Patty DeDominic on Staying the Course, It Might Not Be Age Discrimination

It Might Not be your AGE….     


Your problem is probably not age discrimination....You may be giving up too soon.        

Over the past year many people, on both ends of the age scale have told me they think they might have an issue with age discrimination.     Both college "kids" and "senior citizens" have told me this when describing their difficulties in getting that great job offer.   No question that age discrimination does exist.    So if you have been a victim I offer my sympathy, but  there is no reason for you to be limited by that.  There really ARE enough opportunities out there for those who will keep making the effort.   No doubt it will take tenacity and creativity...as well as a thick
skin.   

Debbie Gregory's  95 year old uncle who is still working.   
There has been a news segment about him and it has been nominated for an Emmy.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34382597/ns/today-today_people/
God Bless him, he is working as a greeter at Walmart and he seems to be having a grand time.


The Case of the  Mysterious Banker.......

I was recently contacted by a well meaning friend of a former banker. the banker has been trying for months to get a new job replacing her former occupation in one of the banks in town which she had not yet worked for.    Still no offers.....    Could she have a discrimination claim?     Could I please review the resume and offer suggestions on anything this person might be doing wrong on her resume.   The resume was well done and listed a number of impressive banks in the woman's home town. 

This business development and relationship banker has had a series of jobs in banking over the past 20++ years, sometimes even winning awards and occasionally getting promoted. The banker friend was worried that Age Discrimination was her problem and after reviewing the resume, I realized the  woman had a pattern of leaving her job at 2-4 year intervals.  (boredom? burn out?)

I said, Your friend has a three year track record, (unless these are acquired banks)

She gets hired.
She wins awards
Then… what happens……. She loses steam? She gets laid off.   It is quite possible she
has just run her course in this profession and it is time to make the most of it and move on.

After a little added analysis,   I think her "pattern" has simply caught up with her and it might be time to look for a parallel occupation out of banking.  If she is willing to go outside her comfort zone and seek a job in another field she might be able to put her skills and experience to even more rewarding work.  

 Where can she can build on her vast contacts and experience in the business development and  banking world?   A great place in need in today's "new economy" is the non profit sector who generally LOVES former bankers.    Another  example of a job that might work with this experience might be  Selling to Banks or bankers.   Given that the woman had business development experience, I encouraged her to consider expanding her job search outside of banking and  look into non profit organizations.

Sometimes going into allied fields allows people to “start over.”

If you are a former banker here are a few things to consider:
Particularly if you have business development experience,  perhaps fundraising for charities will be a good career move.

Or….. household finance?

Or prepaid legal?  Or promoting related professionals or firms of pros,  like CPA's or Law Firms.

Or business development for a finance company/ business factor?


You can leverage Your Track record and get out of the insiders whispers by trying that parallel universe.  Make the most out of your decades long investment and go out there and find something that will generate some new excitement in your brain and your heart in the coming years.




Reputation…… is key.
It is NOT what people say about you always… sometimes it is what they won’t or don’t say.  
Patty DeDominic, Coach to High Achievers

Happy Job hunting.... and please feel free to comment or offer your own experience or
job leads here!

Own the Whole Project by Patty DeDominic

"It' s not my job"      
Years ago...... there was a joke going around and lots of people thought it was funny
to proclaim that some (or almost every) aspect of their messed up corporate job was not their problem.   As a coach to boards of directors and company president's as well as successful entrepreneurs,    I am hearing more and more employers wishing that their staff would indeed "own the whole project"   or at least act like they understand that their work in part of a bigger picture.

Please... job seekers and those wondering when your next raise is coming. 
 Hear this advice:
Act as if you owned the company.  

Without "taking over" or becoming bossy, please take a look and try to understand
how your part of the project fits into the whole.       Please use caution and try never to
delegate back to your boss or sit and wait for added instructions before you can move a
project forward.  If you aren't sure what to do next,  please ASK.

Do not ever utter those words   "It's not my job"..... because your job may indeed hinge on
your being able to see the bigger picture and helping to make a difference beyond tasks you
may have been assigned.

Try it.....  You might like it!

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals.
http://www.dedominic.com/