If you are 60 or over and still actively engaged in career pursuits, take heart you are not alone. And if you think you may have trouble landing the right position or commanding an adequate salary because of your age, you could be right.  But as the ranks of 55+ job seekers continue to swell there are reasons to be optimistic.  You just need to be realistic about the special challenges and the special opportunities facing you.

First, age discrimination is real, make no mistake; further, the concerns employers have about hiring older workers are real as well.  There are a few obvious things you can consider that may help you.

Is your attitude upbeat and positive or are you old tired and grumpy?  Empower yourself with all of the positive ammunition you can muster.  Whatever it takes to keep your attitude right do it.  Exercise, read, listen to music, and fill your head with positive and current information.

What is your “Change Quotient” can you embrace it or do you waste time resisting it?  Change is inevitable but sometimes it gets harder to adjust to change as we get older.  Again this is an attitude issue, if you can open your mind, keep your thoughts current and let others know you are flexible, and then go with the flow you will get farther faster and have more fun doing it.  Remember Old Dogs can learn new tricks.

How does your image fit with the environment around you?  It’s easy to put on a five year old garment and feel good in it because you did five years ago.  It is just that easy to look out dated and out of sync with your environment as well.  I can’t help but notice how outdated some job seekers look just because of the glasses they wear.  You may believe this is a superficial issue but it is not.  Appearances are rarely really deceptive – if your clothing is outdated, your thinking may be as well. In this regard perceptions are truly reality, don’t allow anyone the perception that you are behind the times.

Do you keep current or do you spend your time listening to oldies but goodies and dreaming of the good ole days?  So it’s true, today, some people walk around with their underwear showing, others with pierced belly buttons in plain sight, and still others with tattoos decorating their bodies openly, and cleavage from both sides seems to be acceptable.  That’s a big change for anyone who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s.  But you know what?  It was a big deal when 50’s kids wore Levis and tee shirts and heaven forbid a girl should show up in pants.

If you can talk yourself into recognizing the beauty, charm, intrigue, and amusement of every new fad, knowing that it will soon evolve into something else and pass; then most likely you are going to be healthier and happier than the “bah humbugs” who go around complaining about the younger generations.

What’s on your shoulder, responsibility or a chip?  When you are competing for a job it is paramount for you to have your mind on the future and not the past.  It does not matter how many wrongs may have been done to you – or how hard it is to job hunt past 60 – or how much you may disagree with some traditions and policies, just keep focused on the future and how you can solve problems for the company.  Employment is always about how you can help the company, never about you.

Do you suffer from the “Terminally Unique” Syndrome?  Many times older workers fall into a trap of thinking they have so much experience, so much wisdom, so many skills that getting it all on one resume is impossible……not true.  A resume isn’t designed to tell the whole story, you can fill the “between the lines” information in the interview – let the resume help you get the interview by NOT tipping off anyone that you may be an older worker.  Give them an opportunity to meet you before they decide whether or not you can do the job.

Have you kept your skills current?  Don’t be afraid to learn new things and don’t be confused by the changes around you, take them one at a time.  Embrace technology, don’t run from it.  You can learn – after all you are the generation that learned to rely on the TV, the electric typewriter, the ice maker, the automatic transmission, you introduced radial tires, the cell phone – if you are still job hunting you are part of the generations that brought technology to what it is today, just make sure your computer skills are well tuned.  Take a typing course – it is not hard and it is very important in today’s work world.  

Now let’s talk about what you have to offer that gives you a competitive edge

Your education, experience and wisdom; and the greatest of these is wisdom.  Some people are born wise but most of us gain wisdom through age and experience.  Make sure you understand and can relate to an interviewer how your wisdom can benefit a company. 

Time and its management is one of the most important ways, but the smooth and wise handling of interpersonal and supervisory issues are a tremendous advantage that you may have over your competition. 

Anyone can have education, and anyone can be experienced – but put it all together in someone who has learned well from life’s lessons and you have a very valuable commodity.

Highlight your Achievements.  The resumes of older workers should demonstrate recent or current learning or skills acquisition but most importantly it should demonstrate in quantifiable terms the selected achievements of the job seeker.  An older worker is advantaged in this regard, you have more to choose from, and it is easier to tailor your resume to a specific situation.

Show confidence in yourself, your ability to perform, and your ability to compete.  You have, or should have by now, absolute confidence in your ability to perform.  You should know, and be realistic about what your strengths and weaknesses are.  An employer should get just what he or she sees in you

No kids, no colds, and time that is yours.  To some, being pretty sure that your kids are grown and gone is good news – no leaving early to pick up at day care, or a parent teacher conference.  You may be more open to flexible work hours and you probably will not be so prone to the colds and pink eye, and other maladies the parents of young children often pick up.  And now since your nest is probably empty, you have the luxury of controlling your time and energy.  As this spills into your professional life it is an unspoken benefit to the employer that you may be uniquely qualified to offer.

You are a product of your generation.   True or not people who grew up in the 50s and 60s have a reputation for having a strong work ethic.   Older workers are less inclined to relocate, they may have a different interpretation of loyalty, and dependability; an interpretation which is based on old expectations of employee and employer in cradle to grave employment, and at an advanced age, this worker is much less likely to job hop.  Older workers are usually very responsible and have great customer service skills – they can set very good examples for younger workers in terms of punctuality etc.

All in all, as times change so do social security benefits, interest rates, retirement programs, and personal health and longevity.  We are working longer, staying active and productive longer – more and more you are not unique as an older candidate.  Additionally as the boomers come into their 60’s the person interviewing you may be older as well. 

Older workers have much to offer, and opportunities are out there.  Looking, sounding and acting up to date are not the only challenges you face, the others are understanding your competition, making sure that you are a good fit for the job, keeping your interview skills on their best level, having a resume that does not misrepresent you, and knowing how to conduct a job search.