7 Tips for Getting Hired After Age 50

By Emily Brandon

It can be especially challenging to find a new job in your 50s and 60s. The unemployment rate for older
workers is lower than that of younger workers, but once out of work, older workers seem to have greater difficulties landing a new position. The average duration of unemployment for job seekers age 55 and older was 54.3 weeks in December 2014. That's over five months longer than the 28.2 weeks younger workers remain unemployed, according to an AARP Public Policy Institute analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Here are some strategies to find a new position after age 50.

Start your job search right away. Don't wait until your unemployment runs out to start looking for a new position. "It does seem like prospects are best for the unemployed as soon as they leave their jobs, so it might be a good idea to start job searching in earnest right at the beginning, rather than easing into job searching while on unemployment," says Joanna Lahey, an associate professor at Texas A&M University who studies age discrimination. A large gap on your resume and a growing sense of frustration with the job search process can make it even more difficult to get hired again.