Job search the old fashion way: It’s harder, but it works

Face-to-face job searching is important for the reasons previously mentioned, but it also has additional value based on your age. If you are a Gen X or younger Gen Y, those your age are generally very comfortable making decisions based on internet-only knowledge and communication because computers and the internet were available during your formative years. The problem for you is that many of the people making decisions as to your hire-ability are older than you and less comfortable with working only in an electronic medium. Therefore, by-and-large, the best way for you to be hired by an older Gen Y or Baby Boomer is to meet them in person as soon as possible during the hiring process.

For Baby Boomers, including myself, the issue is different. According to the study, 65% of Baby Boomers felt that they were discriminated against because of their age. One of the best ways for you to reduce this discrimination is to have a face-to-face conversation with the person evaluating your resume and/or the hiring manager as early as possible during the hiring process. This up front and personal conversation will allow you to be viewed as a person, not just a resume sitting on the desk. It will also provide you with the opportunity to explain why you are the best person for the job, regardless of any potential age bias.

The full survey results can be found at http://millennialbranding.com/2012/09/multi-generational-job-search-study.

If you have any questions about your career in IT, please email me at
eric@ManagerMechanics.com or find me on Twitter at @EricPBloom.

Until next time, work hard, work smart, and continue to grow.

Read more of Eric Bloom's Your IT Career blog and follow the latest IT news at ITworld. Follow Eric on Twitter at @EricPBloom. For the latest IT news, analysis and how-tos, follow ITworld on Twitter and Facebook.