During the recent debt crisis the one thing I think everyone would agree on is that nothing would help to put us on better financial footing than getting people back to work. However, if you are 40 or older that is a task that sounds easier than it is to do which raises the question how do you stay relevant in today's tight job market when you are a "seasoned" [read: over 40] member of the workforce?" Oft controversial business blogger Penelope Trunk recently addressed this problem & while I frequently find myself at odds with her, in this instance, I agree with her suggestions 100%. She suggests 5 excellent points:
5 Ways To Stay Relevant In Today's Market
- Focus on building your network-it's not what you know but who you know
- Move from information "processing" to Information synthesis-information is out there & can be easily gathered; essentially you don't need to know everything; you need to know how to get everything learning to filter what's useful & what's "noise" along the way
- Bridge building-connections are everything
- Manage your personal brand-what do you stand for; are you promoting your "brand"
- Commit to lifelong learning-the world is changing rapidly; you need to keep up
Taking Control
She also cautions those in their 30's that it is important to establish your job credibility in your thirties or it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to get back on the job carousel in your 40's. Why? People hire & want to work with those who have a reputation for doing good work &/or people who are great to work with. One of the reasons for why doing these things is so important that she does not state is that while these points sound like just good common sense, they have the added benefit of enabling you to feel like you are being proactive by doing things to try to control your own destiny instead of being at the mercy of a weak & mercurial economy. While doing these things won't guarantee you a job, not doing them will increase your chances of remaining on the sidelines.
Comments