Top tips to finding a job in your 50s

Find a job in your 50s

Changing careers or finding a job in your 50s (and beyond) can feel really scary, overwhelming and sometimes downright disheartening. Your age, disability, injury, illness or health condition doesn’t have to stand in the way of your next job. Working in our industry we often hear our customers say things like:

“I’ve been raising kids for 20 years – who’d hire me now!”

“Employers only want young, healthy workers. It’s nearly impossible to get a job over 50, how do I get help?”

“I’ve worked for the past 7 years then COVID came along. I’ve tried getting back to work again and just can’t get anywhere.”

“I’m 54 and have over 30 years experience, but I can’t get an interview anywhere”

While it is true, finding a job later in life IS different to being fresh out of school, you’ve got more of a chance of being a standout candidate and landing a job than you realise. Here are our top tips to finding a job in your 50s.


1: You’ve got more skills than we can poke a stick at…

Yep really! Even if you don’t believe us, it’s true.

Chances are, you’ve held a bunch of different jobs over the years that have helped you hone your skills. If you have a long work history try to focus less on your age, or the year attached to your qualifications and more on showcasing that you have the relevant qualifications or better yet, that you’re willing and able to learn!

If you feel like you need to catch up on current trends or brush up on some skills you haven’t used in a while, consider some upskilling opportunities. Find out more about upskilling here.   

If you’ve been out of work for a while, there’s no need to panic. You’ve got something young applicants don’t have – life experience.  Raising kids, volunteering, caring for family members or being involved in the local community are all commitments that have helped build transferrable skills that are desirable in the workplace.

Use this lived experience to highlight your time management, finance & budgeting, problem solving & organisation skills on your resume instead. You can back them up with solid examples from your life and how this would add value to the workplace.

2: Update your resume

A well organised, professional resume is worth its weight in gold.  You could have all the skills in the world, but if you’re not selling it well on paper, you’re unlikely to catch the eye of an employer. If you can’t remember the last time you wrote a resume, then it’s definitely time to breathe some life into it!

Be sure to tailor your resume for the position you’re applying for, ensuring you highlight the relevant skills and experience you have that would make you the ideal candidate for the position. Not sure where to start? Check out our advice on writing a resume.

3: Make your network work!

Ever heard the saying it’s not what you know, it’s who you know? This does hold a bit of truth to it. Having someone introduce you to an employer directly is much more valuable than unsolicited job applications.

Your network of friends, family, former colleagues, bosses and community members are your biggest cheerleaders and between them all, they’re bound to know an employer who is eager to meet you.

Reach out to your network and ask if they know of any available positions or have any contacts, recommendations or introductions they can make for you to help you get your foot in the door. While asking for their help might feel daunting at first, remember, these people care about you and want to see you succeed. You’d do the exact same for them.

4: Prioritize your goals for this next job

Before you go in and apply for every job under the sun, think about what you’re actually after with this job. If it’s to ensure retirement savings, then earning potential is key. If you’re looking to find something that works around your family, then flexibility is important. Perhaps, you’re looking to re-enter the workforce after an extended period of time off, so an understanding employer and training is vital to your success in the role.

Identifying what your job search goals (and must-have’s) are upfront will save you time and energy on applications by helping you whittle down which jobs you should actually put your time and energy into. Everyone’s path is different so find what works for you and your situation!

If you already know what your goals are for the job or industry you are looking for, that’s great! This will help you understand what skills will be required for the job. To match up your skills with potential jobs, you can use a skills match to enter the previous jobs you have worked in, see what skills you may have from your jobs and compare those with new jobs.  

5: Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

This tongue twister is our way of saying be prepared for any question an employer may ask you. If it’s “you’re over-qualified” tell them that you have considered this issue but know that your experience and skills will be a big asset to the organisation and you’re committed to showing them that. If they are concerned about employment gaps in your resume, speak about the skills you gained during this time. Remember point 1 and how you’ve got a tonne of skills? Explain how you would apply this to the workplace.

When finding a job in your 50s, preparing your answers ahead of time and being equipped to address any employers’ potential tricky questions will help you to feel calm and confident in any interview and will reassure employers. Feeling nervous about job interviews? Here’s everything you need to know about nailing it.

6: Keep your options open and stay positive.

Looking for work can feel like a never-ending battle for anyone at any age. No matter what stage you’re at in the job search, having the right attitude is key. So if you submit an application or go into an interview believing you’re the right person for the job and showing off your willingness to work, you’re instantly that much more employable.

7: Find the right support

Having a great support network to lift you up is important in any job search. If you need support to find work or manage your disability, injury, illness or health condition, we can help!


READY TO FIND WORK?

We’ve got your back through every step of the job search process. Send us a message and we’ll will be in touch shortly to determine how we may be able to help you, or better yet, call us now on 1300 139 920

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Campbell Page customer Maria finds her dream job!

Disability Employment Services customer Maria recently started a job in aged care support, combining her passions of helping others and working with people. We caught up with Maria to find out how the new job is going (spoiler: she’s loving it!)


Before working with Campbell Page, Maria was battling with ongoing health conditions and didn’t see work in her future – in fact, neither did her doctors. Not only was she struggling with her health, she lacked confidence in finding work and didn’t know where to start. When she had tried to find support in the past, she felt that it wasn’t getting her to where she needed to be: “I felt like I was a number in the system and felt stranded”.

The Campbell Page team supported Maria by creating a resume and helping her to identify her skills. Though she hadn’t been in paid employment, her time raising a family and organising a household meant she had a tonne of transferable skills! She was also guided by the team to develop her interpersonal skills, build resilience in the workplace and set boundaries so that she could offer support to others, while still taking care of herself and her condition.

On top of this, Maria entered into study with the support of Campbell Page and her Employment Consultant. Knowing that someone had her back the whole time helped Maria believe in herself and remove any self-doubt about her ability and skills.

From the moment you come in you’re supported. [You’re] actually listened to, I don’t feel like a number. They make you feel like a person, and they understand the problems and come up with solutions.

After successful completion of her course, Maria landed a job in aged care support and she hasn’t looked back since. Maria said working with her clients gives her a reason to smile everyday: “I’m more energetic since starting work, I’ve always been happy & positive, but waking up now, I’m excited for the day and to go to work.”

Here’s what Maria had to say to anyone who lives with an injury, illness, disability or health condition and is struggling to find work:

I think Campbell Page is the best place to get a job you actually want and will be happy with. Even when you’ve got the job they’re still calling you and checking in.

Congratulations to Maria for her new job, we’re so proud of you!

We won’t just team up with you, we’ll get in your corner! If you have an injury, illness, disability or health condition and need support to find work, (and keep it) we can help. Click here or call our friendly team on 1300 139 920 to get started.

Samantha shares her journey to success

At Campbell Page, every customer has a great story to share! We caught up with ParentsNext  customer Samantha to chat about her journey with Campbell Page from a stay at home mum to finding her confidence (and work).


We can all agree that being a Mum is one of the most important jobs, but when it came to doing something for herself, that’s where Samantha struggled. “I wasn’t very outgoing…I lacked self-confidence” she explained.  Due to distance and health issues it was hard to find the right support from her network “I was more the support person to others”.

That’s where Campbell Page stepped in and from the first appointment things started to change. “After the first appointment… I had more confidence than I thought!”.  Samantha and her ParentsNext Coach, Kiri, got to work creating a plan to help Samantha uncover her goals for her future. Samantha went on to successfully complete hospitality studies including RSA, RCG, Barista training and food handling and as a result, landed a job!

“Kiri assured me she would support me getting into courses and this made me excited about possible work in the future.”

 “[Life has] improved now. [I] have a good job in hospitality which has improved stability for my family. My confidence has increased, and it has helped in [my] work.”

This stability, newfound confidence and opportunity to uncover her goals and passion have helped Samantha explore a whole new path for herself. She’s now completing an IT course in the hopes of pursuing a career in the field “[I] feel more confident in my ability to study and work.” When asked what her advice was to other parents who are looking to get back into work, Samantha said:

“Don’t be afraid to ask for support. I would definitely recommend Campbell Page”

If you’d like support to find work, (and keep it) visit our website or call our friendly team on 1300 139 920.

How to land a job with zero experience

no experience no worries! Finding your first job

Searching for your first job or trying to grow your career and land a permanent gig is tough! Sure there are hundreds of jobs around but who’s going to hire you when you have zero experience? After endless applications it feels like you’ll never find a job.

It doesn’t help when it seems like every job ad you find reads something like: “Entry level retail position, perfect for recent PHD graduates with 40 years of experience in quantum physics. Must have a personal reference from Beyoncé and be willing to work 24/7. This is an intern position so will be unpaid, but for the right applicant may progress to paid work!”

Jobs I'm qualified for
When you’re on a job hunt, finding the right position can feel impossible.

Ok so we may have exaggerated a little bit, but come on, we’ve all been here right? Don’t give up yet. Take a break from stress scrolling seek, breathe in deep and keep reading. Here are our top tips to finding a job when you don’t have experience.


1: There’s no such thing as zero experience

It’s hard not to get down on yourself during a job search, especially if it feels like everyone else is miles ahead of you, but trust us, you’ve got skills and experience to leverage even if you don’t realise it. No really- hear us out!

Maybe you’ve done some babysitting, looked after siblings, or mowed lawns. You might have been part of some clubs or activities at school, worked on class projects or volunteered. This all experience you can put on your resume.

Each of these experiences have helped you grow and develop transferrable skills in time management, teamwork, organisation, decision making and more. Show this off in your resume and highlight how this experience (however small) will help you add value to the workplace.

2: Attitude is EVERYTHING

If you really feel like you have absolutely no experience whatsoever that’s ok. When you’re applying for entry level jobs, employers are looking for someone who’s willing to learn, can follow instructions and will always try as hard as they can.

Make your lack of experience work for you on your application and take the time to highlight what you can bring to this job that no one else can- your great attitude and total commitment to learning and growing.

On that note, don’t underestimate the benefit of keeping a positive attitude through your job search. Looking for work is HARD. If you’ve been at it for a while and have received a rejection or two that can get tiring after a while and take its toll. It’s not personal, you’re doing the best you can, so give yourself some credit. Keep reminding yourself that you WILL find a job because YOU ARE AMAZING.

Applying for work can be a long and lonely road, but you’ve got this!

Not sure where to start with your job application? Check out our advice on writing a resume and our complete breakdown of cover letters.

3: Make your network work!

Ever heard the saying it’s not what you know, it’s who you know? This does hold a bit of truth to it. Having someone introduce you to an employer directly is much more valuable than unsolicited job applications.

Your network of friends, family, former teachers and community members are your biggest cheerleaders and between them all, they’re bound to know an employer who is dying to meet you.

Reach out to your network and ask if they know of any available positions or have any contacts, recommendations or introductions they can make for you to help you get your foot in the door. While asking for their help might feel daunting at first, remember, these people care about you and want to see you succeed. You’d do the exact same for them.

4: Hit the books

There’s no doubt about it, life experience is extremely beneficial when it comes to landing a job, but you can’t underestimate the importance of education and training either.

Depending on the job you want, you may need to get certain tickets or qualifications to be considered for a position, experience or not. Some of this training and accreditation can take a day or two (like getting your responsible service of alcohol) and others require a longer term commitment (like a certificate or a degree).

There’s a huge range of options to suit you, and don’t be freaked out if studying isn’t your thing- not all learning is sitting in a classroom and taking tests. The first place to start is to think about what kind of a job you want, and then see if there are any qualifications required to do it. Take it one step at a time.

If you’re aged 17-24, you may be able to study a free or low-fee course through the Australian Government initiative JobTrainer.

5: Everybody’s gotta start somewhere

How good would it be to land a job that pays 6 million dollars and all you have to do is play with puppies all day? Amazing right?! Realistic? Not so much, but hey if you find that job, let us know.

Be realistic in your plans. Take stock of where you’re at with your skills, experience and life stage and apply for jobs within your reach. Give yourself the best chance of succeeding and see every job as an opportunity to learn and grow.

We’re not saying settle for less than you deserve, (or are legally entitled to – make sure your know your rights) but don’t expect to be a high flyer your first day on the job either. Every job, volunteer position or training opportunity will lead to something bigger and help you get to where you want to be.

7: Find the right support

Having a great support network to lift you up is important in any job search. From resume writing, education and training, interview prep and beyond, we’ve got your back to help you find a job (and keep it).

Find out more about how our Disability Employment Services program can support you to find work or complete the form below to get started.


READY TO FIND WORK?

Send us a message or  call us now on 1300 139 920

"*" indicates required fields

Do you have a disability, injury, illness or health condition?*
Are you receiving income support payments or a pension?*
Do you have a current NDIS plan?*
Are you aged from 14 and not yet the Age Pension qualifying age?*

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