50+ Career Inspirations for Experience-Rich Job Seekers Aged 50+

Inspired by a message I received this morning from Tuula Hirvelä, today I offer to you these 50+ career inspirations if you are an experience-rich job seeker (that means you're age 50+ and fabulous, by the way :)

1. You are awesome.
2. Even if they took away your job title, they can't take away your experience, your passion, and all the insights you've gained and given them over the years. You take those with you wherever you go!
3. Being "experience RICH" is better than being "experience LACKING" - and I know you have a ton of great skills to offer your next employer. Remember that feeling when you were just getting started and you had ZERO experience? That's a faint memory now.
4. You can't control what happened to you, but you can control what you do today, tomorrow, and beyond.
5. Someone at your next company is going to be so grateful when they hire you.
6. Every day when you get out of the shower, write your dream salary on the mirror while the steam still covers the mirror. Do this every day. Believe it.
7. Give someone a LinkedIn recommendation. Focus on people who are active on LinkedIn and who have truly helped you.
8. When visiting a fellow job-seeker's profile, endorse them for their top 3 skills. This costs you nothing but it will make their day!
9. Feeling down? Do what I do. Go to your homepage and post an inspirational quote that motivates you.
10. Copy all text from your profile and paste it into a Word doc. Check for spelling errors. Your (You're) welcome.
11. Text a former coworker who always supported you and say "Hi Bonnie (or whatever their name is). Just thinking about you. I always enjoyed working with you and appreciated your support over the years."
12. Treat yourself today. Maybe get a fancy cup of coffee or tea at the coffee shop instead of making a cup at home. Watch a feel-good movie for the 100th time. Book a massage.
13. Look at yourself in the mirror and say "you are awesome." Do this daily until it no longer feels awkward.
14. Karen Lamb said, "A year from now, you'll wish you got started today." Think about something you've always wanted to do and do something about it TODAY.
15. Keeping in mind, "If you don't ask, the answer is always no," what's one thing you've always want to do? Who do you need to ask to take the first step into making that happen?
16. Go outside today. Look at the sky. Take in a deep breath. Smile. 🌞
17. Write down 3 things you are grateful for today. Do this again tomorrow, and pick 3 different things each day.
18. Find a networking event to attend this week. I'd like to invite you to join me on an upcoming Friday VIP job seekers office hours zoom session. https://www.mellermarketing.com/FridayVIP (it's free!). Feel free to spread the word and invite others who are in career transition.
19. Listen to a podcast on a new topic related to your career goals and industry. Example: How to Grow Despite Facing Uncertainty w/ Jason Feifer (as interviewed by Gary Vee).
20. When life hands you lemons, make a lemon pie.
21. Go to your local library. Allow yourself to browse around until you find something of interest to read.
22. Find your college / university diploma and look at it, reading every line. Review in your mind how much effort that took. Give yourself a pat on the back.
23. Message me on LinkedIn and say something like, "wow, Brenda. That was an impressive list of 50 inspirational tips. You made me smile. Especially tip 20 about making a lemon pie. But my favorite pie is actually (insert your pie here)."
24. Share this blog with someone you know who is job seeking and age 50+. If they're not quite age 50+ (or you're not sure how old they are), say "I know you're note quite 50, but thought you might enjoy this!"
25. Make a list of 25 reasons why a company should hire you.
26. Rid your home office space of negative karma. Find one item that does not bring you joy, and discard it or donate it.
27. Do # 26 every day for a week.
28. Drink a full glass of water: 8 ounces.
29. Go through your wallet / purse and find an unused gift card. Use it this week, or donate it to someone else this week.
30. Floss tonight before bedtime.
31. Know your worth. Do research on salary website for your targeted job title and targeted geographic area. www.salary.com as well as www.payscale.com and www.glassdoor.com. Your last salary may NOT be reflective of market value.
32. Find Job Seeker support groups like the LinkedIn ACCELERATOR GROUP hosted by Mindy Stern. This private group of current and former Job Seekers share job postings and host virtual events with guest speakers that will increase your confidence, enhance your skills and knowledge, and give you a supportive platform to share information. www.linkedin.com/groups/13879002
33. Pick a walkup song. This is the song they play for baseball players as they walk up to home plate. Here's my walkup song. 🔥 🤩
34. Dance in your car at all stoplights. Do this with pure joy.
35. Don't 'ignore the boats' that come to you as offers for assistance while you're in career transition. Watch this "Pursuit of Happyness" movie clip.
36. Buy someone flowers from the grocery story. Just because. Making someone else smile will make YOU smile.
37. Find a book near you and flip to page 10 right now. Read it. For no particular reason, other than curiosity! Tell me in comments below what the page was about.
38. Make your bed every morning.
39. The next time you're at a store that sells postcards, buy three. Send them out to people you haven't talked to in a while.
40. Sing the alphabet song while smiling.
41. Make a list of 10 other career occupations that appeal to you, that are different from work you've ever done.
42. Make a list of 5 things to add to your "bucket list" (for me: I'd like to be on stage or do improv!).
43. Look in your closet and pick out what you'll wear to your next job interview.
44. Make sure you have blank thank-you notes ready to send out after interviews.
45. Take a deep breath. Exhale. This too, shall pass. Being in career transition is a temporary blip in your life.
46. The next time you're feeling overwhelmed: Touch. Feel. Look. Listen. Touch something and feel the sensation. Listen to something and picture what it is. Look around and see something new. And maybe drink another glass of water (you really should be drinking more water, you know).
47. The next time someone tells you that you can't do something, remind yourself that limiting beliefs area the reason they haven't achieved something. Prove them wrong.
48. Dream big.
49. Grab some old magazines and make a vision board for the upcoming year. Then, hang it on a wall and look at it every day.
50. Pay it forward and help someone else in career transition this week. Be the change you wish to see in this world.
51. BONUS: Download this "Do this NOW" checklist. A checklist for good people who have been downsized, let go, “restructured out of a role,” laid off, or any other fancy corporate buzzwords which means your company terminated your employment for cost-cutting reasons, and you're not sure what to do now.

 Let’s connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brendameller