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By rashley, February 1, 2010 6:25 pm

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By rashley, January 12, 2010 3:43 am

It may be politically incorrect to state, but agism and overqualified labels exist. Here’s what you can do to minimize the affects on your career and job search, especially if you are over 45 years old.

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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By admin, March 23, 2009 12:37 pm

The delight with being recruited sometimes eradicates judgment.  If you are a six-figure income executive, chances are you will be recruited on the telephone by recruiters not known to you.  The recruiter calls with a terrific job opportunity and the timing is right, the position exactly what you want…and you forget to get the details about with whom you are dealing.

Here’s a check list of important information you should get when a recruiter calls:

1. Get all the contact information immediately.  Ask for correct spellings, web sites, phone numbers and any other details.
2. What is your relationship with the company?  This is another way of asking if they actually have the recruiting assignment.  You’d be surprised how often recruiters go on fishing expeditions.
3. Are you working with the hiring authority directly?  You want to know how valid the information is.  If it is filtered through HR, the answers are watered down and often, not current.
4. Don’t ask if they are on retainer.  Do ask if they have an exclusive arrangement for this search.
5. Have you worked on behalf of this company before?  This gives you a clue about the validity of the information and the probability they have the ear of the hiring authority.
6. What should I expect?  This is a way to learn the time frame, the recruiter’s style and how you can make the recruiter’s job easier.   This also alleviates the stress of wondering when you will hear back.  Set that expectation up front.
7. Ask what the recruiter believes is the most compelling part of your background for this job.  This opens a discussion that reveals the recruiter’s understanding for the position.  It also gives you what you need to write a proper cover letter.

Establish a professional relationship at the beginning and much of the anxiety of working with someone you don’t know dissolves.  If you are still leery, ask for references.  You don’t want to disclose all your personal information to just anyone.
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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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By admin, September 18, 2008 4:17 pm

How RUDE.  You sent in a resume, wrote a great cover letter and you know you are spot on for the posted job.

So what’s up with the dead air?

It just doesn’t feel right.  Job search is hard enough with out being ignored for jobs you know are a good fit.

So many reasons recruiters don’t respond, so little time. There are as many styles of recruiting as there are recruiters. The best require courting and do not use job boards, form letters or, for the most part, do not respond to random resume submission. They represent candidates who are referred, vetted and known. These candidates get timely feedback, both the good and the bad.

If you submitted an unsolicited resume with no referral or introduction, it is unreasonable to expect a response. You have asked a busy professional whom you don’t know to stop what they are doing and do something for which there is typically no motivation. Unless your credentials are spot on to a current search, the recruiter must do her job; which is to find candidates for her clients. When you submit an unsolicited, un-referred resume, you simply can’t expect a response.

If you want your recruiter to behave, be selective in how you approach her and by whom you are referred. If you persist in using the random and anonymous methods of job boards, blanket and unsolicited resume submissions, you deal with only the least professional recruiters. Your choice. Learn how to get connected to the best recruiters, read “Job Search Debugged.”

Still not sure why your recruiter didn’t get back to you even after you sent him a killer resume? So many reasons, but here are the most common.

1. Not working on a search that requires your excellent credentials
2. Way too busy for any diversions
3. Knows something about you that turns her off
4. Doesn’t think your resume is strong enough
5. Has more than enough qualified candidates she already knows with similar credentials
6. Just not his style
7. Doesn’t respond to unsolicited resumes

Let’s say you are actually working with a recruiter and he doesn’t get back to you. You know not to badger him, but you are really annoyed at his lack of consideration. After all, it’s just an email or phone call. Consider this before you get more upset:

1. Her client did not get back to her within the time frame she mentioned–she doesn’t want to show she has little to no control over her client or fate
2. She has other more pressing, time critical things on her desk
3. He knows you didn’t get the job and he is working hard to find another candidate
4. He is just a jerk and lets things fall into cracks

As you can see, there is nothing continued contact on your part can change. Rather than become demoralized by the recruiter’s behavior, move on. Hopefully you already connected with more than one recruiter and have more irons in the fire. If not, this is motivation to do so. Just be careful not to complain to any recruiter about the lack of responsiveness.

Sometimes, when the desk is just too full and there are too many phone calls and emails to respond to, the candidates who will be the most forgiving are the ones who get pushed to the back burner. Which doesn’t mean you should become a squeaky wheel. You will still get the representation you want, just not the instant feedback. Remember, recruiters get paid for placing people and you want to be placed; you have mutual vested interest.

For more about how to work with recruiters try these posts:

Get the most from a bad recruiter.

Tricks recruiters use to trap candidates.

How to recognize a bad recruiter.

7 Questions to ask when a recruiter calls.

If you’d like to read about other issues with recruiters, contact me with your ideas through the comments section.

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Rita Ashley is a career and job search coach. In the last two years 98% of her clients reached their goals within six months. Is it your turn? contact me directly for a customized program to address your career and job search needs.

Read Job Search Debugged to revitalize your job search.

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By thejobcoach, May 4, 2008 4:24 pm

Everyone has an opinion on resumes but no one disagrees they are your most important marketing tool.

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