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Category : Re-energise your job search

Home /  Re-energise your job search
 
ageism
Why wasn't I successful?, Interviewing for Executives, Re-energise your job search

How can you overcome ageism in interviews?

  • Laura-McGrath
  • January 22, 2021
  • ageism, unconscious bias

In our youth obsessed culture, what’s the best way to navigate unconscious bias in interviews? Acknowledging its existence is a good starting point. Many of us have internalised the idea that risk, energy and agility are the preserve of the young. Yet when you reflect more deeply, we all know people in their 20s who crave security and routine, preferring Netflix to running marathons. The reality is, there’s as much diversity in the over 40s as there is in the under 40s.

To ensure you don’t get blindsided by ageism in interviews, consider paying attention to the following five areas:

Flexibility

The elephant in the room for many interviewers is whether you can work well with leaders who are younger than you. A good way of addressing this in the interview is by highlighting where you’ve worked on projects with younger mangers. Emphasise how you enjoyed collaborating with them and what you learnt from them. This will help present you as a team player and someone who can adapt easily to new situations.

Language matters

Lead with passion not experience. Reframing experience as passion will position you as someone who’s dynamic and constantly looking to expand your knowledge. By doing this you’re recognising that your journey is never ending and that you welcome new ideas and other peoples’ perspectives.

Many organisations now embrace a collaborative style of management which values initiative and the team development.  In the interview position yourself as someone who champions this. Be aware of your language. Talk about how you “lead you team” instead of “managing your staff.” Emphasise how you empower people to reach their potential and find meaning in their work.   

Growth mind set

Having a natural curiosity and managing your learning and development is really important for employers. Skills get outdated very quickly so staying relevant through doing further education, attending seminars and going to networking events to stay abreast of industry trends is essential if you want to stay relevant.

Present yourself as a problem solver

When you’re researching the company, think critically about challenges they’re facing and what opportunities may exist. Use your network to speak to people in the company to get up to speed on current projects or developments. Strengthen your sector expertise by reading articles and meeting other contacts in their field.

By anticipating these challenges and highlighting how you’re addressed similar issues in the past, you’ll present yourself as a solutions focused, action oriented player.

Manage your image

Harvey Coleman in “Empowering Yourself. The Organisational Game Revealed.” attributes 30% of career success to image, so it’s worth paying attention to. Ask yourself what your clothes and body language are saying about you. If you’re not sure, ask a friend to give you honest feedback.

Conclusion

These steps will help you make that vital connection with the interview panel and spotlight the attention on why you’re the best fit for the role.

About the author

Laura McGrath is an Executive Coach with a background in recruitment and career coaching. She has a post graduate qualification in Executive Coaching from the IMI and has been a guest lecturer with Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin. For more information call 087 669 1192.

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Linkedin Profile
Re-energise your job search

What does a good Linkedin Profile look like?

  • Laura-McGrath
  • October 19, 2020
  • networking, linkedin, profile, jobsearch

In his book “Empowering Yourself”, Harvey Coleman puts career success under the microscope to get a better understanding of where you should spend your energy to get maximum return. It turns out that being great at your job isn’t enough – in fact it accounts for only 10 % of career success. It’s just the entry point.  Your image, exposure and how people perceive you accounts for the remaining 90 %. In a nutshell, to be successful, people need to know who you are, what you do and why it matters.

Linkedin is a great vehicle for boosting your exposure. It allows you showcase your expertise and lets people know what value you can bring to a company and how you can contribute to its success.

Here’s 10 tips you should consider when crafting your online profile.

Photo

An image is worth a thousand words. Make sure it looks professional and sets the right tone. Research shows that profiles with photos on LinkedIn get up to 21 times more views that those without one.

Job titles

Think like a buyer not a seller. If your job title isn’t easily understood by people outside your company, consider changing it. This will help ensure that you come up in job searches.

Summary/About Section

It’s worth putting thought into this as when you appear in a search result, a couple of lines from your summary will feature beneath your name. It’s the first thing a head hunter will see and will influence their level of engagement with you.

You’ve room to play here as you can use up to 2,000 characters. Focus on what parts of your career you’d like to highlight and your biggest achievements.  Speak in the first person and keep the tone conversational so that the reader can get a good sense of who you are. Don’t be afraid to inject your personality and show your passions and values.

Be strategic. Before your start, reflect on what job searches you’d like to appear in. List the key skills inherent in such roles and pepper the summary with these.

Headline

This is the text below your photo. You’ve 120 characters to work with. Add a bit of colour so that you hook the reader into the body of your profile. How? Know who your audience is and speak directly to them. Let them know what makes you unique and what you bring to the table.

Get a Custom URL

This is easy to do and makes it easier for you to market your profile. To get a customised url (linkedin.com/yourname) go to edit profile, contact info, profile url.

Network

Start building your network – aim to have over 500 to be most effective. Consider reconnecting with old colleagues, school and university friends. If you’re in trade/industry associations or are currently doing an MBA, invite your peers onto your network. Continuously nurture your network and keep it fresh.

Recommendations

Recommendations can be a powerful way to shine a light on how you make a difference. It can add real impact to your profile and allow people see you at your very best.    

Experience

This shouldn’t be a cut and paste of your CV. Edit your experience and highlight the roles in your career that are most relevant. Repeat the keywords you want to be known for throughout this section. Keep it interesting using action words and focusing on your achievements, not responsibilities.

Skills

List your key skills. This is a tool that is very popular with head hunters to identify talent and ensure you get on their radar.  

Get active

The more active you are on Linkedin, the more you’ll raise your profile and expand your network. Show your expertise by sharing articles or writing content on areas that interest you. Join groups and get involved in discussions. Follow thought leaders that inspire you.

Conclusion

If you’re still having problems getting started, have a look at other profiles. See what you like and replicate the styles that work for you. Your newly crafted profile, will enable you to take proactive control over your career path. It will get you noticed by hiring managers and key stakeholders and put you on the highway to success.

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Re-energise your job search
Re-energise your job search

Re-energise Your Job Search

  • Laura-McGrath
  • September 21, 2017
  • interview tips, interview coaching

New Year, new start……. time to get your house in order, shed the Christmas kilos and put some vigour back into your job search.

When entering the New Year –it is important to start on a positive note.  Acknowledge that searching for a job is difficult and will take some time and on some days it can be very hard to stay positive.

Whilst none of us can control global economic forces or government policy, in a job search, the one thing you can control is your outlook and attitude.

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Salary Negotiation
Re-energise your job search

Salary Negotiation

  • Laura-McGrath
  • September 21, 2017
  • interview tips, interview coaching, Salary Negotiation

Negotiating salary is an exercise that many people find uncomfortable, even in a buoyant market.  It is worthwhile remembering that regardless of the economic climate, good candidates are always hard to find.  An employer is looking for a specific combination of qualities – relevant work experience, technical and IT skills, cultural fit, ability to fit in with the team – so when they identify their preferred candidate they are usually willing to negotiate on salary.  With this in mind, how can you increase your influence at the negotiating table?

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Top Tips for Mums returning to the Workplace
Re-energise your job search

Top Tips for Mums returning to the Workplace

  • Laura-McGrath
  • September 21, 2017
  • interview tips, Mums returning to work

Increasing numbers of women are now returning to the workforce after taking a career break to rear their families.  Whether it is through financial necessity or simply wanting to challenge themselves and develop new skills, returning to the workforce after an absence can be tricky. So what steps can you take to get back on the career ladder?

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RECENT TIPS

  • How can you overcome ageism in interviews? January 22, 2021
  • How to inject passion into your interview. October 22, 2020
  • What does a good Linkedin Profile look like? October 19, 2020

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