Ralph G. asks…

Q. I’m over 50 and looking for a job. Will I be considered too old for employment by anybody?
A. Finding employment after 50 is not easy but there are a few things to consider. Participating in an adult internship/apprenticeship may get your foot in the door, and taking time off for re-training may make you more marketable. But sell the employer on the advantages of hiring you over a twenty-something. Ashok Vaswani, CEO of personal and corporate banking at Barclays, said “Older workers bring maturity, leadership, energy and wisdom to a company.”
Two thirds of HR professionals report their firms have hired older workers coming back from retirement. According to Jaye Smith, co-author of The Retirement Boom, “Companies are trying to find ways to utilize this part of the workforce. Workers that return after an extended break bring energy, creativity and confidence.”
Refreshing your job skills, increasing your networking outreach, professionally updating your resume and demonstrating your use of social sites like Twitter and LinkedIn would be the first steps someone should take when looking for a job, no matter what the age. These efforts should net interviews and you will need to close the deal by convincing the employer that you have more value than younger applicants.