What you say in a job interview matters at any age, but after 50, these seemingly harmless comments can create the wrong impression.
Bringing age into it
“I’m probably older than my boss”
You might be tempted, even if it’s painfully obvious, to tell an interviewer or prospective manager how old you are. Resist the urge. Not only can you create an age gap that wasn’t on their radar, but they will now question if you’d feel comfortable having someone younger than you as a boss.
Stay on topic by discussing work styles, responsibilities and deliverables. You’ll leave a better impression by proving you can work with people of all career stages without making age an issue in the relationship.
The tech disclaimer
“I’m not very good with technology”
This can quickly sabotage an otherwise excellent interview. Of course, you don’t need to lie and say you are familiar with every new platform. However, telling an employer you’re bad with technology may leave them questioning how easily you will be able to pick up the tools used in the position.
Talk about the software you’re familiar with and provide examples of technology you’ve picked up in the past. Your ability and willingness to learn is exponentially more important than knowing every program from day one.
Stuck in the past
“That’s not how we used to do it”
Experience means you’ve witnessed methods that were proven to be highly successful. However, your interview is not the time to propose that older ways of doing things were inherently superior. Most companies are looking for seasoned employees who will contribute their expertise and fit into how their existing company functions.
If you need to mention a past process, focus on what you learned from it rather than that it should be used today. You’ll sound a lot more flexible when you have experience.
Counting down the years
“I just need something until retirement”
Even if retirement is just a few years away, telling an employer you are mostly just using the job as a stopgap diminishes your application. Hiring managers take time and money to recruit and train employees. They would prefer someone who wants to be there.
Talk about what draws you to this role and what you hope to achieve in it. Your retirement plans are yours alone. They do not have to dominate an interview.
The experience joke
“I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive”
It may be meant as a joke, but it can easily come across as patronizing. Length of experience is important because it gives you knowledge, judgment, and perspective, not because it means you’re older than everyone else.
Instead of telling people how many decades you’ve been working, tell them about tough circumstances you’ve worked with or results you’ve produced. Let your experience speak for itself.
Asking for easy
“I don’t want anything too stressful”
It’s not lazy to want a better work-life balance, especially if you’ve been in the workforce for many years. But claiming that you want something easy or no stress at all can come across as unmotivated.
If balance is important to you, ask specific questions regarding workload, expectations, scheduling, company culture, etc. That way you can get the info you need without implying that you don’t want any responsibility.
The qualification trap
“I’m overqualified, but…”
Claiming to be overqualified answers a question before the interviewer even asks it. They will start questioning whether you’ll get bored, seek rapid advancement, balk at direction, or jump ship when something better comes along.
Rather, describe in detail why you want the job even though you are experienced. Maybe you want more hands-on responsibilities, you love the industry, or you want to apply your knowledge differently.
Closing the door on learning
“I don’t need to learn that”
It’s great to be confident in your current abilities, but arrogantly refusing to learn something different plays into the stereotype an older candidate is trying to avoid. Every job evolves over time, no matter your age or field.
Even the most senior employees have to learn new programs and policies. A better approach is to relate new tasks to past successes. Demonstrating curiosity is just as valuable as displaying knowledge.
Making age the reason
“At my age…”
Don’t use your age as an excuse. Things like “I don’t want to climb the ladder at this point in my career” can divert attention from your skill set to stereotypes about older workers.
Simply state what you’re looking for in the position without tying it to your age. Your career aspirations shouldn’t need an age qualifier.
Knowing it all
“I know more about that than most people”
Years in the field can equal expertise, but bragging about it can make you seem uncollaborative. Remember that you aren’t just selling yourself to an employer; you’re selling yourself to future coworkers.
Discuss your experiences sharing knowledge with coworkers, mentoring employees, troubleshooting with others, or learning from diverse teams. The most successful seasoned professionals demonstrate how their experience lifts everyone up, not puts them on top.
15 interview mistakes recruiters say can cost you the job
You know the drill with job interviews. You want to make a killer first impression so you spend days preparing. Unfortunately even with all that preparation, some people still manage to trip up on the basics and make mistakes that cost them their new career.
