There is only one way to get it
A useful concept when job seeking is to lead with your strengths. Whatever your strongest point is, that’s what you emphasize on your resume, cover letter and during interviews.
In most cases with the mature job seeker, your greatest strength is your experiene. That should come as no surprise.
Now, here’s the really good news. Your experience gives you a distinct advantage over younger candidates. It’s distinct because that’s something that they can’t compete with. Even if they may try to undercut you by offering to work for less pay, you can match them in that category, if you so desire, dollar for dollar.
But your experience is something that they can’t match. That’s your leverage. And that’s because there is only one way to get experience, and they don’t have it.
Experience isn’t something you can search for online, or something that you can develop from an app on your phone. It’s impossible.
As we said, there is only one way to get experience. You live it; you earn it. By its vary nature it’s time dependent. And that time is something that you’ve lived and they haven’t.
And, part and parcel with that experience comes an entire army of additional benefits. Not only have you done the job before, you also know the industry and the competition. You know how to maneuver through the corporate labyrinth. You know what works and what doesn’t.
You’ve been there. You’ve already done that.
Don’t be discouraged when competing with younger applicants in the course of your job search. Perhaps your greatest advantage is something that they will find it impossible to compete with — your experience.
You didn’t work all those years for nothing. Wear them like badges of honor. You’ve earned it.
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