Over-50

Back to In the Box - Cover Letters

"Put in subject head/first line of first paragraph of cover letter 'I want to be your next social media guru.'"

Increasingly, those hunting for talent are posting that special instruction in their help-wanted ad.

That's for two reasons.

One is to test if the applicant has really read through the specifications carefully.

And, two, it is to determine if the applicant is the kind of worker who has integrated the habit of following directions.

Yes, this is the era of innovative thinking.

However, many jobs and contract assignments require an in the box mindset. For example, a 2,000-word how-to on setting up a website on wordpress should contain all the needed details. Can the applicant, the employer needs to know, operate within that kind of box?

Another in the box must for cover letters is to include recent relevant experience and evidence of that. It's not enough to simply have great ideas for attracting attention on social networks. That game keeps mutating. Don't apply if you haven't participated in campaigns during the past year or so.

A third in the box necessity is a serious tone or a highly professional personal brand. Sure, the ad might indicate the workplace is casual and the applicant should have a sense of humor. However, the organization is hiring the best person to get a task done right, fast, and on budget. They are not screening for an outsized personality.

The majority of those hiring, both in the private sector and in nonprofit, are nervous about a worldwide economic slowdown. Therefore, the mood is hyperalert and cautious. Cover letters have to mirror that. That's a key fundamental of successful selling: mirroring the culture of the buyer.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

The Internet - Accidental Age Bias

"I look younger than I am."

"On my resume I lopped all work but the last seven years. Same thing on the cover letters."

"My LinkedIn Profile receives lots of visitors."

That's what those over-45 whom I coach tell me. But they are seeking career counseling sessions from me because they can't get comparable jobs after being laid off, can only land low-paid jobs, or have had no offers for even gig hustles.

They have plenty of company in their unawareness how age bias happens in 2019. And, yes, it can kick in as young as 40-something. 

That blind spot usually is associated with the internet. They have no idea how the internet has put the kibosh on their ability to remain employed in a way that they can make ends meet. The reality, of course, is that more than half those over-50 will be forced out and only one of 10 of them will be hired at jobs which are in the same compensation ballpark.

Here are the four ways the internet has become an obstacle in the search for work for older professionals:

•  Plastered all over the internet is one's age. All employers have to do is key in the name of the applicant. Up will pop various items, some of which contain the exact age. Those age items are up-to-date. 
•  Lack of participation in social networks can make the applicant seem not only part of the has-been gens. It can create the perception of being out of touch. More applications require a listing of social networks.
•  Wrong tone and content on social networks. The applicant can come across as ancient. 
•  Small number of followers, likes, shares, and comments on social networks and social media. If the position involves the ability to engage, then that kind of data can send a red flag the applicant is clueless about getting, holding, and scaling attention. 

The good news is that there are also four ways to transcend these obstacles:

• Be open. Employers are searching for not the perfect fit to the posted job description. Instead they need a hire who can get done what has to get done. Pick up what that is. Then show how you can accomplish that better than other applicants. Here, free to download, is my book on exiting comfort zones. 
•  Embrace the career truism that nothing gets you a job like a job. Here, free to click open, is my guide on how to start over in the search for work Download Outwitting ageism. One unemployed former in-house lawyer restarted his career with a loss-prevention gig in retail. Eventually he wound up in the corporate office overseeing that function. 
•  Develop tenacity. The most successful sales professionals truly believe that every "no" brings them closer to a "yes." That's because they analyze every aspect of what they did or didn't do on that sales call. Based on their findings, they do course correction on their MO.
•  Don't tell your "sad story." We are our stories. One former administrative assistant I coached kept ranting how she was terminated, probably because of age. I told her to stop that. Her new narrative was that she was excited about pursuing a career shift. Within three weeks she accepted an offer as the dispatcher for a large trucking company. 

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

LinkedIn & Academic Degrees - How Important for Mature Professionals?

Fraud is everywhere. So, it should be no surprise that it has turned up, reports TechCrunch, on professional social network LinkedIn. 

It seems some ambitious players have been including in their LinkedIn profiles academic degrees they didn't have. Often that represents degree programs they had started but didn't hang around to complete. In some fields such as STEM a Ph.D. might enhance credibility.

But, what about mature professionals? It's been years ago that they matriculated and, hopefully, finished degrees. Obviously, what's more a selling feature is what they have accomplished for employers and/or clients. Those results, if possible, should be quantified. They are the meat and potatoes (to use an old-fashioned phrase) of the LinkedIn profile, as well as resumes and cover letters.

What does catch the potential employers' or clients' attention are certifications. Those might be for Google Ad Words or for counseling in the addiction field.

Increasingly, help-wanted ads are actually demanding certifications in certain areas of expertise. That helps them sort out applications. Those applications without that credential would be tossed. Often 200 to 300 professionals apply for an open position, full time or gig.

Post-40 years of age, the game changes in the search for employment. Here, free to download, is a guide on making that shift.  

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.  

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Social Security COLA Increase for 2020 - Expect 1.6% (not the 2.8% of 2019)

2019 had been a very good year for recipients of Social Security.

The COLA (cost of living) increase had been 2.8%. That was near the traditional 3% COLA boost which took place between 2000 and 2009.

But, reports MarketWatch, 2020 may be disappointing.

Those in the know predict only a 1.6% increase. That would mean that the average recipient who is getting $1,460 currently can expect only $23 more a month. 

The implications are huge. Retirees might find they can no longer afford to age in-place. Consequently they will find themselves financially forced to sell the family home and even relocate from where they have spent most of their lives and did their careers.

Emigrating abroad to lower-cost nations like Ecuador and Costa Rica? More and more possible.

Meanwhile, many who aren't doing part-time or gig work or operating their own enterprise during retirement should consider returning to the labor market. Here, free to click open, is my book on landing, holding, and moving on to better work, at any age Download Outwitting ageism 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Not Getting Work? Your Adaptability Quotient May Be Low

Those who do the hiring are increasingly looking for workers with a high Adaptability Quotient (AQ).

That's what the UK study by Right Management found. And, that's because, let's face it, business currently has to operate amid uncertainty and change. 

Essentially, "adaptability" means being open to new mindsets and ways of working. That openness rules out grousing about having to adjust. What employers want to hear is "I'm eager to try that out. It could be more efficient."

A major reason why those over-40 - yes, age bias in the workforce can start in  early 40s - have difficulty landing work could simply be a low Adaptability Quotient.

They approach job search with a hardened notion about what they do and how they can do it. Meanwhile, employers need workers who will parachute in and get things done in ways that are continually changing. 

That lack of openness comes across loud and clear during an interview.

For instance, one man I interviewed for a contract copywriting position blew it by hammering the "right" way to do such an assignment. Two things were obvious. One, of course, was that he wasn't the adaptable kind. And, secondly, he likely had been without work for a while. If he had been in the game he would have known that the how keeps shifting. This morning's template for success might yield diminishing returns by the afternoon. 

Because of so much uncertainty and change, more of those hiring now put it out there: What can you do for us? That's the beginning of the conversation. Those who can't keep up that conversation won't get to the next phase of the vetting process. 

What that means is that the language in resumes, cover letters, and Google Application Forms must reflect current trends. That's why it's necessary to follow developments in our industry in the media.

Also, yes, it's useful to have someone we trust under-40 review our job-search marketing materials and role play interviews with us. 

Not getting results from your marketing communications? Complimentary consultation – janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Experience Caps Aren't Necessarily about Age Bias Per Se

In the age-discrimination lawsuit "Kleber v. Carefusion Corp" the plaintiff contended age bias in hiring came via an experience cap.

The Carefusion help-wanted was structured to require 3 to 7 years of work experience as a lawyer. No more than that.

Here is a copy of the complaint.

Dale Kleber, age 58 at the time, had plenty more experience than that. However, he still applied for the position. Eventually, Carefusion hired a 29 year old applicant.

The question arose: Was an experience cap leveraged as a stealth tool to discourage the aging from applying for certain jobs?

Well, Kleber's specific challenge didn't pan out.

As Bloomberg Law reports, the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the plaintiff.

Here is a copy of that decision.

The Seventh Circuit, 8 to 4, stated that experience caps didn't constitute a type of disparate impact theory. That is, it wasn't a form of seemingly neutral policy that operated as a type of bias against a protected class.

However, some experts warned employers there could be more Kleber-like experience cap lawsuits. Likely, there will be.

Meanwhile, more and more help-wanted specify experience caps and those Google Forms applicants fill out as part of the job search process explicitly ask the number of years working in X or Y niche. That could be managing Price Per Click (PPC) advertising.

Pragmatism rules that applicants would size up what the "right" number of years is and then play in that very specific sandbox. Yes, redo the past to fit with the present.

Otherwise, there may be no access to the toys in that sandbox, ranging from a weekly pay check to benefits. 

But, the present is not so much about raw age bias, is it. 

Instead it's more about price point. Unless a business has a clear and powerful point of differentiation, it can be caught in competing via price. The best briefing on that is "Blue Ocean Strategy" by W. Chan Kim. Here it can be ordered from Amazon.

To keep the price-to-the-consumer/B-to-B market low, employers seek out workers with just enough experience to do the task well so that they can be paid as low compensation as possible.

The new college graduate who had an internship at a marketing firm specializing with PPC would look a lot more attractive to the budget of the employer than an applicant with 6 years experience. Sure, the newbie will probably fly the coop after 2 years but those 2 years could be very profitable for the business.

More and more help-wanted ads indicate that new college graduates are preferred. Since the 90-yar-old could just be graduating college, that phrasing gets employers off the hook on age bias.

In addition, there has emerged a new human resources model - Burn & Earn. It is described in "Disrupted" by Dan Lyons. Here that hilarious book can be ordered from Amazon. Essentially the game is about bringing in a bunch of enthusiastic newbies, training them to do A but not B, make a bundle, and expect them to keep exiting. Repeat. 

Interesting, though, there is a business, based in Manhattan and Chicago, which seems to champion deep expertise. That's the public affairs firm The Dilenschneider Group. On its website it has a section listing its major players and their years of experience. Here you can click it open.

Listed, for example, are:

•  Fred Bona - 40 years
•  Bob Dilenschneider - 30 years
•  Art Gormley - 30 years.

In the fast-moving world of communications, that's counter-trend.

After all, the sandbox, more and more in a digital universe, is custom-made for digital natives. Clients and prospects know the importance of everything from online influencers to local search engine optimization (SEO). So the new toys in the sandbox include everything from help paying off student loans to free food. 

The question is if businesses such as The Dilenschneider Group which position and package long years of experience as a plus have created the unique edge? Or, are they at a new kind of disadvantage? More importantly, does that give the business leverage with price point? 

As those issues are being duked out in the court of law, the hunt for work, and business branding, as early as the age 40 those needing income are finding doors slammed shut because of bias. Here is the article I published on that. If there is a severe economic downturn, that could worsen, of course. Because of their relatively high compensation, the aging usually have a target on their backs. 

Here is my book, free to click open, on how to navigate around all that Download Outwitting ageism. And here, also free, is one on being able to change. Addiction to any comfort zone can mean professional death. 

Full Disclosure: In my early 40s, Corporate America purged itself of middle-aged middle managers. I had to reimage myself as an entrepreneur. Having gotten the hang of how to change, I plan to stay working 60 hours a week until I am 80. Then, I will re-evaluate.

Not getting results from your marketing communications? Complimentary consultation – janegenova374@gmail.com.

The New Aging - Yes, We Can Continue Building Wealth into Our 60s, 70s, 80s, and Beyond

Beware all that supposed  "sane" advice about investing when aging.

That category includes those of us who are employed, self-employed, semi-retired, retired, or returning back to working after retirement.

Regarding the latter, the Federal Reserve documents that 30% of those who happily rode away from the workplace into the sunset bounce back to full-time and part-time jobs, gig assignments, and entrepreneurship. There's even a term for it: reverse retirement. Some employers call those rejoining the workforce boomerangers.

We over-60 are the targets for that unsolicited  sane advice.

Those pestering us assume they have our best interests at hard. But, as AARP's financial expert Allan Roth explains, most of that sane guidance is insane. Here is that analysis. 

Among the myths is that we can't build wealth once we are in our 60s and beyond. The game is over, except for the 1% whose buddies operated hedge funds in Greenwich, Connecticut. 

Classic example of the intrusiveness: Members of all generations, from Silent to iGen. rolled their eyes when I went in search of a financial planner in my late 60s.

Their meme: Spend your money. Enjoy yourself. Travel. Buy the RV. The implication was that soon enough I would be six feet under. However, longevity goes on and on and on. Betty White is going strong in her 90s. Clint Eastwood, Warren Buffett, and Rupert Murdoch are into new things. 

Here's where I was back then when I began my search for a financial planner.

I had paid off all debt.

I had lowered the monthly nut by relocating out of the pricey New York Metro area.

I had rebuild my communications and coaching boutiques for primarily global telecommuting assignments.

My objective was to increase my passive income and financial assets so that I would be free to only accept work which paid well and increased my marketability. The official term for the approach in business is the Pareto Rule. 

Like so many in my age category, my assets had been wiped out in the economic downturn post-9/11 and The Great Recession. I did luck out, though, in selling my house at a big profit before the real estate market had crashed. That was one bit of traditional personal finance advice which did pay off.

The myth, however, was that someone "my age" couldn't start over in investing.

The tide of public opinion was against me but I continued my search for an investment advisor. Michael J. Hernan , ChFC, CLU, in Lake Forest, California has turned out to be the right fit. His firm is Edward Jones.

Hernan listened. That's the number-on quality we aging need in partnering with a financial planner.

I explained that I was determined to simultaneously hold onto to what I had and build wealth. I had no intention to retire, ever. 

Hernan set up a general account and a Roth IRA with moderate risk. As things change, he readjusts that portfolio. 

The best birthday present I have ever received has been this week on my 74th.

Despite my conservative approach my portfolio has generated a nice return. I locked that in.

What gains weren't in the Roth IRA  but in the general account I will have to pay taxes on. But how sweet that is. I have a hunch the tax preparer's eyes in the west, where I am relocating for business purposes,will bug for two reasons:

•  I am still working.
•  I am building wealth.

The New Aging entails that we ignore the platitudes about what we should do.

That means that every day we approach our lives with a startup mindset.

If we position and package ourselves that way, the pests out there will probably hold the advice.

An entrepreneur among us can manufacture and market Leave Us Alone paraphernalia. I would buy a sign for that to replace the Welcome one on my office door. 

Exactly the right tone and content for all your communications. Complimentary consultation janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Grandma, What Was a "Resume?"

Resumes and cover letters?

Some employers are still using those in the hiring process.

But, they could soon enough be history - ancient history.

Grandma, what was a "resume?" 

Large corporations such as Unilever are experimenting with blowing up job search.

Out are resumes and cover letters.

In are Artificial Intelligence, gamification, and video interviews for solving hypothetical problems.

Playing the Job Search Game - Literally

Here is the Fox coverage on that disruption, already underway. So, yes, parents, encourage not discourage your offspring about mastering video games. 

And, yes, activists, this revolution can create a level playing field. It prevents bias at the front end. At least if the AI isn't coded to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, gender, or age. 

Gamification can uncover unique skills.

And what you can do for employers will factor in more in a hiring decision than a paper credential. Apple, Oracle, Airbnb et al. are hiring for well-paying jobs without imposing the college degree requirement. Here is the coverage on that from MarketWatch.

Resume/Cover Letter Creation Oppprtunity at Your Edge for Success (YES)

Meanwhile Your Edge for Success, based in Alexandria, Virginia, has posted on Mediabistro.com a help-wanted. This morning I received an alert about that on my gmail. Some content-providers  may have felt euphoric about the development of such an opportunity. 

That Resume/Cover Letter creation enterprise - YES - needs three part-time remote writers or editors. The owner is Katherine Metres Akbar. Here is the post. Yes, this could be your future.

For developing a resume/cover letter the compensation ranges from $75 to $150.

For editing each set $55.

The ad requests at least 15 hours a week. 

My Interview with YES and The Hiring Process

Last week I interviewed with Akbar for this very part-time editing opportunity. Yet, the ad is being posted again so quickly.

Why did I apply? As long as the resume/cover letter earning category still exists, I figured: Why not take a peek?

Experience in the broader field of career transition is highly marketable. Learn more and earn more, I decided. 

The owner Akbar conducted the phone interview which lasted about half an hour.

From the get-go, she indicated that neither 15 hours a week or any hours a week were guaranteed. The full-time staff gets first shot at work since they are on salary. No, assignments aren't always available.

The reality: I may or may not get work. And I would be paid for a resume/cover letter editing assignment 55 bucks. Not a king's ransom.

But to move on to the next step in the hiring process I would have to:

•  Take what I perceived as a complex, time-consuming test. Unpaid.
•  Submit to a personality test. Why? I would not be selling or dealing directly with clients. 
•  Provide references. Haha. One reason the hiring process is going digital is that references, by their nature, are not objective. If they were, those doing the dishing could be sued for defamation. And, come on, why would I give a list of references which would entail any risk to my ability to be hired?

If allowed to move along in the process, I would be watching training videos. Unpaid.

Sure, the knowledge could be priceless. But, as Ben Franklin observed: Time is money. 

Reflections of a Current Side Hustler

After consulting with my network of professional advisors, I decided to withdraw from the screening process.

Too much seemed to be invested at the front end. At least that was our take. Your assessment of this opportunity may be quite different.

One wonders what the American brand of capitalism, at least in some circles, has come to.

When I was hired for my first good part-time job in high school by New Jersey Bell, the process was conducted on an intuitive basis. Training was paid. I stayed with that job, which funded my college education, until I left for a doctoral program at the University of Michigan. 

When I was hired for my first professional job in a corporation ghostwriting/speechwriting for executives at Chevron, no, I didn't have to do a sample article - unpaid.

When I was hired as a contract marcom provider at a global career transition firm last year, there were no hoops to jump through. From the get-go, all work was paid. All work is still paid - well-paid and steady.

Takeaway

How much should side hustlers be willing to invest in the front end of a search for gigs, at least for now?

Soon enough the process could all be a fun game that we don't experience as "work" per se.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I shared this experience on the Interview section of GlassDoor.

In error I also shared it in the section for actual employees, mistakenly clicking on the box that I had actually worked for YES. Mea culpa. 

UPDATE: - Your Edge for Success through The Glassdoor

Glassdoor removed my posting on its site regarding my interview with Edge for Success.

It had been contended that I was classified as a competitor. I informed Glassdoor that I was not a competitor. I requested that it return the feedback to the site. 

I had not done a paid assignment for resumes for years and years. Moreover I have gone on record that the resume is an anachronism in job search. Here is one of those kinds of posts. 

In short, I am not in the resume business and hadn't been so for a long time. 

Need affordable help strategically planning and putting together content? That ranges from blog posts and e-books to planning/scripting podcasts and creating traditional speeches. Complimentary consultation on how to generate influence and sell without paying high rates, janegenova374@gmail.com. 

 

Retirement: (Mostly) Unafforable in Any State in US

Retirement has passed the threshold of affordability.

That's even in low-cost cities such as Cleveland, Ohio. According to GoBankingRates.com, there, over-65 households need $38,147 annually to just make it.

And retiring has become nearly impossible for households over-65 in locations such as New York City, where they need about $100k a year.

Here are more details in MarketWatch. 

The conclusion: Maybe retiring shouldn't be on a bucket list. Instead of envisioning total freedom from work during The New Aging, it might be more realistic financial planning to just save for some fun travel on vacations from work or between gig contracts.

More and more of the assignments for my two communications businesses are associated with preparing work-search materials for those who assumed they were retired.

Here is my guide, free to download, on how to navigate that shift.

And, here, also free to download, is my book on how to get, hold, and move on to better work, no matter one's age Download Outwitting ageism.

One day those who have retired wake up and have that brutal moment of clarity: They are sliding into debt. To pay off that debt and prevent its return in the future, they need more funds coming in.

Yesterday, a 67-year-old currently unmarried male came to my office. During the past week we had discussed options for marketing services he could provide. The best shot was a niche within higher education.

For several hours we knocked out the must-needed promotional material, then moved on to retrofitting his social networks. The next step would be to set up a website, along with a blog. This weekend in the loop will parachute a friend of his to produce podcasts for the enterprise. 

Like so many retired he had come to the fork in the road: Return to working, even full time or research relocating to overseas locations such as Ecuador or Mexico.

Regarding the latter, the International Living folks are operating a very successful line of business. The chatter on social networks among my age peers is increasingly about permanently settling near a beach outside the US. Some of those are also looking into launching online businesses in their Expat Paradises.

Meanwhile, some over-65 could wind up to be in the front lines of what could be a new trend: Nomading.

They bite the bullet and relocate from, say, ABC to X or Y. But that first plan doesn't pan out. They can't take the heat. They miss the familiar lifestyle. They are unable to develop new friendships. The rentals surge in price. They want to be closer to the grandchildren.

So, they move yet again.

The typical example is the couple who left Pennsylvania for Louisiana. The wife still picks up personal-care gigs. To make ends meet more easily, they recently sold their motor home. Now they are in Ohio. Will you settle in here? That's what I asked them. Their response is becoming typical. It's: We don't know. 

In 2014, I pulled up roots in the New York Metro area and assumed I was going to make my new life in Tucson, Arizona. That got pricey and too careerist. In 2016, I drove four days to Northeastern OH. Here I earned enough from my businesses and invested enough to afford to try again at finding Paradise. That will be at the end of August. If that disappoints, the next stop will be outside the U.S. 

Need affordable help strategically planning and putting together content? That ranges from blog posts and e-books to planning/scripting podcasts and creating traditional speeches. Complimentary consultation on how to generate influence and sell without paying high rates, janegenova374@gmail.com. 

Experienced - Employers Snatch in Welcome Mat

A digital economy has revered youth. After all, they are digital natives. 

With that has come the denigration of anyone over 45. AARP documents age bias can begin at that age.

Yet, experience can be the significant variable in success - whether it be the Super Bowl or bet the ranch litigation.

In a seminal The Wall Street Journal article, Sam Walker argues that spectacular failure frequently results from the lack of enough experience. 

Walker presents the recent example of Super Bowl 53.

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is 33. He is known for being innovative.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick is 66. To win the game, and this might have thrown McVay off his game, Belichick used old-line defensive measures. That blocked the Rams from getting more than three points.

In a sense, this phenomenon might be summed up as: Belichick had seen it all and could anticipate it all. He was not locked into a preoccupation with innovation per se. 

In lawsuits, with good reasons, clients want seasoned partners guiding the strategy. In fact, increasingly they are mandating that rookie associates not be part of the legal team. 

After Steve Jobs got more work experience he could return to Apple and put the then-floundering corporation on an upward trajectory. 

Andrew Bachman, who took a plea for mobile cramming, might have avoided considering going rogue had he more business experience. In the Babson dorm he started Tatto, which he and his startup team sold for $60 million. Had he, for example, a couple of years employed in the Fortune 5o, he might have got how much the federal government scrutinizes business. Therefore, he might have kept his startup legit.

Yet, age bias is growing. In addition, more and more employers and clients are unwilling to pay for experience. Their help-wanted ads and in-person conversations indicate they prefer to hire or contract with someone with only a few years experience in a niche such as legal marketing.

Of course, the experienced could become set in their ways, rebuff fresh strategic thinking and technologies, and not be open to just-in-time training. There are too many of them, trying to milk the past, especially their former brandnames, to keep producing revenue. They give all older professionals a bad name.

That is why, those hiring have to assess experience on a case-by-case basis. If they do, they will be able to increase the odds of success by partnering with professionals who keep updating their mindsets and skills.

Need affordable help strategically planning and putting together content? That ranges from blog posts and e-books to planning/scripting podcasts and creating traditional speeches. Complimentary consultation on how to generate influence and sell without paying high rates, janegenova374 Need @gmail.com.