Feeling old? Tips for your next interview.

by Angela Copeland | Jan 19, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter

It’s a New Year, and you’re one year older than last year. You may have signed up for a new gym membership and are watching what you eat. If you’re like most people, getting older isn’t a fun idea.

When you’re interviewing, you may even find that your age is causing people to judge you. You may even feel discriminated against. Even though companies aren’t supposed to take things like age into account, what can you do?

You cannot change their thinking, but you can change how you present yourself. If you want to avoid being labeled as “too old” in your next interview, consider these tips:

1. Get an up to date e-mail address. I know I’ve mentioned this a few times, but I can’t emphasize it enough. Having an e-mail address that ends in “AOL.com” screams out that you’re either older or very technology challenged.
2. Update your look. If you’re actively interviewing, ensure that your clothes are up to date in terms of style. Check to be sure your hair, makeup, and shoes are all up to date as well. Have a friend or family member help to give you an unbiased opinion.
3. Don’t include all jobs. On your resume and on LinkedIn, you don’t have to include every job you’ve ever held. Unless you’re trying to highlight something special, you can consider limiting your experience to the last ten to fifteen years. Dropping off your first job can help to quickly drop off years.
4. Remove your graduation years. Did you know that you don’t have to include the year you graduated on your resume? That’s right! By removing your graduation years, it’s harder for an employer to quickly calculate your age. But when you do, remove these years from LinkedIn and Facebook too.
5. Remove the year you were born from Facebook. Facebook requires you to provide your birthdate, but you get to decide whether or not it’s public information. At a minimum, hide the year. Employers will look you up on Facebook when you’re interviewing.
6. Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. You don’t want to fall into the camp of those who never learned LinkedIn, so are choosing to opt-out of it. LinkedIn is a necessity for job searching.

This list may seem like tiny details, but in reality it’s these details that are the social cues to let someone know how old you are. By reducing the ability to guess your age, you will increase the chances someone will assume you’re younger – and the chances that you’ll be discriminated against in your job search.

And — if you have questions about your job search that you’d like me to address in an upcoming newsletter, please send me an e-mail at Angela@CopelandCoaching.com.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Thanks.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

E-mail Etiquette

by Angela Copeland | Jan 12, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter

I hope you’re managing to stay warm today! In the past week, the temperatures have really gone down considerably. Hopefully, you’re taking advantage of the time inside and are focused on what else – your job search!

One topic that becomes very important during job searching is your e-mail etiquette. When you miss the boat on your e-mail communications, it’s rare that anyone will tell you directly. But, rest assured—they noticed and they’re talking about it.

Avoid being that person and take the time to consider the recommendations below. They’re very simple, and they will help tremendously.

1. Upgrade your e-mail account. If you’re still stuck in the days of AOL, Comcast, or any older provider, it’s time to upgrade to Gmail or a similar service. If you’ve had your personal e-mail address for over 10 years, this may be you. Your e-mail address can indicate a few things – one being your age, and one being your level of sophistication when it comes to technology. Stay up to date to keep from being judged.
2. Select a professional e-mail address. Stay away from e-mail addresses that include your birth year or graduation year. They provide unnecessary information about your age. Stay away from e-mails that contain casual nicknames or hobbies. Pick something that contains your first and last name if possible.
3. Respond within 24 hours. When you receive an e-mail, respond within one day. Even if you don’t have the entire answer, respond to say you’ve received the message. You are your own brand and a product you’re marketing. As such, treat those you interact with as if they were your customers.
4. Start your e-mails with your receipt’s name and end with your name. Job search related e-mails should start with something like “Dear Andrew, Thank you for your e-mail” and not with something like “Hey! Thank you for your e-mail.”
5. If you must send a mass e-mail, use BCC. Blind Carbon Copy is the most professional way to send e-mail to a large group of people. Sending to a group and not hiding their e-mails shows lack of respect for personal privacy. It can also be very annoying when people begin to reply. That leads me to my next tip…
6. If you receive a mass e-mail and must respond, reply directly. Unless it’s very important, don’t send a reply-all message. When you reply-all, everyone on the original e-mail receives a copy of your message. It can also trigger a number of other reply-all messages. You’ve probably had this happen before and can attest to how annoying it can be.
7. Include a signature. At the bottom of your e-mail, you have the option to include a signature. This is a great thing to include! In addition to your name and e-mail, be sure it includes your phone number. So many people use your signature to find your phone number. When it’s not there, the experience can be difficult and they may give up.

These suggestions should be an extension of the everyday business etiquette you use. They will ensure you aren’t the subject of a discussion about how, “that person just doesn’t know how to use e-mail properly!”

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Thanks.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach