Over the years I have always been given once piece of advice when interviewing: Have questions you ask the interviewer.  As I have moved on in life and now I am the interviewers I realize how important this process is to the hiring manager.  However I still struggle to come up with quality questions to ask in a interview. So what so do say when asked: “So, do you have any questions?” at the end of the interview?  Think it through and have a few questions in your back pocket.  If your answer is, “No, I don’t think so,” it may leave you at the bottom of the list.

Companies are seeking candidates who have critical thinking skills; they are looking for people who are knowledgeable and interested in the job. Any questions you might ask will demonstrate that interest. The thing to do is NOT leave them hanging with no response to the question “do you have any questions”?   

General Questions:

What you are looking for in a candidate?

What qualities did the last person you hired have?

Why is this position open?

What was it that you think kept that person from being successful?

What are the tasks in this job that will make someone in this position successful?

How do I rank among the other candidates?

Can you tell me about the company’s culture/mission/philosophy?

What do you like best about working for this company?

What are the next steps?

When do you expect to make a decision?

Do you have any reason why you would not consider moving me forward during the (hiring) process?

Are there any other folks who will be interviewing me later?

What’s a typical day like?

What stops most employees from being successful?

Are there any more questions you have for me?

Do you see how my past experience translates well for this position?

Questions for sales jobs:

Which product line of yours is your lead line? (i.e. the one that everyone should buy)

Which product line should they probably not buy?

How does the travel program work?

Remember the questions you ask will allow you stay long after the interview and defiantly make an impression. Your questions also do the critical job of uncovering any issues the hiring manager might have with you, so that you can correct any problems before you leave.

Do you Tweet?  Facebook, or catch up on MySpace? According to recent research more than 25% of Americans 50 years and older stay connected using sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.  Additionally, almost half of those surveyed between the ages of 50 and 64 said they’re extremely or very comfortable using the Internet. AARP Chief Communications Officer Kevin Donnellan says “The latest data tells us that more and more, social networking is becoming a part of everyday life for Americans 50+, and boomers in particular.”

Furthermore, When adults 50+ are looking for news, 40% said they prefer print newspapers and magazines, while 26% responded that they gathered their news through a combination of print and online sources.  Those numbers are dramatically up then they were 5 years ago, when most people relied on print news mediums.

Times are changing how do you stay connected?

When you create your resume, peruse the classifieds or attend a job fair you better be able to answer this question. And I can assure you of one thing……I will work anywhere isn’t going to work.  I recently attended a career fair event and it was incredible how many people didn’t know the answer to what they were looking for, how do you know you have found something if you don’t know what you are looking for? It’s an age old problem but ones that’s even more magnified in a time when the labor market is so tough.  

So how do you find out what you are looking for?  Start with looking at what you have done, both professionally and personally; and figure out what skills you can use for the new step in your job search. A real world application might look like this: Perhaps you have worked as a lab manager for the last 20 year and now would like to find a new job. As a manager of a lab you most likely picked up many transferable skills that can be used in a number of new positions not limited to this list….

·         Customer Service Manager

·         Sales Manager

·         Customer Service Reps

·         Call Center Manager

·         Data Entry

·         Hospitality

Notice none of these were medical; you can apply skills that you have to almost any type of industry. So when you are creating a resume keep this in mind. Create a resume that tells a story of what you can do now what you have done before. You need to convey a story of what you bring to the table and how you can benefit a company now.

We talked about what a webinar is and how you can use it in your job search. The concept is pretty neat. You can learn on a whole range of topics that you need to know about and you can learn without needing to get in your car. Pretty handy! I just learned about a webinar that AARP is offering on June 17^th from 2-3 p.m. EST. I also learned that  AARP is offering webinars throughout 2010 to help you succeed in your job search. Each webinar offers practical tools and resources tailored to the needs of 50+ workers.

This particular webinar Refresh Your Resume for Today’s Job Market is FREE and will focus on how to better craft a resume to help you get a job!

Click on this link to register for this valuable webinar

The webinar is scheduled for 2:00-3:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). This means it will be held at 1:00-2:00 Central Daylight Time, 12:00-1:00 Mountain Daylight Time, and 11:00-12:00 Pacific Daylight Time.

To participate in the webinar, you must have a computer with Internet access and audio capability (internal or external speakers). An audio bridge will be provided for Mac users. Not able to attend on June 17?  A recording of the webinar will be posted on the AARP website for you to view at your convenience. Check back at AARP.org after the webinar.

Can you imagine sitting in the comfort of your own home and learning from an expert how to write a better resume?    Well your dream can come true through technology you can do just that learn and expert who will be teaching people all over the country during the same session and doing it all online and the process is called a webinar.

In a webinar, each participant sits at his or her own computer and is connected to other participants via the internet. This can be either a downloaded application on each of the attendees’ computers or a web-based application where the attendees access the meeting by clicking on a link distributed by e-mail (meeting invitation) to enter the conference.

In an age of technology there are new webinars each and every day, this give you an opportunity to not only learn but continue to learn. Take advantage of webinars as they are a way to learn and use that knowledge to get a job!

This morning I read an interesting article on older workers, I thought I would share with you the highlights. While the unemployment rate for older workers is significantly higher there is also indicators that the older worker will have a easier time rebounding and finding employment as the market begins to rebound. It’s Wall Street Journal’s opinion that companies will begin to make hiring decisions based on what’s the “best” option for them to get the best candidate for my open positions and hands down we know that the best candidate out there is the older worker. They have the skills to match and the ability to increase the core business practice and moral in a thriving business. They are best suited to be natural mentors. Others agreed. “There are certainly a number of older workers who have pretty critical skills sets, and companies want to hold onto them,” said Max Caldwell, a leader of Towers Watson’s talent and rewards business.

Deborah Russell, AARP’s workforce issues director, said employers in growing industries such as health care will aggressively recruit from the older demographic of workers as the population ages. “Hospitals are using strategies that look at retaining their current workforce, as well as recruiting from the older workforce,” she said. It’s true that as the workforce continues to age American employers will have a rare advantage to improve their hiring choices by grasping hold of the older worker!

As you have read many times here before the older worker is the best candidates as they bring years of practical experience to your workplace. What better way to improve your entire team hire an experienced older worker who will train your younger staff on skills that only they have: loyalty, hard work, and finally the ability to adapt to a every changing market place. These are all skills you use on your team. This year we have a rare opportunity to help you connect with the older worker at our specially designed job fairs. Where you can participate in seminars designed to help you promote yourself to perspective employers. Then take your newly learned skills out and use them on prospective employers. Check it out! We may be coming to a city near you!

It’s a wonderful sometimes scary place out there in the wild world of the internet.  Just when you think you have learned it all by securing the knowledge of what copy and paste means the now there is something else to learn. So today’s topic is social media, it’s a funny phrase and seems so warm and fuzzy; social media, seriously who doesn’t love a good party that must be what it means social right they will be serving cool drinks…right.  Now, so if it’s not a party what does it mean? 

Social Media uses Internet and web-based technologies to transform broadcast media monologues (one to many) into social media dialogues (many to many). It supports the democratization of knowledge and information, transforming people from content consumers into content producers.

So let’s talk about what it means to the normal person. Social media is a way you can exchange information in real time. It can be as simple as sharing pictures of the grandkids with your relatives on Facebook to as complex as exchanging information on a blog that is much like a online article.

Wait there’s more, the most important segment of social marketing you need to advantage of is Linkedin.com is an interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world, representing 170 industries and 200 countries. You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals.   So if you happened to be looking for a job….start here Linkedin.com and start networking with companies that are looking for brilliant people just like you!

In honor of Friday the 13^th I thought we could celebrate it by celebrating why older workers will substantially benefit any business.  

1.    Everything can be improved: Experienced workers take pride in their work.

2.    You get what you expect: Older workers stay on task until it is completed.

3.    Pleasure in the job put perfection in the work: Older workers have a knack for paying attention to detail.

4.    Finally being old pays off: Older workers have many years of experience

5.    Only those who do nothing make no mistakes: Older Workers make excellent mentors and role models

6.    Act the part and you will become the part: The older worker is not afraid to voice his opinions

7.    Concentration is the secret of strength: Less likely to play office politics.

8.    The best vision is insight: They can be left unsupervised more often and get the job done efficiently.

9.    Just go out there and do what you’ve got to do: Willing to stay over and work until the job is completed. 

10. Quality is everyone’s responsibility: Older Workers often know where problems may occur and how to prevent it

11. Only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it: Older employees are able to take things in stride and find workable solutions without “losing it.” 

12. Built in Training Department:  Older workers can easily train younger workers and encourage their progress.

13. We all have ability. The difference is how we use it : Usually they only have to be told once how to do a job.

You have the power to change; Hire an Older Worker!

Baby Boomer and Older Workers are surfing the web and STOP the presses they spend more time online than the average teenager. Your grandparents use the internet for more than email cute picture of their grandkids. It’s time we start looking at this demographic as a major player. Let’s face it they’re not going off into retirement and playing golf and sipping on martinis. However they may be using the internet to make reservations at the club for only the best tee time.

So what exactly are they doing?  Well……..everything shopping, communicating and well socializing with their friends! When they’re not surfing the web for the latest information they’re befriending people on Face book, tweeting the latest rage on Twitter and following the latest trends on blogs.

Baby Boomers and Older Workers:

Regularly use email 94%

Look up health and medical information 71%

Keep up to date on the latest news 70%

Are spending your inheritance on online gaming 47% (You better keep working!)

Managing their finances and banking 59%

Hitting the latest sales as they shop online 71% (highest % among any generational group)

Looking for work on WiserWorker.com

So the lesson here is that you better be taking this demographic seriously and learn from them as they want to teach you what they know!

Source: Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).

This morning I was reading okay watching the news and I came across the following article: “Over 50, and zero job offers”.  Okay that’s just silly; yes the job market is tough I give you that however; you need to remember this:  As an older worker have something that other applicant’s lack…..EXPERIENCE.

Your only obstacle is connecting with employers who are ready and willing to hire YOU. Get started today by creating the right resume, connecting on the social media sites that will get your connected and of course visit WiserWorker.com the only site for older workers!

Functional Resume usually starts with summary of qualifications to put emphasis on skills particular areas of focus. Examples might include: customer service, word processing, computers, accounting, data archiving, office, telephone reception and problem solving. Rather than listing specific details, the job seeker lists responsibilities and achievements under the three main highlighted areas. The employment history is simply listed underneath the functional areas followed by education, training and other complimentary sections.

LinkedIn exists to help you make better use of your professional network or create a network.  Their mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. Jump right in and create a account and make sure you select that you are looking for a job. You will be amazed at how many people seek you out because you are qualified.

WiserWorker.com YOU already know the most valuable resource online helping older workers get back in the workforce. WiserWorker.com is dedicated to providing quality employment opportunities and resources to people just like you.  

Good Luck!