I’ve been reading a lot about people over 40 being unemployed and struggling to find meaningful work. It’s a topic of extreme interest to me, being that I am over 40 and my job was eliminated about a year ago.

While I was very disappointed to lose my job, I thought it would be a piece of cake to find something new. I have tons of experience in a variety of fields! I’ve got oodles of transferrable skills! I have great contacts! Everyone thought I’d find something great in no time.

Fast forward a year, and surprise! I’m still out of work.

Looking for a job is no one’s idea of a good time. Being over 40 makes it that much more challenging. People with 15-20 years of experience are often seen as expensive and less knowledgable about technology.  This is unfortunate, as there seems to be any number of companies who complain they are unable to find talent, but ignore older workers due to these biases.

Job seekers over 40 often wind up in jobs that are beneath their skill set, and see their earnings decrease. They start to worry about the future: how will I make up the lost income? Can I actually grow at this company? What happens if this job disappears? Will I ever be able to find another one? The lack of opportunities often leads to depression, and in many cases, despair. Not being able to find quality work will hit you right in the self-esteem.

Managing those dark thoughts and very real worries are hard work. A year of job hunting has given me a brand new perspective on it, so I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned.

Here are some of my best tips for keeping your spirits up and your prospects on the rise.

Connect In Person

If you’re unemployed, you already know to network and connect with others in your field. But a lot of the time, you’re doing this while hunched over a computer, shooting off emails alongside tweaking your resume or scouring job sites. Instead, make plans with the folks in your network: meet for lunch, or coffee, or whatever.

The twist is to meet them with no agenda- just for the pleasure of an hour of conversation. It will give your brain a break from the job hunt rut, and may help spark new ideas. If the hunt comes up, go ahead and share what you’re looking for. You never know where it may lead- your former colleague may know someone at a company where you’re interested in working.

Use your expertise, don’t lose it!

It’s easy to put all your focus in the job hunt, but don’t ignore tending to your skills. Skills gets rusty from disuse, and you need to keep that machinery well oiled! Join a mentoring network and help others who are starting out in your field. Join an expert network and get paid for sharing your experience. Keep reading the industry news – business changes very quickly, and now is not the time to be out of the know!

Do you know anyone with whom you could do a skills exchange? I shared my time and expertise with contacts that had their own businesses, in exchange for their knowledge on my projects.

Learn Something New

The thing I found that I missed the most about working, other than the social interaction, was the new stuff to learn. When you’re working, your brain is being constantly challenged with new situations – learning new technology, taking chances with a new product or design, opening new avenues of business, etc. You may feel that you’re learning more than enough right now about how to find a job, especially if you haven’t had to look for one in over a decade. Let me tell you, I recognize that is a full-time endeavor.

But I’m talking about learning something new just for the joy of learning it.  Learning a new skill has been shown to help prevent memory loss, improve learning speed, and help your brain make new connections. Are there things that you always wanted to learn how to do? Now is the time. You might even find that you’re able to make a side business from one of your hobbies! Looking to transition into another career? What coursework could you do that might help?

There are a number of free or inexpensive online courses available. YouTube or Lynda.com can be great resources. Community colleges are also good places to learn new job skills. Google schools or learning centers in your area, and you may be surprised at the wealth of learning opportunities available.

Volunteer

Have a pet cause, but never had the time to help out when you were working? Need a little social interaction? Volunteering is a great way to help out your community and get a little people time, and the commitment is smaller than you think. Some organizations only require a few hours a month. You may even be able to use your particular skillset! Check out the organizations in your area. Most of them have online portals for volunteering that will give you an idea of the commitment they’re looking for before you apply.

Exercise

This is one of the hardest things to do when you’re feeling blue, but you can’t ignore your physical self if you want to feel better. Sitting in front of a computer screen all day can drive you a little nuts, and frankly, we all need some fresh air.  Regular exercise has been shown to change the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills. I put 30 minutes of exercise into my schedule every day, with the condition that I could take 2 days off a week if I wanted to.

Getting this in first thing in the morning helped me to feel like I’d already accomplished something for the day. It also spurred me to jump on my task list and get stuff done.  Keeping this up for the past 8 months has really helped to improve my productivity and overall mood, and I even lost a few pounds. Take 30 minutes 5 times a week and just go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be hard. You can even make it an adventure: Try walking in a new direction in your neighborhood, or exploring different parts of your town.

 

I hope these tips help you as much as they’ve helped me. Good luck in your search, and don’t forget- you’re amazing!