Plenty of experience, but are you qualified?

Answered by Michelle Randall

 

Question : As a mature candidate, how can I articulate my experience in a way that’s not holding me back or getting me screened out ? Asked by Mary  K.

Obviously if you say you have 40 years of experience in the field, people are going to start doing the math. Think of synonyms such as “extensive experience.”  Just like everyone else, package yourself so that people get a sense of “Wow, look at all this person brings to the table.

Beyond how you articulate your experience ask yourself a few questions:

• Are your skills up to date?
• Can successfully interact with generations x & y?
• Are you open to new challenges and doing things in new ways?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then build those discrimination busters into your messages about yourself.

If the answers are ‘no’ then you may have some work to do in order to make yourself a more qualified candidate.

Any hiring manager is crazy to discriminate against experience – make sure you’re qualified.