"It seemed like most of the positions available are junior," many of my Candidates observe. "The ads say, 'Must have ten years-plus years' experience and a boat load of different technologies and languages.' That's the mask that the job market puts on itself through the screening process. You've expanded your target market and sought out jobs that were not quite "the right" level, but still get rejected and sometimes told that you're "overqualified," the more politically correct version of too old.

The Careerpilot

The current job market has increasingly become a talent-deficient marketplace, even with the current unemployment levels. That anyone in this market would say that, "I want somebody under-qualified or just on par would be pretty silly."

Silly or not, older professionals often hear that answer during interviews. But such job seekers can adopt strategies to cope with these rejections. Further, coming to grips with the age issue in your career is a vital part of both resume development and your career FITness.

Coming across as the old guy (or gal) at work can cost you when it comes to raises, promotions, and layoffs. There's no upside to appearing stale -- much less ancient -- in today's workforce, where job security is as elusive as the gophers Bill Murray stalked in "Caddyshack."

 If you saw that movie in a theater, you fit the Careerpilot’s chrono-age profile!

Sure, many companies value older workers for their organizational knowledge, industry expertise, network and mentoring capacity. But you can't rest on those laurels in a rapidly changing workplace.  Not that it's easy.  It’s natural to be intimidated by the high tech savvy shown by younger colleagues... or their "new" way of doing things.  Who doesn't occasionally think that previous ways of doing things were better?   Do you sometimes find yourself hoping to muddle through till retirement?

It's okay to think these things -- you just don't want to be projecting them in the way you talk, dress, or do business. Watch for these signs that you're adding to your work age…

Part of Career FITness is Your “Work Age”

You look old if: you love the big meeting

Boomers came of age at a time when bosses frequently gathered staff for updates and marching orders. For a generation that logged long hours and blurred the line between work and life, those meetings also served as a pseudo-social outlet.

Younger folks aren't biting. Their philosophy: Get the job done -- and get a life.

Boomers must come to grips with the fact that this is a high-tech, lower touch…high-flex workforce.  Gens X and Y have eagerly engaged new tools to help them work more efficiently. (Remember, the youngest have never known life without computers or cellphones.) They embrace texting, webinars, e-mail, and the like… all of which can supplant physical gatherings.  And next time you need to collaborate on a project, consider using a wiki -- such as those at docs.google.com -- which allows multiple parties to enter and edit text.

Solution: To be in on their discussions, you'd better get in on the new communications channels. If you're in a position to call meetings, do so judiciously.  

• Have an agenda, recording and action plan to define anticipated results… hold your team members accountable for expectations.

• Keep 'em short, and rely on e-mail and instant messaging to plug any gaps -- young people use these methods of communication even if they're sitting a few clicks away from one another.

Since more people are embracing flexible schedules, set up videochat -- via Skype or iChat -- to replace traditional gatherings. Becoming familiar with these technologies will pay off for you down the line.

Intimidated?   You don't have to learn any of this on your own… Staying smart, cool and competitive in the workplace is easier when you let your younger co-workers help Make your years of experience a plus rather than a minus; chances are good that a thorny problem vexing your younger colleagues is similar to one you've seen and solved a dozen times before.  

• Share learning opportunities.  …. Young people know it cold, and they're eager to help.

• Offer to help, like they were eager to do for you and your use of current technology -- skip the "in the good old days" wind-up and instead impress them with the logic of your position and the confidence with which you deliver it.

Be viewed as an asset with current value vs. an artifact.

One downside to the new meeting-lite office is that digital communication lines -- e-mail and text messaging -- are always open. To keep up, trade your clamshell cell for a smartphone with a data plan. Their familiar QWERTY keyboards make it easier to adapt to texting and mobile e-mail.

For work purposes, use technology as a tool, without losing your “touch.”  Get a smart phone next time your cell phone’s contract renews… you can read books, search the web, and maintain your calendar and contacts on it.  What DID we do before smart phones? 

There are even “apps” for LinkedIN and Twitter!

You sound old if: you called the project an "epic fail"

It sounds natural when a young person uses a trendy term. But when said by someone middle-aged, it comes off sounding pathetic or just plain silly -- especially if you misuse a term or toss it off after its moment has passed (example: "bling bling"). You'll just remind people of your age rather than encourage them to forget.  Maintain you sense of self and authenticity.

Solution: Know what the latest phrases mean -- so you're not insulted when a young colleague calls your work "sick." But as for using them ... don't!  Remove 1980s and '90s corporatespeak from your repertoire. A buzzword like "impactful" is every bit as deadly (and dated) as calling someone "phat."

You sound old if: you're constantly referencing “experiences past”

Among the deadliest phrases in the workplace is this one: "Let me tell you how we used to do it."

Recalling the glory days to younger colleagues, with pre-PC tales of crashing mainframe computers will probably be met with blank stares.  The consequences can be worse than putting people to sleep, however.  There is a tremendous risk for experienced workers to see everything from a dated context… inject your sage wisdom judiciously… championing -- or even mentioning -- old ways could be seen as out of touch and intransigent.

Solution: Your employer wants to see that you're focused not on the past, but the future. Do this by showing you have a handle on emerging issues in your field -- a perspective older workers often lose (admit it, we do get more set in “our ways.”

You can broaden your knowledge by attending industry events, taking classes, and reading trade journals, sure. But in between, ask young colleagues for the blogs they like most, and use Google Reader to track them all in one place.  Also, type your industry into Google and add ".ppt" to get a list of PowerPoint presentations -- some are likely to cover hot topics in the field. Liberally drop what you learn into conversations with superiors and colleagues.

You appear old if: you don't have coffee machine conversation

Past a certain age, it's almost cool to not care about, say, what's on TV or the radio. It's all garbage anyway, right?  Younger people don't think so today.

Understanding pop culture is key… If you don't know what's going on, you're dating yourself… You're also missing chances to build relationships. Didn't see Snooki get snookered on "Jersey Shore?" Think Lady Gaga is a brand of baby food? You've got no cultural capital -- a lesson, perhaps, learned the hard way when you made that "Caddyshack" joke.

Solution: Knowing what younger co-workers are interested in gives you entrée to their conversations. But be strategic: Listen to what they're talking about and DVR one or two shows.  Alternatively, catch "The Soup" on E! on Friday night for a recap of the week's big TV moments… or read Entertainment Weekly. As for music, you may not have far to come.

You look old if: Your fashion sense is straight out of the eighties

You may have ditched the power suit years ago, but if you're still sporting a white starched shirt, a briefcase, or a tie, you're showing your age. At most offices, every day is casual Friday.

And while you may think your more formal choices are dapper, they don't always get read that way.  In the first five seconds people form 80% of their judgment of you. If you dress like a stiff -- in an office where that's not the norm -- you may be perceived as being rigid.

That's never a “good rep” for an older worker to have.

Solution: Find the right balance. There's nothing worse than a 50-year-old man wearing an Abercrombie shirt. But in a workplace of 20- and 30-year-olds, lose the tie because it can make you feel older. There's a simple rule to follow: Look at what your boss is wearing on most days and take his or her lead. In this case, it's better to act above your pay grade.

Read the original article…

How to age-proof your career  Additional reporting by Lauren Kelleher and Beth Braverman contributed to this article. 

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