A recent report by Economic Times notes that younger job seekers are facing intense competition for fewer positions, often accepting longer hours for lower titles and salaries.
No Country for Old Men--the title of this Coen Brothers Hollywood thriller, could well have been the headline for the current iob market, both in India and abroad, where age and experience hang like millstones around the necks of job seekers. Employers and hiring managers alike seem to be dealing with reduced budgets and a mindset that isn't willing to pay for experience in a digitally-led, constantly evolving business environment.
Meanwhile, for better or worse, there are tons of younger job seekers competing for fewer jobs than before, and willing to work longer hours for a lower title and salary. How can you optimise your job strategy based on the challenges for your age bracket?
Early career (20s - early 30s)
Whether you are Gen Z or late Gen Y, you are not likely to be worried about age, but about fewer opportunities and constant redundancy of the learning you had invested in. For the first decade after college, your two-pronged strategy should be to develop skills and build relationships. This will be the foundation for the rest of your career. In college, utilise the university's career and placement resources, starting with resume reviews, interview and case study preparation and, finally, campus internships and placement drives.
After college, continue to invest in education and certification through platforms like Coursera and Udemy, while you seek real-world practical skills through projects and opportunities that cross your path. Apart from
hard skills, be focused on soft skills of communication, team work, problem-solving and leadership. Campusoriented student clubs, community-led projects, outsized communication, team work, problem-solving and leadership. Campusoriented student clubs, community-led projects, outsized responsibilities in earlystage startups, and volunteer activities are great opportunities to develop critical jobworthy people skills.
Alongside skills, build professional relationships for the long term. Your colleagues on campus and at work, clients and vendors you meet, and professionals in organisations you participate in, are the relationships you should invest in and nurture. Finally, your job search strategy should involve getting noticed and invited for interviews. After campus, seek opportunities through job fairs, online applications through job boards, and internships that impart valuable experiences and can convert into full-time roles. Connect with alumni and attend professional events to generate potential job leads and interview invitations. Mid-career (30s -50s)
If the first decade was a time to learn, now is the time to earn. In the next two decades, you will carry specialised work skills and significant experience to back it up. Learn to sell your accomplishments and benefits you have delivered to your past employers. Discuss the numbers to highlight value and demonstrate evidence to back your stories.
Start your job search by digging one level beyond the role being offered. Seek out deep career advancement opportunities and ask what the next step will be if you are successful in the new opportunity. Look for roles that align with your long-term career goals while they utilise and reward your current expertise.
The best roles for you are unlikely to be found online. Leverage your ever-growing professional network of former colleagues, mentors and industry contacts to get references and meetings with decision-makers. Some of these meetings will convert into job leads. The best jobs are also in your current organisation.
There is low risk and immense career value in rapidly climbing the ladder in the same organisation by leveraging continuity and loyalty.
Meanwhile, continue to stay updated with industry and technology practices so that your experience stays relevant. Take courses and attend workshops to stay current and connected to other professionals. Make sure you network with professionals across all age groups and demonstrate your adaptability to new ideas and people.
Restrict your resume to a single page in a modern format and dwell only on your most recent experiences relevant to the hiring manager. Continue to be active in industry groups and events that attract a diverse set of people. While there will be an age bias in the market, there will always be opportunities for leveraging either your experience, or wisdom, or relationships. So whether you are starting out, in mid-career, or later in life, the key is to adapt, continually develop your skills, and utilise your network effectively.