On the subject of Age

Interesting issues raised in the Money and Careers section of the weekend’s Newsday:

A reader applied for a position, and received no reaction to her application. Four months later, she noticed the same position being advertised. She is over 50, and she assumed that age was the problem. She asked the Money & Careers advisor, “Would it be a lost cause if I applied again?”

She was instructed to reapply without mentioning her earlier application. “Resume screeners are far from infallible – they may have misjudged your resume or left you out of the running for any number of reasons.”

“Rewrite your resume. This time, match, point by point, the job’s requirements with your qualifications.”

One more tip: A reader shared her technique for encouraging a good response to her ad replies. She added a postscript to her cover letters that read:

“Yes, I’m over 50, am in vigorous health and have superb experience for your position. We really ought to talk.”

With a population that is living longer, and social security cutoffs being raised, many professionals will be working through their 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s. An older worker will often go the extra mile to demonstrate their value to their employer, and companies that ignore the applications of workers over 50 are not only discriminating, they are missing out on a valuable segment of the workforce.

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