5 Tips When Looking For a New Job Over the Age of 40

When I look in the mirror, for the first 5 seconds I still see a twenty- year -old. Then the visible wrinkles around my eyes and jowls provide a friendly reminder that I’m not twenty anymore. At that moment in the mirror, I challenge myself physically as I don’t feel like I’m over forty, and the face I’m looking at cannot be accurate, but according to my birth certificate, it is. I mean, hell, I still feel young, so how can I look so different? Simply put, I’m just a twenty-year-old that now has twenty-five years of work experience, a family, and has journeyed through the ups and downs of life. Even though this is what I believe, I now know others don’t feel the same, especially when it comes to the work place. Here is my recent reality check. Last year I left my corporate job of 14 years. I was in a space where I had the opportunity to find a new job with a new company. I felt fresh, excited and limitless. Although it had been a while since I last interviewed, I thought, “No problem. I’ve got this. I used to any get any job I wanted, so finding a new one should pretty be easy.” After a few interviews, good interviews I thought, I wasn’t getting hired. Frustration set in because I could not figure out what was so different this time around. After all, my resume was stronger and more accomplished than my younger years.

But something had changed. I aged.

Call me naive, but I did not think that my age would be an obstacle in the workplace. I had heard this from other women over the years, but I chose not to believe them because certainly it would never happen to me.

Here is a true story:

A sales recruiter was helping a sales manager fill an open position. The recruiter sent her a resume of a female candidate with a college graduation date of 1998. The sales manager abruptly turned down the resume. In addition, she let the recruiter know that she didn’t want to see any resumes with college graduation dates prior to 2003. This was the sales manager’s criterion for what she deemed to be a viable candidate. Not experience, not achievements, not abilities. Simply age.

This true story was painful for me to hear. Here was a woman selling out other women and contributing to the stigma that we fight every day and sadly her perspective is a harsh reality. However, let this statistic give you another reality check and perspective. In 2024, women over 65 will make up roughly the same percentage of the female workforce as older men do of the male workforce. Additionally, twice as many women over 55 will be in the labor force as women ages 16-24.

Knowing the stigma, knowing the numbers, and the reality, what is the best way to approach finding a new job later in life? Here are 5 tips when looking for a new job over the age of 40:

1. Use your Network
Sending our resumes to career websites will do nothing for us. We get pushed aside as we are categorized. The tip here is to use our network of colleagues, former business associates and friends to find companies who are hiring and will have a genuine interest in what we can do for their organizations. This method does work. Finding like -minded individuals with the same goals of working smart and getting stuff done will provide the best platform for finding a new working environment.

2. Show off your skills
At this point in our careers, we have a proven list of accomplishments and skillsets. We have navigated some of our toughest times and have already been through the learning. Because of this we require less training and possess the right skills, because yeah, we know how to do it. We need to show off our confidence and accolades to a potential employer. They need to know that our leadership skills and experience will fit in flawlessly with their company.

3. Be bold
We can ask harder questions in the interview process and as an employee. Perhaps questions that challenge company methods or goals. If anything as women, unfortunately, we have been taught to be compliant and agreeable to get through the stepping -stones of our careers. We don’t have to do that anymore. We have arrived. Work experience has taught us to think quickly, make decisions and share opinions. We have a lot to teach, and hiring companies need to appreciate this.

4. Seek a mentor, be a mentor
In recent weeks I have had great women mentor me. Women of a certain age. Women who are drama free, make sh*t happen and don’t sweat the small stuff. I appreciate them, have learned from them and have committed to do the same for others. This is important as this will help us change the tide and break the stigma.

5. We are already tech savvy
Much to the disbelief of others, age doesn’t stifle our tech knowledge. It’s who we are as a society. Most of us already use work related apps like Zoom, Slack, Dropbox and others. The point is, our tech knowledge isn’t lacking, so that is no excuse for hiring companies or managers. We are already there. This is not a hinderance.

The battle continues. In my earlier years as a woman in the corporate world I fought to make a mark. Now, I’m fighting the same female battle in addition to 20+ years of life and work experience. This should get easier shouldn’t it? It doesn’t, so it is up to us to change it. We have to change the mindset by challenging the current stigma. Because we have arrived and we are not going anywhere.

Holly Caplan is a workplace issues expert, career coach and author of Surviving the Dick Clique: A Girl's Guide to Surviving the Male Dominated Corporate World. For more information, please visit, www.hollycaplan.com.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas on DVD

This holiday season, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings consumers a triple dose of everyone’s favorite green grouch, the Grinch with the release of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Ultimate Edition. Available in stores October 23, 2018, this must-have release features three animated Dr. Seuss specials including How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat and Halloween is Grinch Night. All three animated specials are offered together in a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, which includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and digital copy, and will retail for $24.98 SRP. This title will also be available in standard definition and will retail for $19.98 SRP.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Ultimate Edition will be available to own September 25, 2018 on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.

The best-selling, perennial holiday classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Ultimate Edition got even better with the addition of two Grinch specials, which are available in high definition for the first time ever! Based on the beloved book by Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is considered among one of Dr. Seuss’ finest works for children. The story was originally adapted to television as an animated TV special and was highly praised by audiences. It has been re-broadcast numerous times since its debut, with annual airings continuing to the present day.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Ultimate Edition featured specials:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!:

Magnificently narrated by Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, The Mummy) and directed by animation genius and cartoon legend Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes, What's Opera, Doc?), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! tells the story of the miserable Grinch, who wants to sabotage Christmas for all the Whos in Who-ville.

The Grinch thinks that by stealing the Whos Christmas trees and presents, he’ll succeed in stealing their joy. However, when Christmas morning arrives, the Grinch is taken by surprise when he notices the Whos greet the day joyously singing Christmas carols regardless of the fact that their village has been completely stripped of holiday gifts, decorations and treats. The cheerful attitude of the Whos prompts the Grinch to ponder the true meaning of Christmas and he slowly comes to realize the spirit of the season is not generated by material possessions. Will the Grinch have a change of heart and consider returning the Whos’ Christmas gifts?

The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat:

The Grinch is up to his old tricks again in The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, the Emmy® Award-winning special directed by legendary animator Friz Freleng. In this special, the Cat in the Hat encounters the Grinch while picnicking one day. He refers to the Grinch as Mr. Greenface, which the Grinch takes an as insult, prompting him to retaliate by building a series of outrageous devices designed to cause all sorts of disruption. First, he creates a “Vacusound Sweeper,” which distorts any and all of the sounds within a 50-mile radius of the Cat in the Hat. Then he creates the “Dark House,” which is the direct opposite of a light house and puts the Cat in the Hat into complete darkness. He then uses the “Flummox Deluxe” to further warp the Cat in the Hat’s surroundings, which sends him and everything around him into complete chaos. Will the Cat in the Hat figure out a way to stop the Grinch and outsmart all his crazy devices?

Halloween is Grinch Night:

When the Sour-Sweet wind starts to blow in Who-ville, all the Whos take cover because this signifies the beginning of Grinch Night, an evening in which the Grinch descends upon Who-ville to terrorize all its citizens. As the Grinch sets out on his journey to Who-ville, he encounters a courageous young Who named Euchariah, who attempts to stall the Grinch from reaching Who-ville. The Grinch however puts Euchariah into a trance in which he encounters all sorts of strange creatures who try to intimidate him. Will Euchariah manage to snap out of the trance in time to stop Grinch from reaching Who-ville?

“Since he was first created by Dr. Seuss over 60 years ago, the Grinch has become an iconic character heralding the arrival of the holiday season. He’s been loved by generations for his transformation by the true spirit of the holiday. This television special featuring the Grinch and the Whos of Whoville has become a seasonal classic and we’re delighted to offer this new release with two other classic Grinch specials,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Vice President Family & Animation Marketing. She added, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Ultimate Edition is the perfect addition to everyone’s holiday movie collection.”

About Dr. Seuss: Theodor “Seuss” Geisel is quite simply the most beloved children’s book author of all time. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and three Caldecott Honors, Geisel wrote and illustrated 45 books for children. Hundreds of millions of copies have found their way into homes and hearts around the world. While Theodor Geisel died on September 24, 1991, Dr. Seuss lives on, inspiring generations of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading. For more information about Dr. Seuss and his works, visit Seussville.com.

Tips for Finding a Long Distance Moving Company

Moving can be a stressful time. You can help ease some of that stress by using a professional, dependable moving company. Long distance moves are often coupled with other stressful life events, such as a new job or a change in living circumstances. Take some of the stress away by using a trustworthy, reliable moving company. When choosing a long distance moving company, there are several things you should look for.

Choose a long distance moving companies nj that will take responsibility for your belongings. You want a furniture moving company that treats your furniture and home with care. They should provide carpet covers for high traffic areas, hard surface protectors to protect your hard floors from scratches, protection pads for tight corners and railings, and furniture disassembly and assembly.

A professional moving company is also valuable during the loading and unloading process. They will use their years of experience to get boxes packed and unpacked in an order that makes sense and get things settled in the right location. They can even unpack the boxes and get rid of the packing material for you, a benefit that will surely make you feel at home much quicker.

Working with a professional moving company is helpful to your budget. Professionals know that moving is expensive and will help you in several ways. They will provide an estimate before the move, use heavy duty packing materials to keep your possessions safe and help you utilize storage if necessary.

When moving, you want to work with professionals who understand every step of the moving process. They can provide packing material, packing help, and a timeline on what to expect during the move.

There are many moving companies to choose from, so it is important to select a company with a solid reputation that you know you can trust. The company should be licensed and insured, and be willing to provide references. Taking the time to choose a reliable long distance moving company can help ease the stress of moving while also saving you money.