]Data Leak Prevention – Data Security Solutions – Information Theft Protection, Detection and Prevention Software Productstracefusion_signature=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[[T_F]]

]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/radio-shows/over-50-job-hunters-and-gen-x-hiring-managers-dont-always-mix/feed/ 3 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-your-resume-pass-this-5-point-checklist/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-your-resume-pass-this-5-point-checklist/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:17:47 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/?p=43 As the economy has worsened and millions of job seekers are chasing after fewer and fewer jobs, what you put on your resume has become more important than ever. Before you send your resume anywhere, run it through this quick five-point checklist to determine if it needs a tune-up or even a complete overhaul.

1. Clear Objective

There has been a lot of debate lately among the resume writing “chattering classes” about whether today’s resumes even need an objective. After 15 years of reading resumes for my clients, my answer is definitely, “Yes”. However, I should clarify. By “objective”, I’m not referring to the fluff that most job seekers concoct. The objective should be your targeted job title and nothing more. This focuses the resume and necessitates that you use the rest of the resume to support why you’re the best candidate to fill this particular job title. It also leaves no doubt in your reader’s mind about who you are.

2. Opening Statement

Does your resume open with a long paragraph titled, “Summary of Qualifications”? Problem: Of the thousands that I’ve read over the years, most are nothing more than fiction. Long laundry lists of skills and assorted keywords. Two of the biggest offenders are “Results-Driven” and that ever popular, “Proven Track Record”.

If your resume looks like this, you might want to rethink your approach. Don’t bore your reader by emphasizing keywords and hackneyed clichés. Employers want to know how you can solve their problem right now. Don’t annoy them by failing to answer this urgent question.

Instead, include a simple, concise opening statement. This one sentence is usually called a Unique Selling Proposition. It should define who you are, your single biggest strength and end with a benefit that you offer. Ideally it should be something measurable, since everything boils down to dollars. This strips away the fluff and quickly answers that critical question in their mind. Do this and you make it easy for them to call you.

3. Measurable Results

OK, now you have a great opening statement. For Act Two, you must back that up with added proof. Don’t rely on tired clichés. Tantalize them with a bulleted list of specific achievements. By achievements, I mean an end result that reaped some benefit for either your employer or the client you’ve worked for.

This may require that you think outside your box or cubicle. Regardless of your role, you have a bottom line impact on your employer. Your job is to communicate your true value clearly and specifically to your next employer. It may take a bit of effort to develop these bullets. And that’s all they should be. No more than a one-sentence brief description of the benefit or result and how you accomplished it.

If you can put together a concise list of five to seven good achievements that are Return-on-Investment (ROI)-oriented, you’ll score a lot quicker than relying on those unexciting clichés.

4. One Job Title, One Resume

Resume readers are very focused and they’re looking for specific items. They have very short attention spans and can be easily distracted. When they get distracted, they start getting confused, and when that happens, they screen you out and reach for the next resume.

So, if you are looking for a position as a project manager, tell them why you’re a great project manager. That’s all they want to know. Don’t tell them about how you used to work as a carpenter or how you managed and ran your own consulting business. They don’t want or need to know about your other unrelated careers or positions. Even if you were great at them.

Use one resume to sell one job title. If the resume doesn’t clearly explain why you’re the best project manager in your city, then either drop the information or minimize it because it doesn’t belong there.

Stick with one career on one resume and you’ll have less chance of getting screened out.

5. “Above the Fold”

Place all of your most important selling information at the very top half of page one. Most resume readers spend about 20 seconds of actual eyeball time before they decide to move to the next resume. They are not going to waste their time looking through your resume to find critical information, such as how you “increased revenues $350K”, or you “decreased labor costs by 12%”. This information should be polished like gemstones and presented on a silver platter at the very top of the first page. Do this, and they’ll be spending a lot longer than 20 seconds on your resume.

Summary

If you use the five points above to measure the effectiveness of your resume, you may discover several areas where your current resume needs strengthening. Make the fixes now before you send your resume anywhere, and you’ll be more likely to have prospective employers call you.



[[T_F]]Data Leak Prevention – Data Security Solutions – Information Theft Protection, Detection and Prevention Software Productstracefusion_signature=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[[T_F]]

]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-your-resume-pass-this-5-point-checklist/feed/ 0 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/the-5-interview-questions-you-must-answer/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/the-5-interview-questions-you-must-answer/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:17:18 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/?p=41 Most job search authors have book sections with sample questions suggesting you should memorize the “correct” answers to pass muster. In reality, an interview is just an opportunity for a company to acquire the answers to five rather simple questions. If you don’t, or can’t, answer any one of these satisfactorily, you will not be hired or brought back for a future interview.

The 5 questions you must answer in any interview:

1. Why are you here?

2. What can you do for us?

3. Will you fit in? (Will you get along with our values and culture here?)

4. What makes you different from everyone else, will you go that extra mile?

5. How much will you cost us?

Before you begin any interview, here is how to deal with the above: Change these five questions into five statements:

1. Why are you here?
Tell them what you like or what impresses you about this company.

2. What can you do for us?
List the skills you have that are needed for the job and cite evidence from your past that supports these skills.

3. Will you fit in?
Demonstrate how much of a team player you are, your specific contributions to the company’s mission and cite several successful projects of which you’ve been a part. Describe your role in each project’s success.

4. What makes you different?
Highlight instances when you’ve gone the extra mile, put forth extraordinary effort, or successfully overcome unique challenges in your work history that have resulted in a positive outcome such as winning a major contract, completing a project ahead of schedule or making or exceeding a goal or quota that may have hung in the balance.

5. How much will you cost?
In today’s economy, many companies are bringing up the salary question early because they can’t afford experienced workers. Unfortunately, many will rule out stellar candidates because of money and you might be one of them. If this is the case, move on. You don’t want to get caught up in a discussion about salary here. If they bring it up, it’s only to allay any early anxieties in their mind about whether they can afford you. You only need to demonstrate a willingness to work with them within the confines of their compensation structure at this point. Check out sites like salary.com or payscale.com for a gauge on current salaries in your target market. Keep it general now. If they really want you, they’ll find a way to pay you what you’re worth at closing.

Don’t Just Answer Questions, Tell Your Stories

Here is where you’ll craft a few of your stories to illustrate some of these points, especially for questions 3 and 4. These are short personal narratives that you can tell, taking no more than 30 to 90 seconds each. You can start by developing your stories around areas like these:

1. Instances when you either made money or saved money for your current or previous company.

2. A crisis in your life or job and how you responded or recovered from it.

3. A time when you functioned as part of a team and contributed a unique contribution as a result.

4. A time in your career when you had to deal with stress, and the positive outcome.

5. A time in your job when you provided successful leadership or a sense of direction.

Also, think now of instances above when you provided a contribution or leadership role that was unique, untried, out of the ordinary, or otherwise, outside the box. Especially for questions 3 and 4 above, companies are looking for employees who are willing to go the extra mile, can bring a unique perspective to their teams, and can take on initiative without being asked.

Summary

Your objective in an interview is to stand out and be remembered positively from all of the other job applicants. By answering these five questions in your own unique style, you’ll separate yourself from the pack and win either a callback or a job offer.



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]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/the-5-interview-questions-you-must-answer/feed/ 3 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/5-job-search-tips-for-the-recession/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/5-job-search-tips-for-the-recession/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:16:50 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/?p=39 Synopsis: The recession makes your job search much tougher – here’s how to compete today.

Today’s economic news may be doom and gloom but it needn’t derail your job hunt. You can still win a great job, even in a lousy economy. You WILL have to get smarter in your job search strategy, though.

Here are five tips to incorporate into your job search during the recession:

1. Research Your Options

Does your industry or line of work offer little promise of employment in the coming months? If so, now is a good time to step back to identify the projected top performing industries and jobs. The best place to find this info is on the Web through Google, Yahoo or Bing. Start with “best industries work recession” or “recession jobs 2009″ to uncover articles describing some of the more “recession-proof” sectors to target.

2. Change Your Focus

Start asking yourself the question, “What’s in it for them?” as opposed to, “What’s in it for me?” Especially in an economic downturn, you’ll want to stay focused on what you can accomplish for your next employer. Show them that you understand the “bigger picture” of the role you play in moving the company forward.

3. Sell Results , Not Skills

Leave behind that old mindset that your job-related skills or length of service are selling factors. The new mindset is to think of yourself as a mini profit-and-loss center rather than just an employee. Employers today buy results and are less impressed with candidates who promote a long laundry list of skills. You’ll want to define the many ways your past and present job performance are assets to your next employer.

4. Start Talking Money

The recession has made the private sector economy even more bottom-line oriented than ever. Hiring managers categorize employees into one of two distinct groups:

a.) those who help make money

b.) those who help save money

Which one are you?

For example, Barry worked as the human resources manager of a mid-sized company. While much of his work focused on compliance issues, he noticed that the company was paying many thousands of dollars to locate and hire good employees. As a result, Barry developed and implemented an in-house employee referral program that netted three quality hires in a six-month period. This saved the company almost $70,000, money the company would have paid for recruiters and advertising costs.

Barry saves money for his company and this is an accomplishment future employers will want to hear about.

Rethink your current or past jobs to understand your position in the bigger corporate P&L picture. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

· How did my work improve the performance of my department or company?

· How many roles did I perform that saved the company the expense of added employees or contractors?

· How has my work made the work of others (employees and managers) easier, faster and more effective?

Collect specific examples of the benefits that your company gained from the work you’ve already performed. Clarify the benefits your company received by making money or saving money, and write them down.

5. Add Achievements to Your Resume

Employers don’t hire employees, they hire problem-solvers. Your new resume should be a hard-hitting sales tool designed to accomplish one goal: get the interview. To demonstrate this, add a specific achievements list to your resume. Take the list that you developed in the previous section and hone it down to your biggest and most notable accomplishments. Now, describe the benefit that your employer gained from each example. This will put you several steps ahead of your job-seeking competitors. Plus, you’ll now have some talking points ready for that next phone interview.

Summary

Don’t let all of the hype about the recession spook you into a state of panic. By revising your tactics to include a more solution-selling approach to employers, you stand a better chance of getting hired in today’s faltering economy.



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]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/5-job-search-tips-for-the-recession/feed/ 1 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-no-degree-mean-no-job/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-no-degree-mean-no-job/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:15:54 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/?p=37 Synopsis: Not having a 4-year degree doesn’t necessarily rule you out of contention for that job you want.

Often, while perusing the job postings, you’ll see listed under the requirements section wording such as “Bachelor’s degree or equivalent”.

Does this mean that those without a degree need not apply?

Not necessarily.

Although many corporate cultures require that their employees be degreed regardless of their position or length of experience, others will allow the degree to be trumped by industry experience. This is especially true for those job postings that have a degree **or equivalent** tagged to them. You may have a chance when you lack the degree. Generally speaking, a degree will usually be mandatory for those younger candidates lacking solid, relevant job experience. The operative word here is “equivalent” and how that is defined.

While these employers may have different requirements for equivalent experience, a good rule of thumb is to demonstrate past performance and proven results in your previous work. To accomplish this, your goal is to show how you either make money or save money for your employer. From your past work experience, develop as many specific instances as possible. If you can attach a dollar-value to several of these, so much the better. Put them in your resume.

Here are some actual examples:“Responsible for generating 13 new accounts by creating database and mailing piece”

“Booked $150,000 in new business for 2007 by contracting with 2 major groups for the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2007.”

“Increased revenue by 38% from new social market bookings.”

“Chaired meetings and headed the negotiation discussion that resulted in the settlement of a long protracted contractual and legal issue with the subcontractor and client.”

“Improved cash collection and debt aging from average 100 days to a more manageable 30 days and realized savings of about $276,000.”

“Reduced turnover by 45% over previous management within 15 months through my training program and development plans.”

“Won the Leadership and Excellence award in 2007 for outstanding achievements during my project management role.”

“Increased our customer satisfaction survey scores by 32% on average by training my team on the proper way to provide a great customer experience.”

“Reduced non-beneficial spending costs by 40% by effectively researching and analyzing accounts payable data.”

While these are great examples of actual achievements that you want to note on your resume, you’ll also want to create a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) near the top of your resume. Also called a “Personal Branding Statement”, this is a short, one-sentence “pitch” that describes who you are in about 15 seconds. Your USP should state the single greatest strength you offer and the biggest benefit that you bring to an employer.

Example:

“Hospitality business development professional with a strength in creative sales and marketing techniques that generated $500,000 in new revenue for my employer in 12 months.”

You can outweigh the formal education by showing exactly how your specific work has benefited your previous employer. The bottom line is that employers today want to have problem solvers on board. Though you may have no degree, you can prove yourself a resource that fits into their larger profit and loss picture. If you can demonstrate that, you can get hired.

Summary

You can overcome the “degree or equivalent” obstacle if you can (a) show proven benefits to hiring you, and (b) they are open-minded or flexible enough to get past the degree hang up. There will always be some inflexible companies when it comes to having a degree. But, you’ll also find those companies who are more impressed with actual real-world results.



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]]> http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/does-no-degree-mean-no-job/feed/ 1 http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/5-job-search-tips-for-older-workers/ http://www.jobsearchguy.com/articles/5-job-search-tips-for-older-workers/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:15:29 +0000 admin http://www.jobsearchguy.com/?p=35 Does age-bias exist in the hiring process today? That’s a tricky question, as it’s often hard to prove, yet many mature workers seem to face a bigger uphill battle when competing against Gen-Xer’s and Yer’s today.

Here are five tips for you job hunters who may have a few years under your belts.

1. Change Your Mindset

Remind yourself that you’re experienced, not old. You’re seasoned , not over-the-hill. You’re here-and-now, not history. It’s all about spin and reframing. If you have any doubts, just watch the current political scene.

The latest recession has created unemployment casualties and anxiety. But there’s hope. Just because you’re an older worker doesn’t mean you’re permanently sidelined. We can all agree that today’s job market is tough, challenging and competitive. But you can win in any job market with a can-do attitude and by powering up the tools you use to find a good job.

2. Widen Your Online Footprint

Job search has evolved tremendously over the past two years with the explosion of an Internet phenomenon called social networking. With the advent of social networking sites, anyone can upload and update their profile to the Internet.

There are numerous sites on the Web including LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and, of course, Twitter. The two that you absolutely MUST join first are LinkedIn and Facebook. These are great resources for building your online profile.

If you haven’t done so already, visit both LinkedIn and Facebook to establish a profile page that describes who you are to inform others about you. This is important because almost all recruiters and most hiring managers today regularly visit both LinkedIn and Facebook to recruit new candidates and investigate referrals. If your profile is found on these sites, you’ll improve your chances of winning a job in today’s job market.

Once you’ve done that, you might want to check out my Job Search Guy Radio programs. I’ve interviewed a number of experts who will share with you numerous tips on using social media to find jobs and expand your network online.

3. Wear Just One Hat

Focus only on the job title for which you’re applying. Tell them what they want to know and nothing more. Most likely you’ve worn many different hats during your career. If your duties and experiences from some of your previous positions don’t address the job title’s requirements, don’t emphasize them. In fact, get them off your resume entirely if you can, as it will only give employers another reason to screen you out, and you don’t want that. This is your story. Tell it your way. Magnify only the aspects of your background that are relevant to your target objective. You want to focus your resume to reflect yourself in the most positive, powerful ways possible.

4. Modify Your Resume

Take another look at your resume. Ask, “would I hire myself for this position?” You can’t do anything about your age, and you can’t change the cultural and employment biases against older workers. But you can stack the job hunting deck in your favor by reworking your resume to emphasize your strengths. Spin your story in your favor. Make sure everything on it relates in some way to your desired job objective. Drop old work history from your resume. You generally shouldn’t need to show more than ten years’ work history. Any prior work is most likely irrelevant now, bores the reader, and emphasizes your age. Remove obvious roadmarkers like dates. For example, remove college degree dates and professional training dates that may go back more than a few years. Of course you’ve been around a while, but you don’t have to shine a flashing light on this fact.

5. Sell Results

Here’s the most important tip of all: hiring managers today are looking for results, not years. Talk the language that an employer understands and appreciates, which is Return-on-Investment. Instead of citing 20-years of experience, identify your benefits to the employer and put them into monetary terms. Back up your accomplishments with facts that are benefit-based. Sell them from the perspective of the end result of your work, and how it positively impacted your present and previous employers.

Money talks and it talks rather loudly. Here’s some good news: Money can trump age. As an employee, you either make money or save money for your employer. If the hiring manager doesn’t see your value in one of these two categories, then you don’t want to work for this company. In this recession, if the company isn’t concerned about its bottom line, then it may not be around for long, and isn’t a viable option for you anyway. Get as close to money as you possibly can in the language of your accomplishments and list them on your resume.

Summary

If you’re an older, experienced worker, you don’t have to take a back seat in the hiring process. While there will be age discrimination with some employers, you can still stack the deck in your favor. Remember, it’s about being honest, but also about emphasizing your strengths rather than magnifying your vulnerabilities. Do this, and you can find a great job regardless of the economy.



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