Examples will positively sell you to prospective employers. In fact, they’ll prove to be the cornerstone of your job search campaign. You’ll put them on your resume. You’ll use them when you’re networking and you’ll certainly need them in an interview. Examples prove you “own” the skills you’re claiming and they highlight the positive results you’ve achieved.

There are basically three components to creating clear examples:

• Start with a project/challenge/problem/situation you dealt with.
• Identify the specific steps and skills you used to resolve or remedy the challenge/problem/situation.
• End with the positive result you achieved and, whenever you can, quantify (describe with numbers or percentages) your results to further flesh out what you’ve accomplished.

Older applicants have the edge here because we can draw upon our substantial experience, our highly developed skills, and the knowledge we’ve accumulated over a lifetime.

As you’re coming up with your examples try to think of times when you:

• Saved your employer time or money
• Turned around a difficult customer or client
• Streamlined procedures and made things more efficient
• Took charge and showed leadership during a crisis
• Thought up a creative resolution to a problem

By naming your skills and backing them up with actual examples, you’re providing a real-life illustration of what you are capable of achieving. Employers believe: if you’ve done it before, you’re likely to do it again. So examples are the very best method to highlight all of your wonderful skills and experience in ways that make your actions speak for themselves.

For more tips on examples as well as techniques that are guaranteed to put you on the fast track to success, I invite you to check out Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. There are plenty of exercises in the book that will help you identify your key skills and present yourself as the winning candidate you are. Check it out on Amazon or, for a 20% discount, go directly to Create Space and enter the promo code 4923LVKS.

Also, for more information on how to create a winning example, take a listen to my latest (5-minute) installment of Essential Skills for Midlife Jobseekers on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio. And please tell your boomer friends about the series so they can make the most of their own efforts to find work.

So best of luck and happy job hunting!

But how do you know which skills employers are looking for? Well, that’s actually easy—they tell you! Reading through job listings is the best and easiest way to learn what your likely employers value. When you review the ads for positions in your line of work, you’ll see the same skills come up over and over again.

Job postings are a rich resource tool, so use them. However, don’t figure you’ll find a job by spending all your time answering ads. Studies show that fewer than 15% of positions are obtained by responding to postings. But, again, they’re a wonderful way to identify skills that are in demand.

So be sure to pack your resume with skills that are hot in today’s job market and be certain you’re presenting them using the latest buzzwords for your industry. You’ve probably have already mastered the skill and used it many times over the years—it’s just listed under a new term. Once you’ve identified what the market is buying, you’ll know how to position yourself as a candidate they’ll want to talk to.

For more tips and information on finding work fast, spend 10 minutes and take a listen to my latest installment of Essential Skills for Midlife Jobseekers. Also please tell your boomer friends about the series so they can make the most of their own efforts to find work.

Lastly, don’t sabotage your success and waste precious time and effort by using outmoded job search methods. You can save time, money, and loads of frustration by ordering Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. Check it out on Amazon or, for a 20% discount, go directly to Create Space, create an account, and enter the promo code 4923LVKS.

This book/workbook is your complete guide to positioning yourself the candidate of choice. Plus, you’re guaranteed to shave weeks (maybe months) off of your search by following the step-by-step instructions. Land the Job You Love has already worked for scores of boomers—so why not let the next success story be your own!

Moreover, when it comes to looking for work, clarity equals confidence. The last thing you want to say is that you’ll “take anything” just to find work. So take a few minutes, write out a list, and pull together your wants and needs in three areas:

Your values—what you need to feel an internal sense of satisfaction with your work.

Your practical priorities—consider things like salary, benefits, commute time, travel, etc.

And your motivated skills—which skills give you energy and inspire you to do your best?

For more tips and information on finding work where you’ll thrive, spend 10 minutes and take a listen to my latest installment of Essential Skills for Midlife Jobseekers. And please tell your boomer friends about the series so they can make the most of their own efforts to find work.

Lastly, don’t sabotage your success and waste precious time and effort by using outmoded job search methods. You can save time, money, and loads of frustration by ordering Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. Check it out on Amazon or, for a 20% discount, go directly to Create Space and enter the promo code 4923LVKS.

This book/workbook is your complete guide to positioning yourself as the candidate of choice. Plus, you’re guaranteed to shave weeks (maybe months) off your search by following the step-by-step instructions. Land the Job You Love has already worked for scores of boomers–why not let the next success story be your own?!

I had the great pleasure of visiting one such artist, Susan Hall, who shared the story of her journey in her visually stunning book, River Flowing Home. Susan’s work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Art (both solo exhibitions), the National Museum of Women in the Arts and numerous other venues. She’s also received two National Endowment for the Arts awards.

Susan’s personal journey has taken her from her childhood home in Northern California to the heart of the New York City art scene, to a Florida home she shared with famed artist James Rosenquist, and back again. River Flowing Home is a beautifully written look at what an artist experiences through her work, her relationships, her doubts and fears, and her ever-present need to create. It was my great joy to interview Susan on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio not long ago and meet her in her studio earlier this month. Her gracious and welcoming spirit were evident both on the radio show and in person.

If you’ve personally experienced the drive for self-expression through creative work or ever wondered what that’s like, I urge you to take a listen to Susan and order her book. My copy is proudly displayed on my living room coffee table. I want my guests to know the joy of the creative spirit through the work of my new and special friend, Susan Hall.

We all know the job search process is difficult. When you add on the fact there’s so much discouraging news aimed at boomers, it can become even more challenging. Nevertheless, in order to be a winner, you need to feel like a winner and project an air of confidence, enthusiasm, and a can-do attitude.

So how can you keep yourself motivated during the tough times? Here are three tips that work:

Set realistic expectations. Realize you will run into a number of “no’s” before your final “yes.” As Thomas Edison wisely commented when discussing his setbacks inventing the light bulb: I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Don’t go into overwhelm. Break your projects down into achievable and realistic steps. Reward yourself on a regular basis for staying on track. Special tip: start out your day with activities you enjoy and that come easily to you. This will set the pace and keep the momentum going.

Recognize the roller coaster ride. A job search is not easy and you’ll experience many highs and lows along the way. As much as possible, try to keep both your ups and downs in check. You’ll need to keep your eyes on the final prize, guard your emotions, and keep plugging away.

For more tips, spend 10 minutes and take a listen to the important information you’ll want to know. And boost your good karma by telling your boomer friends about the series. That way they can make the most of their own efforts to find work.

Lastly, don’t sabotage your success and waste precious time and effort by using outmoded job search methods. You can immediately shave weeks (and maybe months) off of your search and save time, money, and loads of frustration by ordering Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. Check it out on Amazon or, for a 20% discount, go directly to Create Space and enter the promo code 4923LVKS.

This book/workbook is your complete guide to positioning yourself the candidate of choice. There never was a better time to start than right now. Isn’t your future worth the few dollars you’ll spend on this important resource? The book has already worked for scores of boomers, so why not let the next success story be your own!

Each week I’ll be sharing a vital technique you must know and use in order to present yourself as an attractive candidate in today’s job market. Today we’ll begin with the key that underscores every aspect of your job search: your attitude. Spend 5 minutes and  take a listen to this important information and please pass it along to any boomer jobseekers you know.

Don’t sabotage your success and waste precious time and effort by using outmoded job search methods. You can immediately shave weeks (and maybe months) off of your search and save time, money, and loads of frustration by ordering Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. Check it out on Amazon or, for a 20% discount, go directly to Create Space, create an account, and enter the promo code 4923LVKS.

This book/workbook is your complete guide to positioning yourself as the candidate of choice. There never was a better time to start than right now. The book has already worked for scores of boomers, so why not let the next success story be your own!

A few comments from readers:

“A must-read for jobseekers” Camille Strate

“Extremely helpful guide for over 50 jobseekers” Wayne Felton

“Invaluable job guide for baby boomers” Peggy Kennedy

“Finally, an all-encompasing workbook on how to find a job!” Judith Marshall

And be certain to check back each and every Monday for a brand new job search tip to begin your week productively and well!

Baby boomers have been fighting “the man” all their lives. So why stop fighting when “the man” –or your mother-in-law or sibling or adult child or whoever—thinks you should retire just because you’re around that age? When “retirement age” was set years ago, life expectancy was lower and people were older—and more medically frail—after the age of 60 than they are now.

Fortunately, these days “the man” is likely to be a Boomer and to appreciate the maturity, experience, and wisdom that an older hire can bring to a job. There are recruiters out there who are actively seeking older job candidates. Why? A growing number of executives now realize that when they hire a Boomer, they have a win-win situation: an employee who does not need to be trained, who has already “been there and done that” when it comes to making the mistakes that new employees would normally make, and who can literally hit the ground running the first day on the job.

If you are looking for an employer who will appreciate your proven track record – and who will trust that you’re a quick study who will be able to pick up whatever technical training may not have been a part of your education, as you need it—consider these possibilities:

Universities. Traditionally, universities value knowledge and wisdom more than youth and “beginner’s mind.” According to the AARP’s “Best Employers for Workers Over 50,” Cornell University, MIT, George Mason, Oklahoma City University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Harvard, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of St. Thomas are especially good options.

Schools. School systems don’t look at job candidates in quite the same way that universities do—but in the end, they are looking for the same thing, age and experience. Older staff members give schools a better public image and give parents the assurance of knowing that their children are being educated by a group of people who have many decades of experience educating the young. Taxpayers feel safer sending their children to schools that are being run by people who are older. So do families who are paying tuition for private schools.

Banks and other financial institutions. Again, here we have an image issue. Banks, insurance companies, brokers, all want to project an image of conservatism and tradition. It’s hard to project that image if your employees are all twenty and thirty somethings. Financial institutions want their patrons to feel that their money is in good hands, the hands of people who have been trusted to handle money since time immemorial (no, you’re not that old!). Try First Horizon National Corporation, Securian Financial Group, the Nevada Federal Credit Union, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Pinnacol Assurance, Dentaquest, Acuity, S & T Bank, FCCI Insurance Group, Union Bank, and FINRA (again, the AARP’s favorites).

Government agencies. Bureaucracies tend not to be searching for the trendy and innovative. They are more likely to want to hire someone who knows how things are done and, particularly if the bureaucracy is part of a government, someone who has the maturity and judgment not to do anything that might have adverse political ramifications for the agency. According to the AARP list, again, some of the best government agencies around the country for Baby Boomers include: the National Institutes of Health; the City of Glendale, Arizona; the federal Department of Veterans Affairs; the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Nonprofit organizations. Whatever can be said about government bureaucracies and their appreciation for age and experience goes double, or possibly treble, for nonprofit organizations, who must be even more politically cautious in order to keep the funding that they receive from the government and/or from other organizations and special donors. Some organizations must walk a fine line politically – and they need leadership that comes with a solid measure of common sense and experience. According to the AARP, the YMCA of Greater Rochester, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, F.E.G.S. Health and Human Services System, and Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind are good options.

Corporations. Whether they hire older employees or turn to older consultants, corporate America values experience. It’s partly that corporations also have image problems, and need to market themselves as being steered by mature leaders. But it’s also the fact that older employees do have more experience – and that typically, not much you can throw at them will faze them. A few companies are especially well known for their appreciation of older workers: S.C. Johnson, Stanley Consultants, Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation, Manheim, GlaxoSmithKline, The Aerospace Corporation, Pepco, Solix, Avis Budget Car Rental, MEI Technologies, Intel, Express Employment Professional, and Prestige Services, Inc.

Don’t allow yourself to become a victim of age discrimination—insist on finding a job where you are valued for who you are.

Brendan Cruickshank (Vice President of Client Services) has been involved in the online job search and recruiting industry for over 8 years and has acted in senior client services roles with companies like Juju.com and JobsInTheMoney.com. His advice is often sought on topics in employment and jobs trends from publications including the Washington Post, Forbes and US News & World Report.

However (in one of Mother Nature’s less than optimal ironies) even as our self-concept grows, we begin to be plagued by those nagging aches and pains. As my friend Caryn Leschen once noted: “When you finally get your head together, your body starts falling apart!” For me, and scores like me, it’s my back. It’s prone to injury and anytime I’m under stress, the tension insists on residing in my lower lumbar region. So, whether I lift something too heavy or encounter a hassle-filled day, my back makes its presence known.

Enter Kathi Casey, aka the “Healthy Boomer Body Expert!”  Kathi is a wellness coach and popular author and speaker. She’s shared her tips for healthy living on The ABC Evening News, Fox 23, The Connecticut Style Show and even has her own weekly TV show called “To Your Health.” Kathi’s also written a humor-filled exercise book Get Off the Couch, Potato! and created several exercise DVDs.

On Tuesday, March 8^th at 8:00 p.m. ET, Kathi is offering a free teleseminar filled with tips and exercises which will include the #1 way to relax all the muscles in your back. I interviewed Kathi on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio; she explained the details and gave a preview of some of the techniques she’ll be sharing. Like most of my shows, the broadcast only lasts 15-minutes. Believe me, this one is well worth the small investment of your time.

It’s hard to be your best when your back is hurting and, for so many women in midlife, this truly is our time to shine. You don’t want to spend your days suffering from the agony of a bad back. So take Kathi’s advice, learn how to release tension, and tame your spinal gremlins once and for all. Sign up for her free teleseminar, and you’ll stay fit, fabulous, pain free, and feisty well into your fifties and beyond.

Those of you who are regular readers of the Feisty Side of Fifty already know about The Transition Network. This fine organization was created to meet the needs of women over 50 who wish to celebrate the second half of life by “channeling their skills, energy, and education in new directions.” TTN began in New York City and now has 11 chapters across the country, with 4 new chapters forming as I write this post. Members enjoy a wide range of benefits—not the least of which is making a new circle of like-minded friends, meeting in small groups to explore areas of particular interest, and celebrating their age with perspective and pride.

The second bird I’m stoning is a fabulous new online magazine called NYCityWoman.com. Yes, New York City is in the title and there are some pieces focused solely at Big Apple dwellers. But, by far, the articles travel well and appeal to women our age throughout the country. The title of this post and above mentioned quote came from just such an article. Written by Deborah Harkins, well-known writer/editor and enthusiastic member of TTN, “Savoring the Second Half of Life” showcases the numerous benefits of belonging to The Transition Network.

I was able to snag both Deborah Harkins and Betsy Werley, Executive Director of The Transition Network, for an interview on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio. As with most of my broadcasts, it’s a brief 15-minutes and I encourage you to take a listen. This particular interview just might give you some tools for positive change. I’m also excited to report that I interviewed Barbara Lovenheim, Founding Editor of NYCitywoman.com, several days ago—so be sure to check that out as well.

As you know, I’m fond of saying we boomers are “revolutionizing the spirit and style of aging.” With resources like The Transition Network and NYCitywoman.com, it’s a sure bet we’ll succeed. The pen (or, in this case, the digital media) is mightier than the sword and you can’t stop a group of menopausal women on a mission—so I’d say we’ve got two surefire ways we’ll be savoring the second half of life… and you can’t get much feistier than that!

First, a bit of news. For a limited time, I’m the featured writer on The Authors TV Show so please check it out at your earliest convenience. Also, a dear friend and fellow author, Judith Marshall is being interviewed on the radio show: Page Readers. She’s always a lively and fun guest so you won’t want to miss that conversation.

The Next Frontier–Care Getting

By Suzanne Braun Levine

With your kids finally leaving home, your vision of the years ahead beginning to come into focus, and your relationships narrowing down to a precious few, you are just beginning to explore what it means to care for yourself –– when the call to care-giving comes. Parents who had been taking care of each other suddenly lose it; partners who had been mighty oaks crack; friends who had been there for you suddenly need your support; kids in crisis show up on the doorstep.

“The Sandwich Generation”

Ours is called “the sandwich generation” because we often find ourselves squeezed by responsibilities for children and long-lived parents at the same time. The AARP reports that seventy percent of its members still provide financial support for their grown kids and forty percent are helping support both kids and parents. The same AARP report offers the prospect of another dependent – ourselves. “The number of 75-plus households headed by single women is projected to grow from fewer than 6 million in 2010 to 13 million by 2050.”

The sandwich is turning into a triple-decker. How do we balance our care-giving commitments with the need to develop care-GETTING skills?

“You can’t give up your life…”

“You can’t give up your life,” well-meaning advisors remind you as you embark on a care-taking journey with someone you love. But you will have to give up some of what was your life before the fateful phone call or event; the challenge of “care-getting” is to hold on to enough of the rest. “Get out of the house, spend some time with yourself, rediscover who you are and what you like to do when you are neither cheer-leading nor nursing,” one long-time care-giver told me.

Another good piece of advice I heard was to mobilize your own circle of caring volunteers. Many times friends and family want to lend a hand but don’t know how. It is helpful to be specific in your requests – “Can you bring a supply of soup this weekend?’ “Can you help me with my taxes?” “Can you research the visiting nurse options?” – and to give some thought to who among your volunteers is the person most suitable to carry out the request.

The Caring Collaborative

A very innovative set up – The Caring Collaborative – artfully combines care-giving and care-getting. The idea was conceived by Charlotte Frank, a co-founder of The Transition Network, who found herself in need of care following surgery. The CC is a collective opened to TTN members; those who sign up join a time bank in which they accumulate care-getting time they can draw on by helping other members in need – taking them to doctor’s appointments, doing grocery shopping, preparing meals, filling out paperwork.

Care-getting is a way of practicing Life Lesson Number Six: Do Unto Yourself As You Have Been Doing Unto Others in my book FIFTY IS THE NEW FIFTY: It doesn’t mean that you have to neglect those you have cared for so tenderly all these years, but that you begin to care for yourself with the same devotion.

Resources:

AARP - a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and over improve the quality of their lives, founded in 1958 by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus who had established the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) in 1947 – to promote her philosophy of productive aging, and in response to the need of retired teachers for health insurance.

www.aarp.org

The Transition Network (TTN) – an inclusive community of professional women 50 and forward whose changing life situations lead them to seek new connections, resources and opportunities. As a national organization TTN is a voice for women who continue to change the rules.

www.thetransitionnetwork.org

The TTN Caring Collaborative - Members Helping Members – an exclusive TTN program that brings members together in a formal exchange of health focused services and information. Using “time banking” software, members both give and receive assistance, matching those needing care and information with those who are willing to help.

www.ttncaringcollaborative.org