I came across a question in a forum that I know comes up often.  This particular individual has a few concerns about looking for a position and competing with someone younger than them.  Here are the questions they asked.

1) How does an older woman compete with a younger one?  I know there are laws, but this is still a BIG problem.
2) How does an older women transition from an unrelated physically active current position into a new office setting type position?

Before I responded, I looked through some of the responses and here’s what some of the advice was:

  • Network with people, try temp agencies, go back to school and take computer classes, and volunteer places to gain some skills.

My Response:

There are a lot of companies out there that need someone who will show up for work every day vs. someone with exceptional skills who won’t stick around.  The “younger” generation is very different and many feel entitled, want more money than they should be getting and don’t stay put in a job for very long.

I  would focus on what skills you do have and how they can be transferable to the next position. Also, try not to get stuck about your age, think more positive about what you can offer and how you are better than your competition.

Look for jobs that are willing to train someone, go to Youtube to learn office computer skills.  Maybe start out with a part-time position.  Don’t sell yourself short, if you are confident in what you can offer an employer, they will be confident in hiring you.

What advice would you give to this individual?

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