Developing a Job Search Strategy in Your 40s

Marsha was in her 50s and hoping to make a career pivot. "Have I got chance?" she asked me. I'll tell you what I told her: Ageism in the job market is real. But, if you are prepared, you can overcome the obstacles. It had been years since she'd applied or interviewed for a job. We worked together on her resume, LinkedIn, networking, and interviewing to package her for the job she wanted. When she called to say she'd gotten an offer for a great new job in pharma, with a 30% pay increase, I was jumping up & down!! I want to be clear that this was not easy. It took a lot of focus. Here is the multi-pronged approach we worked on together: 🎯 Resume Strategy: ↳ Focus on impact ("Delivered $2M in savings" vs "25 years of experience") ↳ Go back no more than 15 years  ↳ Highlight current technical skills, leave off old ones ↳ Take the graduation year off all degrees ↳ Contact info should include only city, state (no street address) ↳ Ditch the AOL, and hotmail email addresses; they date you 🌐Networking Strategy: ↳ Reconnect with former colleagues & give them an update ↳ Practice talking about your skills and abilities ↳ Speak to others who've successfully overcome the age barrier ↳ Make sure your LinkedIn profile follows best practices ↳ Work toward 500+ connections ↳ Post and comment on LinkedIn weekly 🏢 Employer Strategy: ↳ Target 40-50 companies with age-diverse cultures ↳ Talk to people in similar roles & ask about key skills ↳ Ask HR/recruiters about their hiring process ↳ Follow each employer on social media to learn priorities 💡 Interview Strategy: ↳ Lead with energy and genuine interest ↳ Show you've done your research with deep preparation ↳ Be ready with stories that include cross-generational work ↳ Share examples of your adaptability and growth mindset ↳ Talk about new skills you've built and show you're on top of trends ↳ Communicate your experience working with diverse people 🤵🏼Personal Strategy: ↳ Take additional courses & certifications to keep your skills fresh ↳ Stay current in your field with podcasts and social media ↳ Make reasonable adjustments to your appearance ↳ Clothes should fit well and be current, but not "trendy" ↳ Avoid language that "dates" you (ask a trusted younger friend) Remember: You're not "overqualified" You have battle-tested wisdom. That, along with these strategies, will set you up as a strong candidate! ♻ Repost to help people who are facing ageism in their job search 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more strategic career insights

If you're a Director, Principal, or senior-level professional, here's a hard truth about job search in a highly competitive market ↓ Waiting until you NEED a job to start networking, updating your resume, or clarifying your value... is too late. I’ve coached hundreds through pivots, layoffs, and transitions, and I’ve heard this statement too often: “I wish I had been more proactive when I wasn’t looking.” Want to make your next job search simpler? Here are 3 things I now encourage every professional to do, before they need to: 1. Build your “career insurance” network Start reconnecting with old managers, peers, and industry contacts now. Don’t wait until you need a favor. ↳Reconnect with 1–2 former colleagues per week with a simple check-in message ↳Comment on posts from people you'd want to work with again ↳Offer value or share relevant resources without asking for anything ↳Keep a short list of 15–20 people you want to stay top-of-mind with 2. Keep a running “career log” Every major win, metric, or team success should be documented as it happens. ↳Use a simple Google Doc or spreadsheet; one entry per project ↳Capture: problem, your actions, measurable outcomes, and key skills used ↳Include quotes or positive feedback from leadership or clients ↳Update this monthly; schedule a 30-minute slot to make it a habit 3. Refresh your LinkedIn every 3-6 months Even if you're not job searching, your profile should tell a clear, current story. ↳Update your headline to reflect target roles and keywords ↳Rewrite your “About” section to highlight your latest accomplishments and results ↳Make sure your most recent role includes quantifiable wins and data-driven impact ↳Get fresh recommendations every few months ↳Add new skills or certifications - - - No one wants to scramble under pressure. Give your future self a head start. What would you add to my list?

You were just laid off. That sucks. If you’re a mid to senior level white collar worker? That super sucks. The market is brutal, and if you’re over 50, it can feel like your skills and experience don’t match what’s out there. That’s because they likely don’t. Do the research. Figure it out. Make a game plan. Expect your job search to take 5–7 months or more. Prepare. Start simple. Stay strong. Let’s go. Build a simple, short, accomplishment-driven resume. Not just a list of tasks, show outcomes. “I did X, and it resulted in Y.” No graphs. No charts. No colors. No columns. Just make it clean and easy to scan. Nobody cares if your resume is five pages, but they also don’t care what you did 20 years ago. Cut the unnecessary info out. Shorten that shit. Know your value. Hone your resume to each job description, honestly. It’s not.. I repeat.. it is NOT a numbers game. If you’re just tossing endless resumes into the wind, you’re doing yourself a disservice. What do you bring? Who needs that? Brand yourself with that value. Know it. Own it. Reflect it everywhere. Finish your LinkedIn. All of it. Not just job titles. Fill out your About. Add accomplishments. Connect the dots. Network. Referrals are 75% more likely to get you an interview than applying cold. Network. Again. Yes, I said it twice. That’s how important it is. List your target companies. Then… you guessed it: network your way in. Find agency recruiters in your field and location. Send them your resume. Reach out. All of them. Keep doing it. Resume solid? LinkedIn solid? Then turn on the damn Green Banner. You heard me. Do it. There is no argument nor debate about it. Prep for behavioral interviews. Know your stories. Connect them to your brand. Use the STARR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection). Network. Yes, again. Because 75–85% of job offers come through it. Only about 6% of cold applies lead to interviews. Join networking events. Attend virtual meetups. If your LinkedIn doesn’t say 500+ connections, get busy. Connect with anyone you’ve ever met who might accept your request. ANYONE. Expand beyond LinkedIn. Call old friends, colleagues, former bosses, college classmates. Even that lady you met on a cruise in 1995. “Hey Martha, glad you’re not dead. How’s life?” Keep it human. This isn’t about begging or pitching. Don’t ask people for anything but to connect. It’s about connecting. Be genuine. Post on LinkedIn. Check in with people. Let them know what you’re looking for, and see how they’re doing too. Help everyone you can. If it isn’t working, reassess. Maybe you’re not quite as good a fit for those positions as you think. Assess what you’re missing and face it. Can you gain those skills? If you do, will it bring value? Maybe it’s time to pivot. Yeah, it sucks. I get it. But you are not a hamster in a wheel. You are a free-thinking human being who can, and should, think outside the box. It sucks but you’ve got this!

Career transitions at 47 present unique challenges that younger professionals never face - but remaining in unfulfilling roles for the next 18 years isn't a viable strategy either. The reality of mid-career pivots: you're simultaneously overqualified for many positions and underqualified for others, while facing systematic age bias that companies won't acknowledge but consistently practice. However, experienced professionals possess advantages that create strategic opportunities when properly leveraged. The strategic pivot framework for seasoned professionals: 1. Execute bridge transitions to adjacent industries rather than complete career overhauls 2. Activate peer networks who now hold decision-making authority 3. Establish consulting relationships to demonstrate value before seeking permanent placement 4. Target growth-stage companies that value experience over cost optimization 5. Position wisdom and judgment as competitive advantages rather than apologizing for experience level The fundamental shift required: viewing two decades of experience as strategic assets rather than hiring obstacles. Organizations struggling with inexperienced talent often welcome seasoned professionals who can contribute immediately. Your career pivot timeline is compressed compared to younger professionals, but your network, expertise, and refined judgment create acceleration opportunities they lack. The cost of remaining professionally unfulfilled for the next 18 years far exceeds the risk of strategic career repositioning. Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/32tm3 #careerchange #careerpivot #careeradvice #midlifecareer #careerstrategy #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #professionalreinvention