Tips for Job Hunting for Over-50s

There are a multitude of reasons that you might be hunting for jobs for over 50 year olds. First and foremost, you’re probably over 50! You may be unhappy in your current job or seeking a change of scene — perhaps you’re even after an entirely new career.

Hunting for jobs for over 50 year olds can be challenging. Where do you start? It can be daunting to look for a job at a later stage in life but there are many things you can do to make the process easier.

For tips on CV optimisation and networking, see our Job Searching Over 50 article.

1. Make a Plan

The first thing to do when finding jobs for over 50s is to consider why you are job hunting and exactly what you want from your new job. You need to know exactly what sort of job you are looking for from the outset. A lot of this may sound obvious but creating a strategy for your job hunting is far from easy.

Consider drawing up a concrete plan outlining the specific parameters that you would require in a job offer: i.e. pay range, hours, industry, location, and company position. This will help you know what jobs to apply to and what jobs to accept should you be offered a position. For example, if you are after a part-time job or want to work from home, then there is no point in applying for jobs that don’t fulfil these desires.

It is also worth factoring into your plan the current job market: for example, what are the most sought-after jobs at the moment? Are you interested in any of the jobs currently in high demand? The job market is constantly fluctuating so keep an eye out for roles that might interest you.

2. Age-Inclusive Employers

Having drawn up a plan, it is time to start applying for jobs. If you are looking for jobs for over 50 year olds, then it is essential that you find age-inclusive employers. Luckily for you, there are platforms that have already done the hard work for you. For example, Jobs/Redefined allows you to search for age-inclusive employers with ease: from engineering and consulting to education and retail, you will be able to find a broad array of potential employers at the click of a button.

3. Age-Inclusive Schemes

If you are looking to retrain and switch careers entirely, then consider retraining with an age-inclusive course. There are schemes and apprenticeships such as the Barclay’s Bolder Scheme which are targeted at older adults to help retrain them in new sectors. Also, think about what transferable skills you have that may be useful for other jobs. Read our article about retraining to learn more about how to change careers at 50 and above.

4. Career coach

Consider hiring a career coach: this is a great way to alleviate some of the stress of job hunting. They can help you with a variety of career qualms including, but not limited to, career path selection, goal setting and resume building.

How to Get a Career Coach

If you think that a career coach would be up your street, then there are multiple avenues you can explore to acquire such a helpful specimen. You can first put the word out to your personal networks (e.g. colleagues, LinkedIn contacts) to see if they can recommend a career coach in your industry. Alternatively, there are plenty of certified boards which allow you to hire freelance, professional career coaches.

Price of a Career Coach

Coaches typically charge between £75 - £250 per hour depending on their experience — a small price to pay if they get you your dream job!

5. Refresh Your Skillset

It may be that you have been out of the job hunting game for a while: it is only natural to feel apprehensive. Make sure you are armed with all the right tools before you head back into the lion’s den. Most jobs require a level of proficiency in English, Maths and IT. The government offers free online courses if you think that any one of of these areas could do with a refresher. Especially consider taking a short IT course as digital proficiency plays an integral role in the modern job market.

You can also complete other online courses to help boost your confidence and skillset ahead of that big interview.

6. Be Proactive!

To conclude our compendium of job hunting tips for over 50s is perhaps the most important tip of the lot: be proactive! If you’re throwing your hat back into the proverbial ring, then be sure to make a splash! Let all your friends, colleagues, contacts and whoever else you can find know that you are looking for a job. Try and soak up as many opportunities as you can and don’t stop until you succeed!

This is your life, so go out there and grab it by the horns.