Top 3 Job Hunting Tips for Job Seekers Over 40

If you were recently laid off and have attended any outplacement service activities or networking events you'll notice that a large percentage of the job seeker population is over 40. Many of the more experienced workers also have the highest salaries, which may rise to the top during "lay off list making". And, as employers shut down entire departments or locations, their management personnel depart as well. The following job hunting tips apply to all job seekers but are especially pertinent to those who've been off the market for awhile or who are older in comparison to their younger job seeker counterparts. Here are the top three job hunting tips for job seekers over 40:

1) Get To Know Linked In, Facebook and Twitter

There are four key reasons why you must get to know LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter:

1. Recruiters and hiring managers go to these sites to search for and learn more about job candidates
2. They are considered the "hot" social networking tools and you want to keep current with technology trends during your job search
3. They'll be important networking contact tools for you in your job search
4. All the 20 somethings competing for open positions are likely experts on these tools.

Recruiters often use LinkedIn similar to how they would use a resume database on Monster.com or Careerbuilder. They go to the search function and plug in job titles or companies and try to identify candidates for jobs they're trying to fill. For this reason, you should set up a detailed Linked In profile that highlights all of your skills and experience. You should also attempt to get at least 5 recommendations from colleagues, as they'll help to set your profile apart from others.

Recruiters may go to Facebook to learn more about your hobbies and interests and see how larger your Friend database is.

Twitter is one of the hottest social networking sites around. The best way to describe Twitter messaging is.. it's a stream of consciousness or thoughts. A Twitter user might Tweet about their kids in the morning, their job during the day and their favorite TV show at night. If you use Twitter, think about what you're Tweeting about and make sure you would be comfortable if a future hiring manager read it. If you aren't using it, you should at least familiarize yourself with the service to stay up on the hottest trends.

If you need to supercharge your Twitter know-how, check out this article from Julie-Ann Amos, "Twitter: 30 Simple Ways To Supercharge Your Effectiveness On Twitter!".

"Linked In is like a business meeting, Facebook is like a reunion and Twitter is like a cocktail party" advises Diane K. Danielson the CEO of Downtown Women's Club.

2) Update Your Email Address

Your email address, both name and carrier, can say a lot about you. You want it to say something very positive!

For example, when recruiters see an email address ending in aol.com or hotmail.com, there is often the assumption of "boomer" or the perception of old technology. When you're job hunting, you want to show that you are up on all the new technology and trends. One way to do this is to sign up for Gmail from Google. It's considered the "hot" email carrier to have and it's free.

You also want to make sure that your email prefix used in job hunting is professional, and is ideally some form of your first and last name. Save the smithfamily or redsoxfan77 emails for use only with family and friends.

3) Do Not Rely Solely on Job Websites To Find Employment

Back in the "old days", perhaps 2006, job seekers could simply go to an online careers website like Monster.com or Careerbuilder, look for a job, apply for a job and get called for an interview a week later. In the United States, in 2009, the number of online job postings is expected to be about half of what they were in 2008. And, there are thousands more job seekers. So recruiters are receiving hundreds of applicants for every open position.

Also, because it's an employer's market, many companies are bypassing the paid listing sites and only using their firm's website for job postings. And, there are many jobs that don't get posted at all and are only filled via referrals.

When you do see an open position posted or know that a company is in a hiring mode, there are several things you can do to differentiate yourself from the competition. Note: They may not work for all professions, companies or industries.

The first thing you should do is complete some online research about the company and attempt to uncover who the hiring manager or recruiter is for the open positions. Resources you can use include the company's website, Linked In, ZoomInfo, Hoovers, Yahoo Finance, Google and your networking connections.

Once you have this information, there are a few options:

• Send an email with your resume and cover letter directly to the decision maker. Remember that some emails may not make it past company junk mail detectors. Your email carrier (ex. gmail versus hotmail) and the subject line of your email (ex. "John Tripp Suggested We Connect on the VP Role" versus "Referral") can help your message get through.
• Leverage U.S.P.S., snail mail. Today, recruiters and business leaders receive minimal personal letters at work- instead they are barraged with junk mail and interoffice paperwork. When they receive a personalized letter with a stamp in the upper right, it will stand out.
• Leverage networking to find someone you know, who has a contact at your target company. You may have contacts who actually know the hiring manager and can get your resume right to them. You may have other contacts who know employees at your company who can submit your resume through their internal referral program to Human Resources. Getting your resume "in the back door" can be very effective in this job market.
• Make a telephone cold call directly to the hiring manager or recruiter. This could be an effective step following your personal email, letter or referral.
  

Other Resources

There are many resources on the web that can help with your job search in this challenging market. Here are a few examples.

About.com has a robust job search section with many helpful articles, an up to date blog and community forum bulletin board. Monster.com redesigned their Job Seeker site in January and added an expanded Career Tools and Advice section. CareerOneStop is a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor- that offers career resources and workforce information to job seekers.