1. Financial plan (monthly budget).
2. Work horizon (how many years do you plan to work).
3. Criteria (5-10) for your next job.
4. Job title/position you seek.
5. Key skills/accomplishments you bring to your next employer.
6. Target organizations (15-20) that you want to work for.
7. Research target organizations.
8. Networking contact list.
9. Networking activities plan.
10. Salary and benefits requirements.

If you plan appropriately, you may continue to engage parts of the “portfolio” long into your retirement years. You may choose related occupations or utilize all sides of your personality and talents by working in completely different occupations.

If you are working part time chances are that you may not qualify for benefits, so take into consideration the number of hours you devote to various aspects of your career and how you will manage health care and retirement savings. Many more organizations are now offering benefits for part-timers. So check them out. Here are some examples: www.moneycrashers.com/part-time-jobs-health-insurance-benefits/

Preparation

Prepare for the call in advance:

• Have a copy of the job posting, paper, and pen available.
• Have your resume at hand and highlight your key skills for the position.
• Take the call from a quiet place free of noise and distractions.
• Review your research of the company.
• Have their website up on your computer during the call.
• Create a brief list of general questions about the job/company (save the detailed questions for the face-to-face interview).

Using Your Voice

Since neither you nor the hiring manager have the benefit of the visual cues that a face-to-face meeting provides, you have to convey your personality and suitability through your voice and how you manage your side of the conversation.  Most important – be positive, use a friendly, conversational tone, and speak clearly.  Listen carefully to the questions and ask for clarification if you need to.  Let the interviewer lead the discussion.

General Purpose

The general purpose of the screening call is to determine if you have the qualifications required for the position.  If the job for which you have applied includes communication skills as a requirement, the way you handle the call will reflect on this skill.

End with a Call to Action

Close the conversation with a call to action:  What is the next step in the process? When can you expect to hear back from someone?

Relax and Be Confident

Most important—relax and be your confident self.

So what’s the right answer? Is being “overqualified” is a bad thing? It’s not clear what the interviewer wants to know.  Here’s where you need to use your “active listening” skills. What information is the interviewer trying to get at? You may be able to figure out the interviewer’s concerns based on the context of the conversation. Here are some possible questions that the interviewer REALLY wants to have answered:

• Will you be bored/unhappy in this position?
• Will you be satisfied with a lower compensation?
• Will you leave as soon as a more challenging job comes up?
• Will you be angling for a promotion right away?
• Will you try to take the interviewer’s position?

The interviewer may have any number of other concerns inarticulately advanced with the “overqualified” remark or question.  The bottom line is that you cannot give an honest and direct answer to such an ambiguous question.

Your goal in the interview process is to promote your skills, capabilities, and accomplishments and demonstrate how they match the employer’s needs.  In order to do this well, you need to understand each question and if it’s not clear what information the interviewer wants, then ask for clarification.

If you are faced with the “overqualified” question, consider using some form of the following response:

“I want to provide you with all the information that you need to make a good hiring decision. Can you please clarify your concerns?”  That clarification should express the concern of the interviewer and now you can respond.  The right answer here is the honest answer.  Be sure to consider your answer to the “overqualified” question as you prepare for the interview. Prepare your answers to every reasonable concern that being “overqualified” may raise.

1.       DON’T mention it.  Don’t bring up your age or your years of experience which may suggest your age.

2.       DO develop an air of confidence, vigor, and competence. Rid your mind of thoughts of age bias so you don’t give out any unconscious signals that age is an issue.

3.       DO make sure your skills and training are up to date for the job you seek.

4.       DO remove dates from your resume that may give away your age.  Those may be dates of education or certifications.

5.       DON’T go back any further than 15 to 20 years of work history on your resume.

6.       DON’T focus on your years of experience on your resume. Employers want to know what you can contribute now.

7.       DO emphasize your skills and accomplishments on your resume.  Create a T-chart and match your skills and accomplishments to the key requirements of the job. This exercise will prepare you for writing your resume and for the interview questions.

8.       DO seek out “age-friendly” employers. Identify 10 to 20 companies you want to work for and find out if they welcome mature workers. Network to find people who currently work there or have worked there in the past and get information from them. Check out the company website for photos, press releases, statements about corporate culture. Check out certified age-friendly employers at RetirementJobs.com and AARP.org. Visit the company parking lot and see who’s coming and going.

9.       DO make a good first impression at the interview.  Dress appropriately for your age and the company culture, display enthusiasm, and confidence. Leave any thoughts of age discrimination outside the building—they will poison your attitude and jeopardize your chances for a successful interview and never mention the subject of age, even in jest.

10.   DO prepare for the “tough” interview questions that relate to age.  Use active listening skills and look behind the questions.  What are the interviewer’s concerns?

Give yourself a week of NOT job hunting. No searching the job boards, no sending resumes, no phone calls, or emails.  Instead focus your “vacation” time on restoring your mental and physical health. Create a vacation schedule includes rest, exercise, and mental health restoration. Start with an exercise program—whether it’s working out on a treadmill, taking a long walk, swimming, stretching, yoga, or whatever is available to you—do it every day for at least 45 minutes. Eat healthfully by planning well-balanced meals.

Devote 30 minutes each day to restoring your mental well being by meditating. If that sounds too foreign to you, then spend the 30 minutes thinking and writing about yourself—your best qualities—the things about you that make you the unique and valuable person that you are. If you have negative thoughts, just push them aside and focus on a positive one. This isn’t always easy when you’re in a period of discouragement, but just note one or two positives to start.  If you practice every day you will discover more.

Restart your job search after your “vacation.”  Don’t just pick up where you left off, but start all over.  Carefully review your job search goals. If the jobs in your field have pretty much dried up, identify the skills you have that are transferable to another position. Conduct some informational interviews to verify your suitability and get more data.  Revise your resume.  Make sure your resume is focused on a particular job title. You need a different resume for each position title.  Do your listed skills support the position for which you are applying?  You may need to reorder or add skills, depending on the position description.

Searching for a job is a job and you may need a break—a “vacation” to restore your energy and gather your strength. Take a little time off to refocus and come back to your job search renewed.

By the way, you do have business cards, don’t you?  If not, head over to your nearest print center and have some created right away.  Make sure to include the title of the position you seek and/or a list of your key skills.

Make sure to follow up with a thank-you note, whether or not the contact yielded any information. You will want to stay in touch and check in with them again. Provide a copy of your resume if appropriate.

Be a good networker and pay it forward. Don’t wait until you’re out of a job to reach out to people. Check in with your contacts and be proactive in meeting new people—don’t just wait until you need a job. Keep in mind it’s not all about what your network can do for you–if you don’t offer your advice or connections to your contacts, they aren’t going to be very motivated to help you.