What are the special challenges that middle age job hunters face?

Special challenges, in addition to those mentioned earlier, include:

Increasing competition for jobs

·  Former executives and middle management who previously retired took a financial hit during the 2009 financial downturn. Now, they are either needing income to pay bills or they are concerned about not having enough money to live on when they can no longer work. Many are trying to re-enter the workforce.

·  Traditionally, there was an outflow of managers retiring whose departure opened the door for remaining managers to survive or for slots to become available. Cash needs, fear, and uncertainty have caused many managers to defer retirement.

·   The U.S. has encouraged immigration, especially of highly educated and trained foreign nationals. While a positive move in strong economic growth cycles, these high quality immigrants have increased the competition for U.S. jobs.

Perception of being more expensive

·  Older managers usually have higher salaries than younger managers

·  Older managers frequently have higher health risks and costs

·  Older managers may still expect to be on a pension or bonus plan that is no longer affordable

Perception of being out of date or too old

·  Many managers are professionally or technically out of date. One example is someone I know who still prefers pencils and paper for logistics rather than today’s integrated technology solutions.

·  Older people are perceived as not wanting to change or innovate – which runs counter to today’s business hyper-change environment.

·  Managers often feel their value is to manage people, but not necessarily produce results or add value. That was yesterday’s model.

Some might ask,  “Is it a case of being over-qualified for entry level-jobs but not sufficiently qualified/experienced for upper management, or is their situation more complex and nuanced than that?”

Being told that you are “over-qualified” is merely a polite phrase to avoid the deeper concern that, when the economy recovers, you will leave for another managerial position with another company. In most cases, you may actually be “under-qualified” to do today’s entry level jobs. Many managers are out of date technically or educationally to perform entry level work.  They may also have emotional challenges when demoted. Why hire a former manager when you can hire a lower cost, passionate, high energy, technically current, and recently educated young person?

For upper management positions the issue is often a lack of experience and proven results. The average tenure of today’s C-Level position executive is from 18 to 24 months. It would be hard to convince a similar size company that a former manager would be the best candidate for senior executive positions when many experienced senior executives are also looking for work.

What can these people do to improve their chances of finding a job? Is it a case of lowering their sights or aiming high for upper-management?

First, they need to face reality that the world has changed. It has become highly competitive with fewer available jobs. That means they need to learn how to compete in the same way that businesses compete for jobs. The unemployed is a product or service trying to market and sell oneself into a job. How are you competing with other products and services looking for placement?

Just implementing a few of these principles can help someone compete at much higher levels.

The first step is to review the many options that you actually have:

·  Try to get their old job back or a similar position in a similar company

·  Try to move into senior management in a smaller company. For example, a controller in a larger company may fit as a CFO in a smaller company.

·  Become a consultant

·  Become a fractional manager who works a day or more at each of several client companies who cannot afford a full-time employee

·  Become a contract worker. Companies will often look to contact solution companies, such as Tatum, to fill interim positions or to handle a specific project

·  Start your own business

·  Partner with others to start a business

·  Buy a franchise

·  Change careers

·  Work for non-profits…

In my opinion, any of these are better than targeting entry level or lower level positions.

 

Making A Career Change By Starting A Business

Making a Career Change By Starting A Business
MP3 NOT For
Redistribution

Are You Interested In A Career Change?

Are You Interested In A Career Change?
MP3 NOT For
Redistribution

Are You a Legend or a Legacy?

There are several kinds of legends. You can be a legend want-a-be, a legend in your own mind, a legend with mythical notoriety, or a true legend whom others look up to with awe and respect. For some true legends, they just seem to fall into the situation, not unlike some medal of honor winners who were “just doing their duty.” For most true legends, and medal of honor winners, there is a cost to pay. The price can range from their health, their family, friends, and endless hours of hard work.

It is hard to be a legend. Few make the grade. I doubt that I will be considered a legend. To me, the cost would have been too high. For others, I simply take my hat off to them.

However, there is something that all of us can do even if we are never recognized by others, appear on the national news, or receive global honors. We can choose to leave a legacy.

What is a legacy? Wikipedia defines a legacy as “what someone or something is remembered for or what they have left behind that is remembered, revered or has impacted current events and the present day.”

While a legacy could include a significant monetary or property inheritance, I am most interested in whether our personal lives are impacting others around us in such a way that they are “touched by us”, motivated by us, encouraged by us, and helped by us in such a way that they remember it for the rest of their lives – and sometimes even tell their children about it. That could even include one simple but profound positive lesson that a parent leaves with their child.

While you are looking for a job or are developing your career, are you also leaving a positive legacy for your family, friends, and even strangers that you meet?

Are you focused on becoming a legend or on leaving a legacy?

Are You a Victim or a Victor?

There many victims in this world. In fact, anyone can claim to be a victim. The poor may not have enough food, clothing, education, healthcare, nurturing, safety, role models, etc. The rich may have been spoiled, not enough time with loving parents, too much freedom, too much money, too many temptations, too much unstructured free time, too much access to drugs, sex, and mischief. Perhaps you are in the middle but had a negative teacher experience, a professor who could not teach, a boss who was unethical, etc. It is easy to blame others or our circumstances. It emotionally feels good to blame the system, blame our situation, and ignore our own responsibility. You might get compassion from a court of law or others but feeling like a victim does not solve anything. You will just remain a victim.

We have far fewer victors. A victor does not ignore the injustices in life. Instead, they feed off of wanting their lives to be different. They take any negative energy and turn it into positive motivation to become different. They want to provide food, clothing, opportunities, a better world and a better life for themselves and for their children and grand children. They choose to win at the game of life. They get up each morning determined to break through their past, their excuses, and their weaknesses to make a difference, to maximize their potential, and to ultimately leave a legacy.

Being a victim is easy. You don’t have to do anything.

Being a victor is hard. You have to be determined, work hard, persevere, and surround yourself with other like-minded victors to become successful. Many future victors are often surprised how many older victors are willing to reach out a hand to help those who are determined to win in life. These older victors have won already and are now working on paying it forward in order to leave a legacy for future generations of victors.

At the end of the day, the difference is what you decide to do with your life.

Will you be a victim or a victor?

How does a Power Group Differ From Coaching?

A Power Group is a peer led group that does not use a coach. As a result, mutual leads and mutual confidential matters are easily shared but knowledge on how to search for jobs or develop one’s career is limited by the strongest member of the group. Since, in almost every case, no one in the group is a full-time coach or professional in Jobprenuership™, then groups can easily encourage one another to be taking actions that may not be best practice or developing themselves with wrong paradigm thinking.

Does that eliminate the use of a Power Group? Absolutely not! The advantages of joint networking, sharing leads, brain-storming, encouragement, and accountability for a potential lifetime of trusted friendships makes, in my opinion, a Power Group one of the world’s best kept secrets.

However, as you grow, if other’s in the group refuse to grow then you might later need to start another Power Group with more committed or mature members. Also, as you learn more about Jobpreneurship™, your opportunity to help other members will grow significantly. You might even suggest that the group include Jobpreneurship™ as the model to build upon. Another way of putting it is that Power Groups are useful – period. Jobpreneurship™ has been recognized as the best class model for job search, career development, and client development. By combining both concepts, you will only increase your effectiveness and long term results.

Using LinkedIn, Part Four

Next, take a look at those in your network who you really know and who know you. If you can give a positive testimonial to others, do so and ask them to return the favor.

Having solid testimonials has multiple benefits.

First, LinkedIn will give you higher rankings in searches.

Second, as people look you up, others view of you will improve.

Third, as potential HR or hiring managers check you out, these testimonials become references and sources for them to contact to know more about you. Which is why I recommend that all testimonials are genuine and valid. If you get caught with fluff, that probably won’t be good!

Next, there is a Twitter like function – which also can be connected to your Twitter account. Again, I encourage you to post mini-blogs that communicate what you are professionally doing. A good example might be a speech in Hong Kong. An example of what you may not want to mention is that you are leaving your house to go to a ball game during office hours. Burglars might love you and your boss might not be as thrilled!

Are there others suggestions that you have?

Using LinkedIn

The first step to using LinkedIn is to join! Go to LinkedIn.com and follow the directions. There are different levels. The first level is free – I recommend starting at this level. The other levels cost money but may be worth reviewing.

What are the benefits?

1. Allows you to begin building a long term network. When people change jobs, they usually update their LinkedIn profile. Not true with most other memberships.
2. Provides discussion groups, blogs, and links to personal websites.
3. Expands to allowing access to groups, where you may belong, and their respective membership
4. Hundreds of millions of contacts are available either by directly connecting or by referrals.
5. Encourages online testimonials that others can see when they look you up.
6. Includes your resume that others can see
7. Builds your online network and brand 24 / 7.

If you are not using LinkedIn, I don’t believe you are serious about trying to get a job or client.

Using Internet Tools for Jobs and Clients

This week I want to share with you how to use the internet to help you get a job or a client. First, which internet tools do you think are best?

I use the phrase internet “tools” deliberately. None of them are a solution – although others will tell you that they are the “secret”. Here is what I personally see as the best tools and uses of them:

1. LinkedIn – The best tool on the web. Designed for networking, targeting people and companies, and making your profile plus testimonials available to everyone. Also has groups which can dramatically increase your exposure.
2. Plaxo – A good tool. Designed for keeping contact information but can offer other benefits. I would call it LinkedIn lite. I use both but prefer LinkedIn.
3. Facebook – A great personal site for social networking. I am told that they now allow a separate “business” site but cannot find it yet. It was just announced that Facebook is getting more hits than Google. Impressive.
4. Twitter – A great tool for keeping up or broadcasting what you are doing. Perfect if others want to follow you. For example, you follow a targeted company Twitter for all new job postings.
5. Many others…There are many others such as Ecademy, which I use for international presence. In every case you need to review to see if they “fit” what you want to do.

My recommendation is to focus on LinkedIn and use the others on a more focused basis.

Why? LinkedIn is the primary choice of top companies and executives (hiring and buying managers). Go where your customer is going! Plaxo is good but limited. Facebook is scary – often too much personal information that can tarnish your image, but may become the #2 tool to LinkedIn. Twitter is primarily for following companies for job or procurement opportunities. Having others follow you is wonderful but are they the decision makers? Ecademy seems to attract a wide range of people, including many who may be not as “professional” as LinkedIn. This site appears to attract many individuals trying to make money but does offer a rich social experience.

Tomorrow, I will begin a series on how to work with LinkedIn.  You can begin to educate me on what you know and how you use any and all of these tools for how to get a job or a customer.

Using Ideas From Others

I deliberately like to use insights from others. It increases knowledge. It also can increase awareness that many who speak don’t have a clue what they are talking about. However, it is the process of listening to many that you can learn what is truth, what is sound knowledge, and what is best practice.

When you find someone who consistently says things that you recognize as right, then you can begin to trust most of what they say. Not all, but most. For example, you might not agree with everything I say. That is good. You should hear what is said and be able to intelligently accept or reject it with sound reasoning. My goal is not to propagandize but to teach the skill of thinking.

Similarly, you should test every principle that you hear. If you listen to me enough, by now you should have recognized that much of “traditional teaching” is to keep the common man common. It is often propaganda that insiders ignore.

To demonstrate, I used two lists by different authors over the past two weeks to show my thoughts. First, I chose authors whose lists I thought would be of value to you. Then, I expanded upon their comments. In many cases, if the authors saw my comments, they too could agree or disagree and say why. So, my comments in no way are to be taken as negative toward those authors – actually I was complimenting them by using them.

This illustration has a purpose.

Most successful people surround themselves by those whom they can trust and by those whose advice has proven to be wise counsel. That is why they are often called “Trusted Advisors”.

Note that a trusted advisor to a Mafia Don might not be the best trusted advisor to a Banker. Notice that the belief systems, values, and interpretation of “good advice” may be different.

I encourage you to begin surrounding yourself with those whose advice matches your belief systems, values, and what works.  I also encourage you to constantly compare your belief systems and values to others to be sure that the foundation of your life is built upon what you really want it to be. You may learn something new and useful. You may also save yourself from a lot of heartache.

Next Page »