AARP's Deborah Russell Tells You How to Sell Your Talent
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-06-07 17:34:00.739668-04:00
Deborah Russell, AARP's Director of Workforce Issues helped 50 + Delawareans better understand what they have to offer in today's workplace at the Celebrating Life 50+ Expo on April 25 in Wilmington. Her talk, "Selling Your Talent—Experience DOES Count" offered tips on how to re-career as well as re-vive your present day job.
In case you missed her talk, here's what she had to say:
"How do we stay marketable? How do we promote our own personal brand? That's not easy. Boomers aren't used to promoting themselves.
Well there are four steps you need to take to help you get there:
- Assessing yourself and your skills;
- Research the job that fits you best;
- Developing a plan;
- Interviewing for the job.
Step One—Assessing Yourself and Your Skills
Let's start with assessment. You have amassed quite an array of skills, abilities, and experience over the years. Before you apply for a specific job, ask yourself a series of questions: What do you enjoy doing? What do you loathe doing? What am I good at/what have I been successful in doing? What kind of environment do I need in order to be successful? What kind of people do I want to work with?
In addition, take some time to define other workplace needs such as: What kind of schedule do you want? How important are pension and health benefits? Do you need a flexible work schedule? Do you prefer working for a large or small company or organization? What are your salary requirements?
Put your skills assessment together with your workplace needs and it begins to clarify for you the kind of job and the type of workplace you're looking for. Now it's time to explore your options.
Step Two—Research the Job That Fits You Best
Any job that offers an adequate salary and decent benefits is worth considering however you also want to work somewhere where you'll be happy. It's also important to consider the kinds of jobs that are available. What are the industries that have a high demand for your talent? What kinds of jobs are available in a specific industry? You can research this information by going to your local one-stop's web site or through the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some of the fastest growing occupations include: computer engineer, nursing and other health-related occupations, customer service, desktop publishing, and teaching
Maybe none of these professions appeal to you; but research your options to ensure that what you are interested in pursuing is in demand.
Another strategy is to have an informational interview with the Human Resources department of the company or organization you're interested in. This kind of interview is less stressful, but can prove to be quite useful in finding out whether you would be a good fit.
One way that AARP is helping support mature jobseekers is through our National Employer Team. This program connects individual jobseekers with employers seeking to hire mature workers. For more information, you can visit AARP's Web site.
One final thought might be starting your own business. This could be a risky endeavor and you may want to consider the following: Why do you want to start a business? Does your family support you doing this? What are the financial risks? Be careful not to use your retirement income to gamble on starting a business. You're better off getting a small business loan to get you started. Develop a good business plan. The Small Business Administration has templates you can use. What's your timeline for success? Be realistic. Most start-up companies won't see a return on investment for possibly several years.
Step Three—Developing Your Plan
The third step is developing you plan. First you need to ask yourself—Do you have the necessary skills to do the job you're seeking? If not, where are you going to get those skills? Re-skilling is a growing issue as more Boomers are transitioning into two or more careers. Secondly, you'll need to build or update your resume.
Let's talk about your resume. A resume is a description of your accomplishments, skills and experiences. Your resume represents you so make sure you make a good first impression. Think of how it works when you're meeting someone for the first time. You form an immediate impression. Well, imagine if your resume could talk. What would it say about you?
- Keep your resume brief, no more than two pages.
- Keep it relevant to the job you ' re applying for. Make sure you include credentials, training that you ' ve taken to keep your skills honed.
- Address or acknowledge gaps in work history. Many women have this issue as they are in and out of the workforce due to caregiving.
- Don ' t include personal information.
- Make sure you include your email address.
- Avoid at all cost — spelling errors.
There are three basic styles of resumes: a chronological resume works well if you have had steady employment in an industry or field and want to remain in the field; a functional resume highlights your skills and expertise. This is a preferred style if you're changing careers; an e-resume is the most recent style of resume that's exclusively electronic. The most important thing to know about electronic resumes is that they will more often than not go through a scanner that will pick up key words. If those words are contained in the resume, the Human Resources Manager usually doesn't pursue the submission.
Step Four—Interviewing for the Job
The final step is the interviewing process. Now that your resume has gotten your foot in the door, you have to seal the deal in person. Most employers today conduct behavioral interviewing. Unlike previous interview styles that merely go through your work history, today hiring managers also want to know if you're a good fit. They want to know how your skills supported the success of the company or organization you previously worked for. They will ask you questions that place you in a situation and how you responded to the situation. For example: "Tell me about a time when you were faced with making a difficult decision. What steps did you take? What was the outcome? What lessons did you learn?"
You may be faced with difficult questions that ask you to describe yourself, why you left your last job, gaps in work. Be prepared in advance to answer those questions.
I'll end with the four most difficult questions that might be asked of you:
- Question: How is your health? Answer: Explain that you are able to perform tasks that the job requires.
- Question: How old are you? Answer: Don ' t react negatively or lie! Instead say, " I think my age and experience will be an asset to this company. "
- Question/Statement: You seem overqualified. Answer: Show your sincere interest in working for the company or organization. Emphasize your unique attitude, skills and interests that led you to apply for the job.
- Question: Will you be comfortable working for someone younger? Answer: When I get to where I can ' t learn from someone younger or older, then I ' ll top working! "
Finally, be prepared to ask the interviewer some questions about the company and the job. It's not just about whether you're a good fit for the company, is the company a good fit for you? Let the interviewer know that you've done your homework. Today with access to information and Google, there's really no excuse. You can even Google your interviewer to get more information.
We're each professional marketers and the product you're selling is you. Selling your personal brand is the key to successful employment."
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