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Dear J.T. & Dale: I am going to be 56 years old and can’t believe it! Then I look in the mirror and believe it! Anyway, that’s another story. I find myself alone with a little dog and having to take care of myself for the first time in my life. I have worked many jobs in my life, but now I am in need of a career versus just a job. I have a BA degree, have worked in retail, offices and was a teacher’s assistant. I have put resumes in everywhere, faxed, emailed, walked in, etc. I think maybe age is the reason why I’m not getting anything. – Joan

J.T.: I love your energy and enthusiasm. It’s not resulting in job opportunities because you are approaching the process too broadly.

DALE: That would be just as true if, instead of 56, you were 46 or 36, although it might not be true if you were 26. Why? After you’ve been in the work force for a while, employers expect you to have found a career. If you reach middle age without one, managers tend to be skeptical about your commitment. This seems unfair, but then again, the best employers are looking for people to do jobs they love doing, and that means having figured out what they love.

J.T.: At 56, hiring managers expect two things from you: one, that you have a specialty; and two, that you know exactly how to leverage that specialty to help them. So, when you tell people you’ll do anything, you actually are admitting you don’t have the focus they expect.

DALE: So it’s time to analyze what you like best and least about each job you’ve had, and choose futures that give you the best shot at fulfillment. That exercise will give you a story to tell prospective employers. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one type of job, not yet, but for each type of job, you need to tell just one good story about why it fits your work history and your personality.

J.T.: I strongly suggest that you work with a career coach to help you find your focus and tailor your job search accordingly. (I maintain a network of career coaches that you can review at careerrealism.com.) Once you position yourself properly, you’ll be able to do a better job of marketing your skills and networking withpeople who can get you hired.

Dear J.T. & Dale: My wife was hired as a caregiver at an assisted-living home almost a year ago and was told that it would be full time after three months. She is still part time. She has asked several times, when other employees resigned, if she could have a regular shift. The supervisor said yes, then hired someone else to fill the shift. My wife’s performance review was very good. Is there action she can take? – Len

J.T.: Unfortunately, I don’t see anything your wife can do to force a change. While the right thing for management to do would be to honor the original agreement, I would say that your wife is not being considered for full time.

DALE: There’s something odd about that. Lots of employers like to start people out part time, testing them before moving them to full time or letting them go. Why would your wife get stuck in job limbo? Maybe she doesn’t really want to go full time. (It wouldn’t be the first time a wife misled a husband about her real intentions.)

Or maybe she has failed to completely fit in. I’d urge her to ask her manager for advice on how to be a great employee, and to ask her co-workers how she could do better.

She could get everyone involved in her career success and learn a lot along the way.

J.T.: That’s possible, but I’d suggest that she also look for another job. She had a great performance review and is currently working, which puts her in a strong position for
job-searching. Then she can enjoy the best revenge – walking in with her two-weeks’ notice and telling them of her great new full-time assignment.