Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & DALE: I lost two jobs in the past year and am looking for another. In the past month, I’ve had two in-person and two phone interviews, and was not asked to go to the second round. Two friends said it’s because of my age; I’m a young-looking and energetic 55. It also may have to do with my having stayed in several jobs for two years or less. I took short-term jobs because I could work at a higher level and earn a higher salary. I’ve heard the catchphrase “interview younger”; how do I do this? – Emily
J.T.: One of the challenges of being a “seasoned pro” is that people make assumptions. Your pay, your age, your skills – they all get critiqued. There’s a reason why so many people say their careers peaked in their 40s. DALE: Ouch. Please don’t add to Emily’s age paranoia – age is NOT the problem. Look, Emily, you bagged four interviews in the past month. That means your age is not an issue – people have some sense of it before they invite you in for the first round. Besides, two interviews were over the phone. J.T.: However, many people in your situation pack too much into their resumes and their interviews, eager to show off their experience. That can scream “overqualified.” DALE: Getting interviews is the job of a resume, and yours is performing just fine – four in one month. But I believe J.T. hit on a more likely root problem when she mentioned “showing off.” If you talk about “higher level” and “higher income,” and/or you come across as a know-it-all, you are doomed. People don’t hire anyone who isn’t eager to learn and grow and, most of all, collaborate. J.T.: If that is the problem, here’s how you solve it: Instead of trying to sell yourself as someone who has seen and done it all, identify the single biggest problem you can solve for employers, and market yourself on that platform. Employers gladly hire specialists who can alleviate their management. DALE: And having one 0-for-4, get out and do some practice interviews. If you are thinking, exasperatedly, “Dale, I’ve been around, I know how to interview,” that’s proof that you’re not coming to interviews with an open, eager mind. There’s a good image from martial arts: If you’ve been a black belt long enough, your belt starts to wear out and turn white. That’s when you achieve “beginner’s mind,” open and curious. J.T.: And there’s the answer to your question about “interviewing younger”: It’s about the younger generations being sensitive to feelings and being teamwork-oriented. They’ll love finding a specialist with a beginner’s mind.
