By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
A question from someone who is feeling discouraged about looking for work as someone who is over 60 years of age.
I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. I’m the head coach for JobSearch.Community. The question for today is, is it possible to get a job at 60? Man, you know, I remember when I first started recruiting, I wonder what happened to people when they’re over 40. And as time progressed, that number became 50.
And now the new number is 60. I’ll just simply say, yes, it is possible to get a job at 60. And that’s in the face of all the stuff that you’re reading about age discrimination.
See, part of what happens is we start to believe, and I’m over 60, we start to believe the BS that’s thrown at us as a rationalization for why we are turned down for jobs. You see, yes, there is discrimination. And what happens most of the time is that people who are older think that they can coast their way into an interview without adequate preparation, without doing any homework, wing it and get a job.
And this is a competitive market. And you are competing with people who are equally skilled or well skilled as you. And this isn’t about age.
This is about your performance on interviews. Yes, again, I’m going to keep repeating this. Yes, there’s discrimination, just like there was discrimination when you were 24 and they were choosing the 40 year olds because they were saying, hey, this person knows a lot more than the 24 year old.
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People arrive to interviews to hire and they have opinions about who’s going to be effective in their organization. And there’s a way to prepare for this that’s going to help you defeat the bias. So, I’ll just simply say, absolutely, it is possible and happens often these days that people who are over 60 are finding work.
That’s the fact of it. So, get off the self pity. Start preparing for your interviews.
Get yourself ready to perform at a high level. And, by the way, if you’d like me to coach you, email me at JeffAltman at TheBigGameHunter.us. I’d be happy to work with you. Or you can go to JobSearchCoachingHQ.com. Sign up there.
There’s a lot of great information that will help you get prepared. But the real thing is the preparation. And the second thing is about whether what you do is marketable.
If you have ordinary skills, commoditized skills, skills that there are a million and one people who can do, you have to show some flexibility about geography, compensation, a host of other things. But assuming that you have marketable skills, desirable skills for your market area or are willing to move to one where what you do is marketable, as well, you’ll find a job. No question about it.
You will find a job. Hope you found this helpful. And, again, Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter.
One-on-one coaching with me. Email me at JeffAltman at TheBigGameHunter.us. In the subject line, put the word coaching. Have a great day!
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes. 
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You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, JobSearch.Community Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.
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