I want to expand on an article on Yahoo Finance written last September, “I’m a Career Expert: 6 Things Baby Boomers Need To Understand About the Job Market Today.” 

I like everything about the article, but other connections are just as essential to appealing to today’s employers. 

The article lists: 

The Benefits of Job Hopping

The Power of Personal Branding 

Understand the Applicant Tracking Systems

The Decline of 9-5 Schedules

Flattening Hierarchies

The Rising of Diversity and Inclusion

While these are important, they are a ways off from being the norm in understanding today’s job market. Boomers don’t have the longitudinal landing strip for jobs than other generations. 

They should be ready to adapt to these emerging trends, but I think of several things more immediate:

1) Boomers need to pay more attention to marketing themselves to connect with the needs of the employer or recruiter. They must anticipate some of the employer’s current problems, both immediate and future. 

Forecasting is a sweet spot for Boomers because of their experience in the workplace, but they must demonstrate the use of contemporary tools to solve them. 

2) Boomers must present themselves as mastering relevant skills. It’s essential to hone your skills as a craft constantly and show progression. Career advancement does not have an expiration date. Today’s professionals are works in progress.

3) Boomers’ confidence is a superpower because of their lived experiences and resilience. They must show how they’ve navigated many adverse fiscal and market crises. They have stories and anecdotes to fit into the new world of work. 

4) Boomers must find synergy with their younger counterparts. Many Gen Z workers are more open to learning from them, especially if there is a value exchange of shared learning experiences. 

Boomers can help younger workers bow to tone a message, while younger workers can help Boomers with simple tech tasks such as converting a document to PDF.

5) Boomers must lean into the power of tact and respect, which is vital to connecting with younger hiring managers and recruiters. They need to read the room to find common ground rather than differences. 

The response to sitting at the feet of others to learn and adapt comes as quickly as the need for a mentor. 

Boomers looking to work desire meaning through their work or purposeful work. They adapted to varying leadership styles, fluid job markets, and complex transitions for decades. LinkedIn is a great place to update your profile and engage in conversations by sharing anecdotes and solutions to employers’ problems.

The biggest challenge for Boomers to conquer is getting in front of employers and connecting their attributes to business solutions they currently need.  

In a recent AARP survey, approximately 70% of workers enjoy working with other generations. Collectively, they see it as an opportunity to learn new skills and perspectives.

For the most part, boomers are on the outside looking in since many are staying in the workforce and unretiring, they should consider how they talk about and connect with younger workers. Here are my suggestions in how to go about it:

1) Boomers must value and understand the needs of the employer or a recruiter. It’s not a bad idea to follow and read what recruiters say about the candidates they interview and hire. The more specific the recruiter is to your industry, the more insight you’ll receive. These can inform every part of your approach to finding the right opportunity to navigate the interview process.

2) Boomers must understand their presentation to persuade employers to hire them. Every opportunity to impress must count. While no one is looking for perfection, every interaction with someone in the company is scrutinized.

3) Boomers must be perpetual learners. It’s essential to hone your skills constantly, but it only matters if they’re relevant to the employer’s needs.

4) Boomers must create synergy with younger counterparts (particularly those open to it). Many Gen Z workers are more open to learning from them, especially if there is a value exchange of shared learning experiences. Boomers can help younger workers bow to tone a message, while younger workers can help Boomers with simple tech tasks such as converting a document to PDF.

5) Boomers must approach younger workers with tact and respect when working and networking with younger hiring managers and recruiters. They need to read the room to find common ground rather than differences. When youngsters value their past experiences and knowledge, they will let them know.