Career Soft Skills For 50 Years Old

Let’s admit it, looking for a new career when you are 50 or over is a challenge. If you think it’s that easy as in your 20s or 30s, brace yourself for failure. It’s not. Far from it. You need to have as many soft skills for 50 years old as possible. Remember, you’re competing against a bunch of young, dynamic and fresh persons for the same job.

To find a job at this late stage of life you have to develop a vast skill set and be able to do things a25-year old will excel at. Most importantly, you have to start developing these soft skills as early as you can.

In today’s global job market, getting young and coming college graduates is not a tough task for employers.

Developing soft skills is not rocket science. It’s not similar to Maths or Physics. It’s what makes your personality and image.

Career Soft Skills For 50 Years Old

Look Good

It’s going to take you a lot of effort in your 50s, but it’s worth it. Take up physical exercise, get enough sleep, don’t overeat and avoid any stress.

And finally, work out your style. Review your wardrobe and get rid of things that make you look old and tired of life. If you are fond of experimenting, don’t try too hard.

Crazy hairdo or tattoos on your face can scare off your future employees as may they consider it to be inappropriate for your age.

Have a very professionally taken photograph serve as your LinkedIn profile picture. Always be dressed extremely well, particularly on the day of the interview. Your choice of dresses should reflect your maturity and youthful exuberance at the same time.

Cultivate Contacts

It must become your habit. Make friends, not just some colleagues you are getting along with. It’s critical that you interact with them outside of work. If you don’t have already, open a LinkedIn account. Be a frequent LinkedIn visitor. Share your thoughts and interesting facts of your industry.

If you don’t have already, open a LinkedIn account. Be a frequent LinkedIn visitor. Share your thoughts and interesting facts of your industry. Put well thought of comments on others’ posts. At the same time, Make sure not to overdo the usage.

At the same time, make sure not to overdo LinkedIn usage.

attend parties, local networking events, share stories, encourage each other and forget the word ‘networking’. Be a good friend and stay in touch.

Don’t neglect communication with the younger generation. Don’t be afraid to be not properly understood. You can give them tons of precious insights.

They can give you a broader mindset. Younger colleagues and fresh specialists are no longer children. They will appreciate this friendship as much as you will.

Why does it matter?

Recommendations sometimes work better than a well-written CV. Recruiters and HR’s are prone to believe people, not paper. Take this advice seriously and you’ll acquire new friends and plenty of new career opportunities.

Have a Hobby

Get a hobby and fall in love with it. Later on, when you’ll closely approach retirement, it may become your career and bring you a stable income.

You may be an excellent lawyer, but at home, you sew wonderful clothes. You may be a top-ranked journalist, but at home, you spend hours drawing pictures and portraits.

Don’t give up on hobbies. Try everything when you are young. Unleash your capabilities and gifts. When you are 50, they are going to serve you a good job.

Welcome Any Feedback

Sometimes it may be harsh. Sometimes it may be devastating. Still, there is no reason to give up or get angry. Yes, it can offend you.

But, don’t abandon what you were trying, fix it. Figure out why are you making mistakes and don’t repeat them.

Any type of feedback is good. Positive one should motivate you to work harder. And negative ones should motivate you to introspect and to course correct. They are both useful.

Don’t attribute your failure to your age. Attribute it to lack of knowledge. Then gain as much knowledge as possible.

Be a Real Pro

Evolve in what you do well. The business you are operating is not a limit. Explore the new, follow the industry trends, develop a profound knowledge of your field.

You will see that companies will be hunting you no matter what your age. Make excellent use of your experience. Excel at things you were once an expert in.

Doing certifications and professional publications help young and old, alike.

Learn, Learn, Learn

Probably, the most vital advice anyone can give you. Learn. A lot. Read books, watch movies, dig into psychology, act bold and embrace challenges.

Travelling is underrated. When you travel, you change. Seeing the world can turn your life and mind upside down. Closing yourself within four walls and watching TV has the opposite effect and leads to degradation.

The educational power of the internet is strong. Studying online is getting more and more popular. Courses, lectures, tons of books are available to practically anyone. Enjoy and learn something new.

The ease of access to the internet and with educational institutions now offering up courses online has helped plenty of people to further into new careers or be better equipped at their current ones.

Much like how retired nurses returning to work has been made easier with the help of some of these programs.

I have seen that YouTube videos are the most useful tools for learning something fast.

From day to day home maintenance, landscaping to understanding the DNA structure and the easy explanation of the “Theory of Relativity”, YouTube has them all.

Be a Pleasant Person

Kindness, generosity and good personality payout. Don’t let your problems store up. Resolve them, and keep your demons under control. Never lose your temper in front of others. Socialize and be the perfect person to have around.

Also, don’t make something extraordinary out of your age. Asking for respect or bragging about your past achievements is no good.

Never gossip. It’s critical. One gossip and you are doomed. It will take years to recover, so make sure you are not getting involved with it. After all, it’s dirty.

What’s It All About?

Often people are biased against themselves. They think they might be too ugly to perform as a model. They think they might be too boring to be a TV host.

They think they are too old to change their lives and question how to find a new job when they are 50+. Even there are job income options for retired elderly persons.

Ugly, boring, and old people don’t exist. But confident people do. Most middle-aged people dramatically lack faith in themselves. In reality, they are capable of everything.

So, have that faith and belief in you while you look for the career opportunity.