The last time you looked for a job you scoured the newspaper ads and wrote your resume on your new electric typewriter. You mailed off your resume and waited, and waited for a response. If you were called in for job interview weeks and perhaps a month or more had gone by since you mailed in your resume.
Welcome to the new and improved job search environment. As a mid-life job hunter you'll soon find the landscape has changed dramatically. Yes, there are still newspaper ads but they are way less important than a few years ago.
The internet and other technological breakthroughs has exploded, online job boards and social media have replaced a large portion of the newspaper's monopoly on help wanted ads. The job hunting process has accelerated faster than most after 50 job hunters could react.
Like anything new, many over 50 job hunters, have approached the new job hunting methods with a combination of reluctance and some complaining. This lack of considering the value of using the new technology could be hampering the job search effort of many mid-life job hunters.
Now with the use of email and other web applications you can apply for a job, be screened by a computer and either rejected or accepted within minutes of the application. Moreover, employers
can now locate a number of qualified candidates by searching resume databases.
Another common occurrence is for an employer to post an open position on a busy website and have a suitable list of qualified candidates in an hour or so, and then the posting is pulled. If you were waiting to apply later there is no later, you just lost out on a possible opportunity.
There are, however, a number of productive things you can do to take advantage of the new technology. Remember speed is everything and how you prepare to leverage the speed will go a long way to achieving success in your job hunt.
1. You can now apply for a greater number of relevant jobs. By creating several focused resumes centering around specific skill sets you can respond quicker to job openings. You also may want to consider different industries. Research required keywords, based on job and industry and be sure to properly add them to your resume.
2. Create job alerts to notify you by email on relevant job openings.
3. Don't neglect research of possible employers.
4. Search for connections at organizations that could use your skills and qualifications. LinkedIn and other social media sites are excellent sources.
5. Post your resume on the larger job boards. However, recognize this is a long shot in your job hunt, but should not be ignored.
Your job search should be a planned mix of the old job hunting methods and the new. With the digital age brings many values to the job search effort but the use of computers will need to go a long way to replace basic human contact.
Building and expanding on your job search network, helping others when you can, sending a hand-written thank you note, attending networking events, will never be replaced by a computer. The new technology brings much more job hunting information to our fingertips, but it will be the planned combination of the old and new that will put the mid-life job hunter in the position to find the right job.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_Groth/124598