Do you smoke? Do you know how it affects your career?

Why do companies post executive jobs on job boards?

Are you really overqualified or do you just not know how to work the system?

Can you learn to interview better?

Do you know a proper metric for a good Job Search Engine (NOT job board).

Here’s where you can find links to research tools.

Fed up with recruiters who misbehave?

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Few comments from prospective employers are so demoralizing to candidates as, “We like you but you are overqualified for this job.” Most people interpret this as, “You are too old.”

Overqualified is the easiest answer to give a candidate when an employer passes on hiring an over 45 year old candidate. It is rarely the real reason; it is the politically correct reason and the safest way to get the candidate to go away. Employers who pass on a candidate don’t want to ‘handle’ the questions and emotions that result from refusal; they want to move on to the next candidate. Same goes for recruiters.

There is never a guarantee, even if you have the right qualifications, that an offer will be presented. Don’t leap to the conclusion you didn’t get an offer because you are perceived as overqualified or too old.

Often the reason seasoned professionals are passed over has nothing to do with qualifications.

If you are invited to interview chances are the employer already knows you exceed their requirements. They saw something of value in your resume and invited you to interview so you could prove why they should hire you. That is what interviews are for. If they pass on you it is because you failed to prove them right.

Before you start writing your flame mail to me that you don’t get a chance to interview, to be tested, because the resume you sent in didn’t generate a response…and you assume it is because the employer sees you as over qualified, I remind you, few executives get the interviews they want by random resume submission. It is the poorest job search technique you can use.

Then there are those who genuinely believe they are or are perceived to be overqualified. The current employees are all younger and it looks like there is a bias. Most companies screen for fit. But fit usually means enthusiasm and energy level; not age. The bias towards younger employees tends to be because younger employees demonstrate an eagerness to succeed and participate.

Do a reality check. Do you come across as weary? Is your posture or tone of voice communicating high interest in the job and company? There are many intangibles that give employers the key to your fit for their team.

Let’s focus on techniques to overcome the ‘overqualified’ or ‘too old’ ageism labels:

ONE: They really want someone younger, cheaper – No employer is going to state that aloud. What every hiring manager wants is a successful hire within their budget. The better able you are to define their needs before you interview, the higher the likelihood of an offer. Interview with their needs in mind and focus on outcomes they need, not your superhero skills.

TWO: The employer fears I will leave for a better opportunity – Employers face turn-over from all sections of the company. Your leaving is no more probable than anyone else’s IF you have discerned you can be successful in that position. Talk about what you will contribute, not what you have done before in excess.  Focus on the job they have open, not all the other tasks you can accomplish. Talk in terms of what you can deliver, give examples.

THREE: They think I will be bored – If you communicate enthusiasm for the market niche and the challenges of that particular job, this goes away. Once you discern their top priority, address that with a sense of creative adventure. Be well prepared on their market and the challenges. If you ask good questions about their plans for the future, such as follow on products or market positioning, you demonstrate a keen interest.

FOUR: They think I will be unhappy – Why would they? If you keep the focus on how you can expand what you do and learn a new approach, employers won’t think of you as a misfit. Let them know what you find desirable about their work environment or market niche. Be specific. Don’t use generalities like, “I’m excited about what you do.” Say, instead, “This opportunity appeals to me because xxx.” And make the xxx about them, not you.

FIVE: I think I need to change my resume to remove my more senior experience – Do you know this is a firing offense? If you are not entirely honest, hide or misrepresent, you can be fired on the spot. Plus, these are lies you will have to maintain. Better to be honest and help the employer see that though you have had more senior responsibilities, there are still things you can learn and contribute that are unique. And this means including months and years of previous employment and date of college graduation.

SIX: The manager sees me as competition – Convey how you can make the manager look good. Ask what their priorities are, what their metrics for judging success in the role are and speak only to those. Mention your job is to make them look good and ask what being part of the team would mean. Be sure you are not conveying superiority or a condescending manner. Give examples without stating, “This is how I made my last manager look good.” Talk about the team success.

Not sure how you are coming across? Invite a younger, trusted friend to interview you using a video recorder for later review. Dissect every part of the interview including attire, tone of voice and body language.

It is my experience that candidates often create their own issues by being patronizing, impatient, and dismissive or even conciliatory or apologetic. Be very critical of your interview style. Be self confident but not arrogant.

As an example: Never, ever say, “Oh, that’s easy, I solved that problem,” or similar responses that dismiss the importance and difficulty the interviewer tries to convey. For more information on how to convey your experience without sounding like you invented work, read, “You have an ugly baby” in “Job Search Debugged.”

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Read previous articles on age on this thread.  For general career advice for executives and technology professionals, use the links on the right side of this page.

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Read the employers point of view on why they are reluctant to hire older workers and Age getting in the way of landing a job?

Listen to a podcast for tips and ideas on how to manage your job search to avoid the pitfalls of ageism.

Rita Ashley is a career and job search coach for executives. In the last two years 98% of my clients achieved their goals within six months. Is it your turn? Contact me directly to discuss a customized solution.

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Posted via email from The Job Coach–Rita Ashley

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The statistics are horrible.  Over 10% unemployment. Consultants and executives who have ‘aged out’ of the unemployment roles are not included.  Entrepreneurs who don’t qualify and interns who don’t find paid work are not included.  So the number is a lot higher than the statistic reports.

And it is those very executives and consultants who feed the economy. Laborers and hourly people don’t feed the beast.  We must get middle managers and executives back to work and spending money.  Short sales and bankruptcies are still occurring with wretched frequency.

My solution?  Revitalize the job search.  Learn how to do it right.  Stop doing what isn’t working.  I see executives uncovering great leads but shooting themselves in the foot with poor process or blind belief in job search myths.

One sad fellow called me because he had been on five interviews with five different companies and never made it to the second round.  After talking to him for just a few minutes, I knew why.  He couldn’t stop talking.

His desperation was palpable.  He wanted to make sure I knew every possible thing about him in case some one thing would trigger my response to hire him.  I couldn’t even get in a word to tell him I don’t hire people.

He sent me a resume and asked if my clients were hiring.  Bad.  Very bad.  He didn’t even know what I do.  He just sent out blind and random emails with his resume with no regard for the recipient.  His was not the first inquiry that assumed I am a recruiter or hiring manager.

Sending a resume and cover letter when none is requested is a career limiting behavior.  Not having an introduction also hurts.

Another had the opposite problem.  He didn’t ask questions or assert his competency with examples and outcomes.  He used words like, responsible for, led and managed without saying what he actually did and accomplished.

One bloke, at the end of the interview, proposed he would take the job for $50,000/year less than their range.  He was surprised and even a bit angry when they didn’t take him up on his offer to buy the job.  He overlooked that employers want the very best fit for any job opening because companies are fragile.  Clearly, he conveyed he didn’t think he was worth very much.

This horrible job market is not forgiving.  You can’t make any mistakes and you must create the most compelling job search you can.  That requires an assessment of your current method and a review of what others do that works.

• Conduct mock interviews that you can record and review.
• Practice your elevator pitch.
• Rework your resume to reflect the priorities of the job description.
• Spend hours each day in research and networking.
• Use the internet wisely to learn what you can about the company, the job and the opening.
• Reach out to others to see if you can help them.
• Ask for help with specific parameters such as the name of a company, person or domain.

Job search is not easy, but it is simple.  Keep a clear focus and don’t get so wound up attending and writing that you forget to follow up.  Make real connections to people and enjoy the ride.

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If you would like support creating your own compelling and expeditious job search, contact me. We can focus on your specific challenges and define a custom program.

My clients get hired; not brag-fact.

Perhaps you feel a proven book with field tested techniques is your first step toward an effective job search. You can download Job Search Debugged for advice that works.

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To say he was at a disadvantage for his first interviews is an understatement.  How could he have prevented this confusion? If he wanted to rise above all the competition, he needed to have precise answers to all the interview questions.  He could only do that if he could anticipate their needs.

He could have asked questions of the internal recruiter who first contacted him.  Why didn’t he?  For some odd reason candidates don’t understand they are expected to ask questions about the job so they can prepare for the interviews.

The employer is highly motivated to hire the right person for the job. It isn’t a shell game.  They want you to have all the information you can have to make your attempts at the job spot-on.  It would have been ok to ask the recruiter why she felt he was a good candidate for the job.

It is ok to ask about the organization, reporting structure and growth plans.  It is even more ok to ask if this is a new position and if not, why?  If the person moved up in the company, great.  If they left, it’s ok to ask what they might have done differently to be more effective.

You can also ask the recruiter what the hiring manager considers to be the top three priorities for the job.  The answer may be different from the job description.  If people skills are stressed you know what examples to use.  If technical expertise is their main concern, you know to tilt your answers that direction.

Ask questions and help the employer hire you.

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Each complained of overly long job searches and expressed they had no clue what is going on.  They wondered:  Blacklisted?  Are the jobs real?

Nope.  Your writing is so poor your credentials are not being considered.  Seriously, if you can’t write a decent email or cover letter how can you be expected to speak  well and represent the company?

It’s too easy to assume follow-up didn’t occur because of age, too many applicants or other spurious reasons.

Fact is, most cover letters, emails and even blog post responses demonstrate very poor written communications.  No matter how informal the correspondence, it must demonstrate you are literate and educated.  Never say, “It’s just an email.”

Be especially mindful of use of advice/advise and never use exclamation points in business correspondence.  If what you say is important and true, you don’t need to call attention with punctuation.

Don’t get cute or use smiley faces.  Read your missive aloud to ascertain proper sentence structure and word usage.  Still not sure?  Let someone proof your work.

Job Search is stressful and mistakes are easily made. Don’t let your writing mistakes prevent you from making it to the next step.

Your LinkedIn profile is often the first thing people see about you.  Tear yours apart for grammar and sentence structure.  Does every line convey a compelling message?  Can the reader immediately see what you can do for them and why you are exceptional?

Make certain your writing is excellent and you will increase the success of your job search.  Just last week two of my clients received compliments from hiring authorities on the organization and flow of their resumes and cover letter.  People notice. Make certain your communications are being noticed for all the right reasons.

Need help evaluating your LinkedIn profile?  Is your resume getting complements? Do you have a compelling elevator pitch?  Check out my web site for information on Coaching to fix those elements…

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Read one of my more contrarian posts:  Don’t let passion be your guide and forget about following your bliss.  The color of your parachute is less important than your opportunity for success.

Read more:

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To learn more…

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For a podcast on tips to avoid the problems listen to Total Picture Radio.

In general, the Examiner.com column discusses similar (but not the same content) topics to this blog, and also has Seattle relevant information.  Meetings, events and topics of local interest are included among in-depth advice on job search for executives and technology leaders.

Please contact me about topics you would like to see me cover in either site.  Use the comments section here or find my email under my bio at the examiner site.  My goal is to provide you with advice you need and links you can use.  Help me do that by telling me what you want to know about.

For complete overview and revitalization of your job search, read, “Job Search Debugged.”

Thanks.

Rita Ashley, Job Search Coach

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