UnemployedNet supports The Mirror's Get Britain Working campaign.
The Mirror has teamed up with Fish4jobs to give advice to older people on getting back in to work.
The over-50s have been hit hard by the recession, but the problems they face now are often similar to the problems they faced before it - gaps in CVs, skills that need updating, negative thoughts from some employers.
The article below gives some fantastic advice on overcoming these issues and others - it's a must-read for all older workers who are looking for jobs.
All that experience can't be allowed to go to waste if Britain is to pull out of its financial downturn, and many employers value it highly.
Older workers can also look at Jobmanji, the national job search engine with a special interest in mature workers.
'THE current tough jobs market is challenging for all jobseekers but one of the hardest-hit age groups is the over-50s.
As part of our Get Britain Working campaign, we have teamed up with top recruitment website Fish4jobs to help older workers to have the best chance of landing their next job.
Making Your Experience Count is a special feature of top tips, advice, CV templates, case studies and dos and don'’ts to hopefully encourage people not to focus on their age as a factor holding them back – but to concentrate on the positives that will push you forward to success.
“Experienced” or “older” isn’t a negative when it refers to your expertise or level, rather than your age.
More so than ever, it is about picking the right jobs – i.e. the ones you have a good chance of getting – and then presenting your benefits to potential bosses.
Already, through our ongoing campaign, we have helped hundreds of thousands of people to find jobs and we want to continue that success.
People like Tom Byrant, 52, who is delighted that he jumped on board our Jobs Bus in June as, after being unemployed for six months, he now has a brilliant new job.
Tom was one of those who joined the Daily Mirror and Fish4jobs as we toured the country helping jobseekers get their CVs up to scratch.
“I got my CV reviewed on the Jobs Bus and was told that it was too factual, just listing dates and employment history, without any focus on my achievements or examples of where I had delivered great results,” says Tom, from Liverpool.
“I almost can’t believe that I added some key achievements, results and specific project details and within a few weeks, got two interviews on the same day and was offered both jobs.
“I am now the European purchasing manager in a chemical industry firm, a fantastic role that I continue to thrive in,” smiles Tom.
Tom initially thought the experience he had to offer would mean he would have no problem finding a suitable position.
“The longer I was out of work, the more I tended to lower my expectations. This, it turns out is not such a good idea, as employers seem to think you will leave for the first ‘good’ job that comes along.
“With good presentation and persistence, the right position for you will eventually come along.”
CV DO’S AND DON’TS FOR OLDER JOBSEEKERS
Don’t...
* Include unnecessary personal data - date of birth, marital status, children, national insurance number, gender or any other information that is unrelated to your ability to do the job.
* List your entire work history - we recommend only including the last 10 years as recruiters and employer are interested in your recent, relevant work experience.
*Leave unexplained gaps - your CV should read as a chronological flow and gaps raise suspicions. Start with your most recent job and explain gaps eg. bringing up children, caring for a relative or a career break.
*Reveal your age - you don’t need to put the years you attended school, university, training courses or other qualifications you’ve achieved.
Do
* Keep your CV to two pages - potential employers want to see quickly how your skills and experience matches what they’re looking for.
* Keep skills relevant - you may have many skills but make sure those you include match those in the job description.
* List recent achievements - to ensure your experience is relevant and up to date.
* Target employers - larger firms often have age quotas to fill, so they could be good possibilities.
LOTS MORE INFORMATION, ADVICE, TIPS AND HELP FOR OLDER WORKS SEARCHING FOR WORK AT www.fish4jobs.co.uk'
Via The Mirror