AGE DISCRIMINATION

Question: I am in my early 50's and in great shape and health. I have always worked for myself. I started, owned and managed a small but very profitable Deli for 25 years. I never worked for a company or held a corporate position. I recently sold the business for a nice profit and now I am interested in a full time position as a grocery manager for either a chain or established or new store. I am not interested in franchises.

I want to continue working as I am not ready to retire. I am outgoing and prefer being around other people while utilizing my knowledge and skills.

I have sent out over 100 resumes including some out of state. I have only been called for 2 interviews. I was really excited as both were for large established grocery chains. So far, no luck as I never heard back from either. Do they think I am too old or overqualified?

Janice Ariante: You are on the right track by being proactive.

I can see why you were excited BUT were you prepared? You mention "no luck". Sometimes we create our own luck, both good and bad.

Being totally ready AND fully prepared BEFORE the next great opportunity comes your way creates good luck.

Seeking and getting expert advice means you are preparing for when the next opportunity comes around. So, you are on the right track. I can help you become fully prepared and also learn how connect with all the interviewers.

Oh and by the way, good luck usually follows no luck or bad luck.

When we are younger, we are interviewed by someone older. When we are older, we are interviewed by someone younger.

Secondly, if you think you are too old and overqualified, so will they. If these two employers you interviewed with really thought you were too old or overqualified, they would have passed on your resume.

Almost every day I submitted a stack of "top candidate" resumes to Hiring Managers. Hiring Managers consistently returned many more resumes to me for rejection than resumes of candidates they were interested in pursuing. The point here is, Hiring Managers will not take the chance or the time to interview candidates they are doubtful about hiring.

There are very few exceptions when management will review a resume and proceed with a candidate when doubtful about hiring them. Although it is not very common there have been exceptions when they interviewed experienced, highly qualified candidates by extending a "courtesy interview". Again, it is not common but it does happen.

However, it usually involves hidden agendas, fishing expeditions and/or some self-serving gain such as a freebie consultation since the candidates are very experienced. They may even be possibly attempting to get the inside scoop on a competitor. Typically, unless they believe you are a potential hire, you won't receive a call for an interview.

But here you are. A qualified candidate with a proven track record applying to only those employers who will have an interest in your background. Experience tells me only two interviews after sending 100 resumes is not a good ratio. Many job seekers mistakenly believe that is the normal ratio. It might possibly be considered a normal ratio in times of a recession when unemployment is sky high, jobs are limited and most companies have imposed hiring freezes. Otherwise it is not a good ratio.

Based on your information you have demonstrated ability to take a business from scratch and build it into something successful and this is only one of your strengths. Your impressive background is not common. So, this probably means your interview skills and resume needs improvement and polishing. You can be a star candidate if you follow my techniques and utilize my methods.

I can help you with the interviewing part but I strongly recommend you hire an experienced professional resume writer to make certain your resume really stands out. It is important that your resume immediately and quickly grabs their attention and emphasizes your great skills, success, strengths, and accomplishments while perhaps downplaying the lack of exposure to their work environment. Hiring an experienced professional resume writer is a worthwhile investment.

Upon reviewing your resume, there must be an immediate impression. They must be drawn to your strengths and skills. The first impression must be positive and happen BEFORE they start realizing you lack experience in their environment or culture and not the other way around.

During my 20+ years, many times I had the opportunity to closely observe the facial expressions of HM's and Senior Management while they reviewed the resumes I presented to them. I also matched their comments, both positive and negative, to their facial expressions and determined how they sometimes went from liking to not liking in a nanosecond. I learned the concerns. Yes, it's true. I actually watched them review resumes. Sometimes I could only place the resumes on their desk and leave. But when the opportunity was there, I would watch as they read. They did not know I was observing their reactions. I pretended to be reading my notes, but I really wasn't.

Once you have their attention and they are impressed they are less likely to lose interest and you are more likely to get interviews. If they are not immediately impressed it's hard to turn that around. But when they are immediately impressed and it is followed by at least one more positive reinforcement, the opposite occurs. Although it happens, it's not likely they will become "unimpressed" once they are very impressed. Do you see how it works?

A good professional resume writer knows the psychology behind this and will craft and design your resume accordingly. More calls will equal more interviews and that will equal more confidence and that equals more offers and more offers equals more money. So, somehow you'll eventually get a good return on your (resume) investment.

I can teach you how to make them want to hire you.

Another issue here is that the insecurity monster is going to rear its ugly head. Your strong background may draw out negativity in certain people who lack your knowledge and years of experience especially if they are insecure. Some may be fearful or concerned you are going to take their job if they perceive you as being more experienced than they are AND if they have insecurity issues.

I went out of my way to stress upon Executives and Hiring Managers why it is to their advantage and why they are better off hiring someone more knowledgeable and smarter than they are. But some managers make fear based decisions. So, I have dealt with this situation many times with Hiring Managers. This is a challenge for job seekers and new hires alike because people who lack trust and have insecurity issues are everywhere. I can teach you how to overcome this challenge. I can share techniques that will be a learning experience and you can use and apply them in the interview and many other situations as well. There are solutions.

Also, the other Interview Team members will need to be convinced you can adapt and will fit in. Another issue of several in your situation is that they will assume you can't take orders from anyone because you were your own boss for so many years. Again, there is a solution. I teach interview methods that work.

APPLY MY SIMPLE TECHNIQUES AND GET YOUR IDEAL JOB OFFER

One of the hardest things to do is to change what's going on in that 2" x 3" space deep inside the human mind. So, you don't want to attempt the impossible by trying to change their way of thinking. Instead, you'll need to create a comfort zone and make them think they arrived at the conclusion that your intentions are to utilize your skills and not steal their job and that you will fit in and acclimate with ease.

Culture shock and job stealing are only two of several issues or concerns an employer might have and therefore be reluctant to hire someone with your background. I can identify and share all the concerns they'll have about hiring someone with your background. You need to address every one of their concerns while at the same time make them think they arrived at the conclusion.

All it takes is one concern that has not been addressed to cost you a job offer.

I uncover all of an Employers concerns in any given situation and teach how to properly address every one.

Based on your information, we will probably need at least one follow-up ½ hour session after the initial session. The initial session may or may not cover everything you need to know to quickly secure your ideal job offer.

Question: I would appreciate if you could share the truth and comment on age discrimination.

Janice Ariante: Sadly, age discrimination happens but on the upside it is not as everyday common as most people believe. I teach job seekers how to avoid creating their own discrimination. It is so easy to fix if you are aware of the specific signals and messages you do not want to send and the statements to make that can get you the job offer regardless of your age.

Underlying fear or anger can actually create discrimination.

I teach job seekers why Employers will not hire candidates who have anger issues relating to discrimination and/or silently fear discrimination. Both age and racial discrimination are sometimes a perception of those candidates who are fearful or angry. Candidates who fear discrimination often end up thinking they were discriminated against. Sometimes it is true as unfortunately we do live in a world where youth is highly valued and racism still exists. But there are many times when candidates were not discriminated against but thought they were. Sometimes discrimination is a reality but many times it is a perception. Trained interviewers easily pick up on anger and fear issues in candidates.

In less than 5 minutes learn the signals to avoid so you don't wind up creating exactly what you don't want.

Discrimination might also occur when Interviewers and Hiring Managers operate from a place of fear, meaning they are scared you may know more than they know. They also believe why pay more when you can pay someone younger less. Do you really want to work for someone who is fear based and needs to rethink their hiring selection criteria?

Smart employers who hire the qualified 50+ candidates who have accepted that they have topped out in their salary will have the edge over the competition. Employers who age discriminate are eventually going to be faced with a talent shortage.

In their efforts to keep payroll costs down, they have high expectations for the less experienced. It amazes me how many employers do not realize how critical it is to their success to have a compliment and balance of talent of all levels of ability.

I lost count of how many times I have said the following to managers;
"Are you kidding me. The more experienced worker is a powerhouse of knowledge and information. They have at least a 20 - 30+ year history to draw upon that younger, less experienced workers do not have."

Experienced workers have a history. They have been around long enough to see trends, cycles, ups and downs, highs and lows and what works and what doesn't work. What more could you ask?"

Learn how to "connect" and what turns the Hiring Team on and what turns them off. My insights are based on years of listening to candidate feedback from Hiring Managers AND peers.

In less than 3 minutes learn the responses and statements you never want to make to younger interviewers.

I also teach how to interview and the points you need to make. You can learn the most common mistake many older candidates make and how they sometimes actually screen themselves out. I also teach specifically what Hiring Managers do not like and what they want to hear. You can learn what to avoid saying so you do not turn off co-workers or a boss who might be considerably younger.

PASSWORD access (only available to clients who have already had a phone consultation)

Click Here - to review my list of responses/statements so you can learn exactly what employers want, need and expect to hear IF;

1. You've topped out in your salary.
2. Accepting their position means a salary cut.
3. You think you might have issues/concerns about hiring someone older.