Technological Advice for Older Job Seekers
Since one of the more common justifications for age discrimination in hiring is the assumption that older workers are unskilled at using common technology, experienced job seekers must pay careful attention to their technological footprint and personal brand. By attending to how they appear electronically and virtually, older job seekers will reduce the unfair assumptions that hiring managers might otherwise make about their suitability.
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Clean Up Your Social Media Presence
It can be confusing to remember all of one's social media accounts. With Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Snapchat in the present and older but still active platforms like Tumblr and MySpace still online, it is easy to overlook an older but eternal presence. Job seekers must regularly Google themselves to ensure that inappropriate images or comments cannot be attributed to them. This may require the recovery of usernames and passwords and the deletion of older tweets and online comments. It is not just politically motivated "mobs" that mine old web pages for dirt on celebrities and politicians. Recruiters and hiring managers increasingly explore the information depths of the internet to learn about applicants and to manage the potential downside liability of hiring the wrong person.
When in doubt if a comment is inappropriate, ask a colleague or friend and try to imagine how a given reader might interpret or event misinterpret what you have written. Think through political, ethnic, gender and sexual orientation lenses to make sure that no one will dismiss your job skills based on extraneous factors.
Maintain a Constant Online Brand
On LinkedIn and Facebook in particular, maintain a consistent brand identity. Employers get nervous when they see a button-down image on one platform and partier on another. A common headshot and personal description will help. Also, on social platforms like Facebook, regularly inventory your privacy settings to reduce access to friends only.
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Use a Professional Headshot Photo
For executive jobs, it is important to use a quality headshot. Sometimes career fair promotors or other job search events will feature a professional photo booth for this purpose. Otherwise, pony up the cash for a high quality and flattering professional headshot. A blurry or inappropriate candid photo will quickly disqualify an otherwise good candidate from a visually perceptive hiring manager. Likewise, it is OK for your photo to be a couple of years old, but no one will be fooled by the insertion of an "ancient" yearbook photo.
Use a 'Modern' Email Address
Some recruiters will make judgments about a job seeker who uses an older email provider like AOL or Yahoo. Furthermore, a whimsical email name like CoolGuy1959@ or LadyKillerZ@ will distract the recipient from your true value. Instead, create a fresh email address that you use only for the job search with a simple moniker like JSmith778@.
Have Current Recommendations on LinkedIn
A good LinkedIn profile should have recent recommendations from several sources. Approach former supervisors, peers and subordinates to request that they complete these for you and volunteer to do the same for them. Most recommendation writers also appreciate some prompts as to what to write. For example, you might tell the proposed recommender, "I would appreciate it if you could write something about my attention to detail and analytical abilities being of high quality. You may remember the work we did together in saving the XYZ account back in August 2017." This way, your image can be consistent with how you present yourself in interviews, emails and cover letters.
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Send Attachments as PDFs
When sending a resume, cover letter or portfolio materials, use a PDF format. This will signal that the older job seeker understands the difference between a generally immutable format and an editable one like Microsoft Word. Furthermore, using PDFs will prevent the delivering of unreadable files that sometimes occurs when transferring documents between PC and Apple products.
Job search in the modern age is at once more convenient but also more complex. There are more potential missteps from the days when job seekers simply had to speak well on the phone and check their cover letters and resumes for typographical errors. By attending to the details of one's technologically enhanced image and brand, the older job seeker will increase the odds of success in the journey that is job searching today.
