Job Search Advice for the Unemployed and Over 40

If you’re unemployed and over 40, it can feel like a “double whammy” of trouble for you in the job search, but it doesn’t have to be a negative.

First of all, unemployment is a temporary status that you are going to change. Don’t be ashamed of that. Many people (especially right now) face some period of unemployment in their careers, and it’s not a big deal. It only takes one phone call, one interview, or one job offer to make the difference.

If you’re changing careers, don’t be afraid of that, either. Internships, job shadowing, learning new skill sets, and the like can feel strange to someone who’s been in the workforce for a while already, but they shouldn’t. 40 is the new 30. You have a lot of years left in the workforce, and you should absolutely be doing something you enjoy, and something that you are compensated for commensurate with what you do for the organization.

I know there is some talk out there about age discrimination, and the idea that companies may be more interested in the “young whippersnappers” than you. Here’s what I want you to know: You didn’t just get here. You are bringing 20 more years of experience to the table than those candidates, and that experience should lead to positive outcomes for the employer. That means that you can do things and think about things differently, and that you can bring more to this job than the hot young whippersnapper, and I want you to have that confidence and develop a way to communicate that to the hiring manager—because you deserve it.