Anti-ageing solutions...

We've received a high number of emails recently on the subject of age. Not surprising considering that we are an ageing working population. So, here are some tips on beating age stereotypes and on how to get prospective employers to focus on your skills.

"I am a 59 year old woman and have recently attained a BSc in Library and Information Management. The thing is; do you think I am kidding myself into thinking I am able to get a job at this late stage in life. I am quite fit and full of energy - have attended many interviews, but always with the result that this time you are unfortunately not successful."

It's good news that you are getting short listed and invited to interviews. In general if you are able to demonstrate how you 'would' do a job given the chance this will wow interviewers. Examples of how you can demonstrate this might include mystery shopping the organisation you hope to work for. So that you could say, for example, I noticed that you are featuring the Order of the Phoenix; perhaps you could run a Halloween Special for local schools. If you can show how enthusiastic and interested you are in the job, you will hold your own against 'younger' candidates. Take a look at totaljobs.com interview advice for some other useful tips.

"I am a very experienced Executive Assistant who was made redundant at the end of June. I commenced the jobseeking process with a positive view point, telling myself there will be other things out there - I have done a lot - administration, PA, EA, Office Management, Personnel, Event Management, etc. Now at the end of three months - I don't feel so sure."

It may be that the depth of your experience is a little daunting for would be employers. I would advise you to hone down the work experience section of your CV so that you detail 3 to 4 achievements that demonstrate specific skills. You should tailor make your applications and CV as described so that recruiters can quickly see how suitable you would be for the role in question. Also there is no requirement to include your date of birth, or the fact that you were made redundant in your CV; the redundancy conversation can be discussed at interview stage. You can download a skills-based CV template for some pointers and get more advice on how to tailor your CV in the totaljobs advice zone.

"I am a mature, independent, fast thinking Team/Office Manager, I have vast experience both in customer service and in life in general, I have been applying for positions which are well within my employment reach but I am not getting the roles or even an interview. Why? Is it my age? Do employers not realise I have no intention of retiring and can give another 10 years of service without thinking about it?"

It is not necessarily your age that's precluding you from getting short listed. As above, there is no requirement to include your age or date of birth on your CV. Do deal with specific roles on a case by case basis when applying; and be sure to mention 3 to 4 relevant work histories (which should focus on one achievement only). Your aim should be to make it as easy as possible for a recruiter to see that you are suitable for the role that you're applying for. Separate customer service experience from office administration; employers tend to see these as two separate sectors or careers. There are downloadable CV templates available at totaljobs.com, and you can also get tips on highlighting your many transferable skills.

Whatever stage you're at in your career, be it a change, a first job or getting back into the swing of things, totaljobs.com Career advice is there offer a helping hand. The key to getting a new role is your CV - that's what gets your foot in the door. I've recently put together some CV templates to help get you started; first read up on what type of CV you'll need (dependent on what type of jobseeker you are) then download or print the CV template and take it from there.

Useful links:
Try out our CV checker.
Worth your weight in gold? Find out with our salary checker tool.
Find out about the latest jobseeking hot topics.

Submit this article to: