"Old hand" seeks new position

You can find numerous job application guides in any well-stocked bookstore. However, these are usually aimed primarily at (high) school graduates. If, on the other hand, you look for appropriate guides for experienced specialists and executives, the result is usually the same: Missing. Only very few guides touch on their situation.

The starting position of experienced job seekers and newcomers in the job market is very different. Almost all paths are still open to a freshly graduated business economist or lawyer. This is different for job seekers who already have ten or even 20 years of professional experience. For them, the professional course has already been set. This limits their possible field of work. What's more, while the ink on the diplomas of recent (high) school graduates is often still wet, the diplomas of their older colleagues are usually already yellowed. They say little about their current skills, because in the course of their professional lives they often grew into completely new areas of responsibility.

Perceive alarm signals

Another difference: For singles looking for their first permanent position, it usually makes relatively little difference whether the job search takes them to Berlin, Zurich or Vienna. It's a different story for experienced professionals with children and kids. They have more to consider when choosing a place to work. Nevertheless, the academics among them in particular often have to apply nationwide. The more specialized and qualified their previous tasks, the rarer the jobs that fit their profile.

That's why older employees should pay close attention to when the time for developing a new career perspective is approaching. Many miss this opportunity. After all, a student writing his or her bachelor's or master's thesis knows exactly, "In six months, my studies will be over. So I should start taking application photos." Such hard signals that the time is ripe to reorient oneself often do not exist among professionals. Usually, the signals are rather weak. For example: the boss suddenly gives important tasks to a colleague. Or the promised salary increase fails to materialize. Or there is hectic activity on the executive floor.

Do not suppress danger

If you ask older unemployed people whether their dismissal came as a surprise, many confess: It was foreseeable. But they repressed the threat. For understandable reasons: Older workers often have to rethink their entire life plans when they lose their jobs. That's why professionals should listen to the warning signs and not turn a blind eye. After all, HR managers are usually more sympathetic to applicants who still have a job than to applicants whose foreheads are already adorned with the mark of Cain "unemployed."" In addition, the more time there is to apply, the greater the chance of finding a job in the surrounding area. In addition, (still) job holders act more confidently.

One problem many older job seekers have is that it is difficult for them to prove their competence. After all, their 15- or 20-year-old diplomas say little about their current skills. Job references also usually only vaguely describe the activities performed. In addition, many personnel managers have little confidence in them. After all, they don't know whether the old employer formulated the reference so positively in order to save on severance pay or because the applicant really is top-notch.

Analyze experiences

When trying to explain this, it is often helpful to describe the problems the applicant solved at his or her previous employer. If the tasks and problem-solving steps are outlined briefly and concisely, this makes the competence transparent.

Generally speaking, companies expect more informative applications from "old hands" than from career starters. If career starters write "I read your ad with interest" in their cover letter and then briefly describe their resume again, they will be forgiven. Companies expect more precise statements from experienced professionals about why they are applying to them and why they would probably be valuable employees. This is also true in times like the present, when many companies are desperately looking for employees, but usually not just any employees, but highly qualified ones who ideally need almost no training time.

Determine special knowledge

Many experienced applicants find it difficult to explain this in writing to potential employers in their applications. Because they usually don't know: What "pounds" can I put on the scale? They often only refer to their professional expertise and industry knowledge. But companies also have different structures and cultures. That's why they also have specific problems and processes for solving them. Consequently, they also need different employees.

Here is an example: specialists and managers in medium-sized companies usually need broader qualifications than group employees, because in small and medium-sized companies there are not so many specialists to delegate tasks. In addition, their employees must not be "too shy" to bag letters from time to time. A job seeker who works in a small family business can bring just this to bear when applying for a job - even with large companies that want to subdivide their organization into smaller, more flexible units. Older job seekers should identify such special skills and experience - if necessary with the help of a career coach - so that they can make targeted applications. After all, the fact that they are experts with professional experience should also be reflected in their approach to applying.

To the author:
Thomas Fischer is Senior Consultant at the management consultancy Kraus and Partner, Bruchsal. He specializes in the areas of turnaround, transformation and change management, among others.