Over 50? 4 Things You Must Do To Get A Job

Ageism grips many in the job hunt. No one doubts it can be more difficult for more experienced workers to land new opportunities and you feel stuck in a job search rut. Some overlook your application because you are deemed "overqualified," and others discriminate because they believe older workers will demand too much money. Still others worry that you are not technologically savvy and many employers are concerned workers over 50 are not flexible enough to keep up with their quickly changing priorities.

The best way to get a job when you're over 50 is to address and overcome all of these concerns in the job search and application process. If you are concerned your age may be preventing you from landing a job take the following steps to stay relevant in a fast-changing workforce:

1. Apply for Appropriate Jobs
When you apply for jobs you are clearly overqualified for, you encourage employers to wonder how long you will be willing to stay in the position before bolting for something better. They don't consider you relevant for these positions, even if you would be thrilled to take the job. If you want to be considered for positions, apply for jobs you're not overqualified to do.

Consider shifting your focus to a new industry if your field is not hiring, but do not send hundreds of resumes for entry-level positions if you have 20 years of experience if you want to hear back.