Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Which sounds better? 

 

“I’m a 51-year-old media consultant” or “I’m a media consultant with more than 25 years of experience in the business.”

 

What does being a 51-year-old media consultant mean?  I could be a novice in the field who knows less than a 30-something professional.  Banking on your age alone in the business world may be more of a deterrent these days than you think.  Don’t get me wrong, age does have its advantages but in the business world, it’s more about what you know. 

 

Therefore, as an older professional business man or woman you’ve got to SELL YOUR EXPERIENCE!

• You Know People: You have worked long enough and SMART enough to have developed business contacts of tremendous value.  No 25-year-old executive will ever match the number and depth of contacts a veteran business woman or man brings to the table.
• You Bring Wisdom and Sage Leadership: After more than 25 years in the workforce, you’ve taken your knocks, you’ve learned the hard lessons, and you’ve demonstrated your ability to lead, achieve and succeed.
• You Represent Credibility: You give your company instant credibility, simply by your level of maturity.  The fact that you have learned how to wheel and deal over the years with some of the best men and women makes you a force to be reckoned with. 
• You have real-life experience:  Today, employers want workers who can hit the ground running and older workers have more real-world experience with less drama.  Also, customers want to deal with business owners who know how to treat them as a person and not as a “sale.”
• Your Network is Bigger:   All those years of Chamber of Commerce Meetings, along with other business, church and social networking clubs haven’t been for nothing.  These are invaluable contacts that not only help you generate sales but also help you expand your networking base even wider.

Abigail Van Buren, the Dear Abby columnist, was once quoted as saying: If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us we’d be millionaires .”  So what kind of deposit are you prepared to make?

age is not an indicator of competence [or lack of it].

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James Lindon, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Lindon & Lindon, LLC
Cleveland, Ohio
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Pharmacy Law, Litigation
[this is not legal advice - provided for discussion only]
Intellectual Property for the Individual and Small Business: Identify, Protect, Enforce, Defend.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
http://www.LindonLaw.com

Yah, look at Jimmy Carter!

Here is advise I was given by several headhunters (recruiters). Avoid reference to age.  It works against you by giving your prospective clients the idea you are old school or out dated.  Instead use phrases such as "extensive background."

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The older we get, the more excuses we make for not chasing after our dreams. But truth is, goals are attainable at any age.

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If you are looking for work in a company on the ground then denoting your experience goes both ways. It can work for you or against you. It's relative to what you are applying for and who you're applying to.

Most employers want to know what you can do to improve their world. It also depends on how your particular experience is related to the posting.

Age or 'years of experience' may well have entrenched your thinking  - from a prospectvie employers point of view. Gloss over phrases such "extensive background'  (suggested in above post) are excellent, subtle, and arouse curiosity. They leave the employer wanting more info which can lead to you being able to talk about how your background can work for the company.

Personally I am creating my own business online, because I am tired of toeing someone else's line for a buck. It is easier than you think.

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Daisy Lee Beacon Say this out loud - "yes I Can" --- "Just do it now" --- "Don't Quit!" These are phrases that have got me through so much in life. I hope they work for you too! :) Free Gift

I feel that the idea works in opposition to you by giving your prospective clients the concept you are old school or outdated. Instead make use of phrases such as extensive history. 

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