Navigating the Senior Job Search: Expert Tips and Strategies

Not quite ready for retirement?

Not everyone can – or wants to – retire as soon as they hit official retirement age. Whatever your reason – whether it’s for extra cash, just to keep busy, or to keep your brain ticking – we’re here to help you navigate a senior job search. There’s a lot to consider and plenty of decisions to make, but we’re by your side to make your next transition as easy as it can be.

You’re not alone!

The difficulties and uncertainties surrounding a senior job search are clear when we analyze people’s concerns. Google is awash with queries such as

“Can a 70-year-old find a job?”
“Should over 60s go to work?”
“Is 70 too old to start a career?”.

Of course, you’re never too old! Research shows that the number of older workers in employment is continuing to grow, with people in work aged 65 and over predicted to increase from 6.6% in 2022 to 8.6% by 2032. The trick, just like at every other stage of your career, is finding the work that’s right for you personally.

Let’s examine the type of work you could consider and how to prepare for re-entering the job market.

Types of job search to consider

First up, you need to understand what you want from your senior job search and what your options are.

Full-time work

Whether you genuinely love your job or need a full-time salary, there is absolutely no obligation to retire if you don’t want to. Your options include

Staying in your current role
Moving to a similar role elsewhere
Applying for a promotion
Making a major career change
Stepping down into a less stressful position

Basically, the options that have been open to you throughout your career are still options now – age is just a number!

Part-time work

For many older workers, part-time work is a great stepping-stone into retirement. It frees up time for enjoying leisure activities, caring for grandchildren, and working on personal projects while easing the transition into retirement, providing a salary, and giving your week structure.

Self-Employment or Freelancing

Retirement is considered a time of freedom, so if you’ve always wanted to work for yourself or make money from your hobbies, now is the perfect time to explore this option.

Volunteering

For those lucky enough not to need the income, volunteering can be a great way of keeping busy, giving back to the community, and maintaining a routine. As many voluntary roles are local, they also eliminate lengthy commutes and can sometimes offer more flexible hours.

Preparing for a senior job search

Now you know what you’re aiming for, it’s time to get organized. What do you need to prepare in advance to smooth your transition into your next role?

A modern resume

Whatever type of role you’re applying for, a strong resume is a must. Not only does it showcase your unique skills and experience, but it’s also great for building your confidence during a time of transition, as it focuses your mind on exactly what you’ve achieved and what you have to offer.

As you hit the senior job search, try to view your application through the hiring manager’s eyes. Address or eliminate concerns before they even arise. For example, if you’re worried about age discrimination, just focus on the last 10-15 years and remove earlier dates. If you think employers might be concerned about a lack of digital skills, list the tools you’re confident using and any training you’ve done to get up to speed.

Are you un-retiring? Plenty of people retire and realize that it’s just not for them. Not a problem – apart from the gap it leaves on your resume. It’s advisable to briefly explain the gap in a line or two, framing it positively and explaining anything constructive you’ve done in the interim. Above all, create a positive document that clearly shows what you can do for a business and why you’d be a great hire.

Expert tip: If you’re not sure about modern resume standards and how to craft a concise, high-impact document, why not get a professional to do it for you?

A LinkedIn profile

A resume on its own isn’t enough anymore. Job seekers are expected to have a digital presence and that will generally include a LinkedIn profile. If you’re unfamiliar with the site, it combines a personal career profile with a job board and a professional network – and with over a billion members globally, it’s the place to see and be seen when it comes to job hunting. Once you’ve set up your profile, you can use it to look for jobs, build your network, and promote your job search.

Expert tip: Fill in as much information on your profile as you can, including plenty of keywords relevant to the type of role you’re aiming for.

A cover letter

You’ll need to write a bespoke cover letter for every role you apply for unless the job description says otherwise. Aim to keep it to one snappy page, at a maximum, covering why you’re the right person for the role and why you’re interested in the position and the company.

Expert tip: If you’re worried a recruiter might spot red flags in your application due to your age, the cover letter is a great place to positively address them. We cover this in further detail below.

A strong network

A strong network has always been the foundation of a successful job search. Personal and professional contacts are an invaluable source of job vacancies, support, and introductions at every stage of your career – and a senior job search is no exception. Nurturing and reaching out to your network is a great first step towards a retirement job.

Start your senior job search

Of course, LinkedIn is just one of many online job boards. In addition to generalist boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, why not try some boards specifically catering to older job seekers? RetirementJobs.com, seniors4hire.org, and AARP.org are just a few.

For those looking to freelance or dip their toes into self-employment, sites such as Fiverr or People Per Hour may be what you’re looking for. Don’t neglect local social media sites either – neighborhood businesses will often advertise there to save paying for adverts whilst still reaching their local demographic.

Considerations when conducting a senior job search

Of course, every job search has its challenges. Let’s consider some that you might encounter and discover how to overcome them.

You’re overqualified

With a long and successful career behind you, you may be looking for something at a lower level than you’re used to. And why not? But if hiring managers think you’ll get bored, move on quickly, or be dissatisfied in the role, they’ll be less likely to hire you. You can get around this by addressing the issue head-on.

Tailor your resume to the role you want, not the roles you’ve had.
Explain your reason for wanting the job in your cover letter.
Try to get a recommendation from an existing employee.
Show enthusiasm, openness, and the willingness to learn.

Overqualification doesn’t need to be a barrier if you approach it in the right way.

Your skills aren’t up to date

If you were in your previous role or company for many years, hiring managers might assume that you’re out of touch or have concerns about your ability or willingness to learn new skills. Again, if that could be a concern, you can address it upfront.

Highlight relevant skills on your resume
State clearly that you are a quick learner or willing to acquire new skills
Emphasize any recent training that you’ve done

Your application should show that you can draw skills parallels between your most recent role and your target job.

You have health concerns

Beyond retirement age, health concerns can impact your ability to work. Of course, that can be true for younger workers, too, but recruiter bias may still be an issue. You could address this by adding a Hobbies section to your resume, where you briefly outline all the active things you do in your spare time, or you could mention your exceptional attendance record in your cover letter.

Of course, age discrimination is illegal in the US under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. That doesn’t mean recruiters and hiring managers don’t have their own personal biases and relevant concerns. Forewarned is forearmed, so if you can anticipate the sort of questions and hesitations a recruiter may have about your application, you’ll be well-positioned to mount a defense and overcome them.

Inspiration for the darker days

We’re not saying that navigating a senior job search is easy. With some clarity, preparation, and confidence, you’ll be well on your way. When it seems you’ll never find what you’re looking for, think about these people who started over later in life:

Colonel Sanders was 62 when he started KFC
Nola Ochs is the oldest person to receive a college degree, at the age of 95

Everyone has something to offer, so with the right positioning and career narrative, you can work through your senior years in whichever way suits you best.

Step out with confidence

Any transition can be difficult, but when you’re searching for a job, having confidence in yourself can give others confidence in you, too. Try these tips to position yourself as a desirable candidate:

Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. You’ll have acquired plenty of skills and experience as you’ve worked towards retirement age, and you can offer a lot that younger candidates can’t. Rather than obsess over the gaps in your knowledge, take pride in the expertise you’ve built up.
Be selective in what you share. Pick only the most recent or most relevant parts of your career to share on your resume, in your cover letter, and during an interview. By showing how you meet the requirements of the specific role in question, you’ll naturally come across as a strong candidate.
Look to the future, not the past. If you’re excited about what the future holds in terms of new experiences, learning opportunities, and scaling new heights, you’ll be a more attractive proposition than someone who harks back to earlier times and seems rather set in their ways.
Highlight your successes. There’s nothing that builds confidence quite like thinking about what you’ve achieved in your career. Using these accomplishments on your resume to show what you can do for a company will help employers to realize what you can do for them, too.

It’s time to put yourself out there

Are you excited about the future? It’s time to get out there and enjoy this next phase of your life! We wish you luck and fulfillment in whatever you choose to do.

Before you start firing off your resume, why not send it for a free resume review? Our experts will advise on whether it meets current best practice and can identify areas for improvement before you launch yourself into your senior job search.