Customer Reviews

Over-40 Job Search Guide: 10 Strategies for Making Your Age an Advantage in Your Career

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just went through this book -- despite its 244 pages (counting the index), it only took a day or two because it's easy-reading. If an older employee desires to be cheered by an upbeat book that speaks directly to their job search plight, it's probably not a bad choice.

But, while I found it somewhat useful, there is no way that I can rank it with five stars like some of the other reviewers here have unabashedly scored it. I don't know -- maybe some of them rated it so high because they were delighted just to finally see in print some sympathetic and quasi-encouraging acknowledgement regarding how difficult it can be for anyone over age forty (and, even more problematic, over age fifty) to land a decent job in this mindless, myopic, commodifying economy which simultaneously celebrates and exploits youth.

Yes, age discrimination is supposed to be against the law, but it happens all the time anyway. And, when it does, it is almost impossible to prove, especially in an administrative hearing or a court of law if one can ever get that far. We lately keep hearing about our "aging society" and how, because there are not enough younger workers coming along, that there are more and more employment opportunities for aging "babyboomers" and that some businesses are now deliberately seeking out and hiring experienced older workers. Well, I keep reading about it, but I have yet to see it materialize, at least where I live. Most of the older workers I know, even though they once had valuable professional careers, are still relatively healthy, and very likely have many good years left in them, have had to resort to selling real estate, insurance, or cars as they struggle to make some kind of decent living after they may have lost their positions (usually, through no fault of their own). Some of them have graduate degrees, twenty five or thirty+ years of quality technical, management, and executive experience, and were pulling down six figure salaries. In their "golden years", their "American dream" in tatters, they are worried about health insurance or holding their marriages together. What a sick, sad waste!

Now, this book does seem to have some helpful suggestions, such as advising older, deeply experienced workers to target more stable industry sectors (those not prone to massive downsizings and layoffs, such as in telecommunications) with good growth potential where older employees are supposedly more valued and respected. The author mentions four specifically: health care; education; residential services; and business-to-business services.

But, otherwise, at least for me, most of the advice in this book is either "no-brainer", common sensical stuff (like, for example, dressing and looking/acting right for interviews), or stuff (such as how to compose an "ageless" resume) that other job search books, career counselors, and human resources "experts" might argue with. For example, contrary to what this author suggests, some of them will tell you that it's a "turn off" when they see a resume with, for example, the dates of college degrees left off. They immediately conclude, "Ha! Here's another clown trying to hide their age!"

I wish I had this book 2 years ago when I was laid off! This is the BEST book I have read for any experienced former employee. It addresses the real issues you face as an older worker looking for a job and gives you strategies for overcoming them. I found the exercises included to be simple, neccessary and valuable. She addresses specific negative stereotypes of older employees and how to overcome them on resumes and during interviews. I found her section on "acquiring inexpensive skill and credential updates" to be invaluable. I also liked her chapter on "playing to your strengths". I bought and mailed a copy of this book to my sister who hates job hunting books - and even she loved it. If you are over 40, GET THIS BOOK NOW! This includes those of you who are still employed...

If you're 40-plus and looking for work, you are likely to feel like a stranger in a truly strange land.

This book is terrific. It guides you gently to stop looking where the jobs AREN'T (ie, sick or dead industries). It doesn't try to sweet-talk you out of the certainty that age discrimination exists, but is frank and realistic about what you can (and can't) do to counter it. It's practical enough to get you moving, yet kind enough that readers who have likely already been though a lot can actually stand to read it.

Really work this book, and you'll have a better resume, a clearer idea of your own goals, and much more focused criteria for job searches. Worth every penny.

Age bias is the single largest bias in the United States. That is the finding 0f a study at Harvard University and if you are bent on breaking through that bias,reading Gail Geary's book is a good preparation for that experience. Geary gives first rate advice on playing to your strengths, uncovering the hot sources for hiring possibilities, how to make good first impressions and handling tough questions.
If you are looking for employment in a market biased against you and you have some tell tale gray in your hair. this book can only help.

This is a very practical guide to getting your career moving when you suffer a setback when you are 40+ years old. Gail Geary doesn't hide the fact that age can be a negative factor when looking for a new job, but she doesn't let the reader use age as an excuse. Instead, she offers a very pragmatic approach to identifying your direction (including offering four career areas that are growing and are already "age diverse"), assembling an age-neutral resume, handling the interview, and staying in the right mindset along the way. I actually read this book cover-to-cover and can say with confidence that it has altered my approach for the better.

This is a great book. I feel more prepared as I enter a more mature stage in my life because of this book.
The only negative I would have to say is that it was written in 2005 and needs to be updated. The job market moves so fast these days that a book like this probably has to be updated every 2-3 years.

I found Gail Geary's "Over-40 Job Search Guide" to be a very valuable tool in my career search. It is a quick read that helped to jump-start my search, get me focused and on track.

This Book is quite well written. I like the fact that it confronts age issues. It's too bad that it doesn't address the problem of "mobility challenges" (physical disabilities) as well. Nor does it offer suggestions as to how to get around', or respond to, the hidden prejudices that employers may have about people with disabilities. Nontheless, it does offer some helpful advice for "career-changers" over forty.