As time passes and things change, you might find yourself looking for work or a new job. But as we all know, it can be tougher as the numbers on the mileage clock up. So how can you beat the ageism game?

There’s plenty of competition for all good positions. So it’s worth also thinking about how you’re going to set yourself apart from the crowd, and make yourself more attractive to would-be recruiters. How can you improve your chances of landing a great job?

How to improve your chances

There’s no single magic bullet change that will turn around your fortunes in the job market. However, there are plenty of small changes that might make a substantial difference. They’ll add up if you take enough of them seriously.

Getting an interview is more than half the battle, and having a decent CV will help you here. If you think that your age will go against you getting in front of the interviewers, remember you don’t have to include your age on your CV.

Get more training

Employers are looking for people with particular skills. By picking those skills up, you’ll be better suited to the job you’re looking for. This applies even if you’re well into your career, especially in evolving industries where new skills are always valuable.

There are a lot of free training options online these days. Google and LinkedIn, for example, offer a lot of digital marketing modules that are free to complete. Investigate further.

Don’t be afraid to ask

The skill they call ‘networking’ is, more often than not, the simple practice of asking people if they know of any opportunities that you might seek to get into. By keeping your ears open, you’ll be better able to take advantage than if you’d simply waited for a public notice of an opening.

It can feel awkward asking, but you know the old adage. If you don’t ask, you won’t get.

Grow your network in your industry

Of course, another vital component of networking is to have people there to talk to in the first place. Don’t rely on social media, here – just because you’ve connected with someone on LinkedIn doesn’t mean that your work is done. Traditional messaging strategies like business cards are still effective, so employ them ruthlessly!

Tailor your CV to each opportunity

If you’re sending off lots of applications every day, then taking the time to tailor each of them to a given opportunity might seem excessively laborious. This is where AI assistance might be handy. Try asking ChatGPT, for example, to help focus on specific angles for each job.

Don’t get a chatbot to completely write the CV for you (you’ll get found out eventually) – but do get it to point out the tweaks you might make. There are plenty of tricks you can employ to improve your CV.

Dress appropriately for interviews

The chances are good that your prospective new workplace has a dress code. Find out what it is before you turn up for the interview. And we’re not assuming that means dressing up. Some places these days are much more relaxed; it’s about fitting in.

If necessary, email or call them and ask about the office dress code. If you really are stuck, then there are a few general rules of thumb you might follow.

Don’t be scared to ask for what you want

If you’re not up front about your wage requests, then you’ll ultimately end up disappointed – since it’s difficult to ask for a raise for at least a year after you take up a position. This is why you should be clear on your salary expectations from the beginning. You won’t get something you don’t ask for!

Landing the job of your dreams is not an easy task, but you can always follow these tips to improve your chances.