To be truthful, at 62-years I am concerned my age has basically placed me out of the current competitive job market.
Having retired from the military and secondary education I am limited to a narrow field of consideration because I essentially do not have specific experience in manufacturing, business and industry and/or experience in the corporate sector.
I am interested in continuing employment for another five to seven years and will definitely consider all options outside of training and education.
Answers
In addition to the previous suggestions.
A senior manager shared with me an interview approach that resulted in him being hired by the company President two levels higher than the position he was interviewing for. I will be happy to share it. slmathews99@gmail.com
Age discrimination is real, but you can use some strategies to get past all the negative assumptions. First, network into the job - applying online will give them too easy a way to rule you out. Don't put dates on anything before 2000 on your resume. Give short summaries of additional relevant experience with highlights. Drop dates for college and such. And in the interviews, prepare a statement as to how the assumptions about age don't apply to you. They may think you are ready to retire, slow to learn, slow at work, fading, unhealthy, etc. Or out to take their job. You need to smile and say, "I know this doesn't apply to you, but some people hesitate to consider me because of my age. I'm not the typical person at this age - I am eager to work, engaged, quick to learn, etc." Be ready to own it. Then share the value of experience, work ethic and other values you have.
Terry,
Based on your background, I am wondering if a career in something like Technical Writer or Risk Management/Safety might be of interest and a fit for you (particularly as it relates to electrical/electronics/sensors). In my industry (oil & gas) we have many in those fields from diverse backgrounds. Might be worth a look.
Thank you for your service and having the moment to reach out to this format and ask a serious question, (not that other questions arent serious, but this one is particularly specific and would most likely apply to many people). You started off with a good framing of what you dont want to do and where your light in your experience. Having that is a good start in looking forward as it eliminates distractions.
What is a field that interests you? Is there anything that you would enjoy that could also benefit you and a potential employer? Have you thought about travel, providing advice or consulting? Are you involved in your community where you can speak to the historical aspects or the like? Lots of questions, but I wanted to point out that while you may have some seasoning with life in years, you also offer an opportunity to share that in areas that interest you. For example, say you live near a historic landmark or are familiar with a national park near you. You can look to see if a tour guide, trip advisor or anything along those lines would be something to explore. The very fact that you are a little older would actually be beneficial as most folks in the US anyway, look to people for advice or to be a guide. This is something that is still at a personal level and you would be able to be unique in the position.
Terry,
Thank you for your service.
You appear to have a breadth of interests which is great.
May I suggest starting with what you enjoy and how you want to help/consulting. This will allow you to target areas to start your search.
Such as starting to look at industry or non-profits in your fields of interest. Doing a search by subject matter whether on line or through a volunteer consortium will provide you with potential employers and job titles.
Good luck,
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